Surly Preamble Drop Bar

Overview

The Surly Preamble Drop Bar features a minimalist design that focuses on essentials while eliminating the unnecessary. Its double-butted main triangle ensures a ride that is both smooth and durable, making it ideal for road and urban environments. With the capability to handle both lite  touring and a healthy dose of gravel, this bike’s flexibility accommodates a wide range of cycling terrain.

The Surly Preamble Drop Bar is anxious to leave its urban confines and hit the road for A light gravelpacking overnighter or longer multi-day touring adventutes.  Ready to be outfitted with panniers or bikepacking bags, this bicycle is prepared for fun. As another day of adventure travel wraps up, there’s nothing like gathering around a campfire to regal the triumphs and challenges of the day.  You and your Preamble will rise to the challenge and ride through those beautiful stories.

Geometry & Ride Characteristics

The geometry of the Surly Preamble Drop Bar is remarkably versatile, accommodating a broad spectrum of rider heights. Its head tube angle is balanced, providing a middle ground between the aggressive angles of racing bikes and the relaxed angles of cruiser bikes. The bike also features a distinctive bottom bracket drop and wheelbase, which together create a low center of gravity and exceptional stability, particularly during turns and descents.

The Surly Preamble Drop Bar offers a blend of agility and stability, making it ideal for both city commuting and light trail adventures. The bike’s geometry, coupled with its wheelbase and bottom bracket drop, ensures a ride that is both responsive and comfortable. The drop bar configuration allows for multiple hand positions, offering an aerodynamic posture for speed and an upright position for better visibility and comfort. This makes the Preamble Drop Bar a versatile choice for riders who seek a bike that can adapt to various riding conditions.

• Reach and Stack: The reach extends from 352mm to 421mm, and the stack from 517mm to 643mm across the size spectrum. This configuration ensures a relaxed and ergonomic riding stance, contrasting with certain bikes that might lean towards a more aggressive posture.
• Head Tube Angle: The angles are consistent at 72.0° for the majority of sizes, with exceptions being 70.0° for XS and 71.0° for SM. This offers a harmonious blend of stability and nimbleness. In contrast, racing bikes might have steeper angles for rapid maneuverability, but the Preamble strikes a balance.
• BB Drop: The BB drop showcases variation, with 54mm for XS and SM sizes, and 66mm for the MD, LG, and XL sizes. This design choice ensures a lowered center of gravity, enhancing stability, especially during turns and descents.
• Wheelbase: The wheelbase, which spans from 987mm to 1085mm, is more extended than many aggressive road bikes. A lengthier wheelbase provides enhanced stability, especially at elevated speeds, making it apt for a variety of terrains.
• Chainstay Length: With a consistent chainstay length of 420mm for XS and SM, and 435mm for the larger sizes, riders can expect predictable handling. This is marginally longer than some performance-centric road bikes, underscoring stability.
• Top Tube Length: The actual top tube lengths vary from 500mm to 630mm. This ensures riders have a comfortable reach to the handlebars, contrasting with certain bikes that might have elongated top tubes for a more stretched-out posture.
• Seat Tube Angle: The angles oscillate between 72.0° to 74.0°, ensuring an efficient pedaling position. Unlike some aggressive race bikes with steeper angles, the Preamble strikes a balance between comfort and efficiency.
• Standover Height: Standover heights range from 722mm to 901mm, enabling riders of varying heights to comfortably straddle the bike, a crucial feature for urban environments with frequent stops.

vs. the Surly Preamble Flat Bar

The Surly Preamble Flat bar, with its flat handlebar, is a more economical version of the Surly Preamble Drop Bar. Having a very similar frame, the other primary differences are in the componentry as follows:

• Handlebar:
  • Flat Bar: Kalloy, 35mm rise, 9-degree backsweep.
  • Drop Bar: Salsa Cowbell.
• Brakes:
  • Flat Bar: Avid BB5 Mechanical.
  • Drop Bar: Avid BB7 Mechanical.
• Brake Levers:
  • Flat Bar: Avid FR-5.
  • Drop Bar: microSHIFT R400-L and R-490-R.
• Shifters:
  • Flat Bar: microSHIFT Acolyte Xpress.
  • Drop Bar: microSHIFT R400.
• Rear Derailleur:
  • Flat Bar: microSHIFT RD-M5185M.
  • Drop Bar: microSHIFT RD-M46S.
• Cog or Cogset:
  • Flat Bar: microSHIFT 12-42t, 8-speed.
  • Drop Bar: microSHIFT 11-36t, 9-speed.
• Chain:
  • Flat Bar: KMC Z8.3.
  • Drop Bar: KMC Z9.
• Grip/Tape:
  • Flat Bar: Black Rubber.
  • Drop Bar: Black Cork.

vs. the Surly Straggler, 700C

The Surly Straggler, 700C, is designed as a versatile gravel bike, capable of handling both rough terrains and smooth roads with its robust 4130 CroMoly tubing and wider tire clearance. Its geometry leans towards a more aggressive and performance-oriented ride. In contrast, the Surly Preamble Drop Bar, with its unique geometry tailored for urban environments, offers a more balanced and comfortable ride, especially on smoother terrains. While both bikes prioritize stability and adaptability, the Straggler leans more towards off-road adventures, whereas the Preamble is more cost-effective and city-centric.

• Groupsets:
  • Surly Straggler, 700C: Features SRAM Apex components, known for their reliability and performance in varied conditions.
  • Surly Preamble Drop Bar: Equipped with a mix of microSHIFT and Avid components, offering a balance of performance and value.
• Tire Clearance:
  • Surly Straggler, 700C: Accommodates wider tires, enhancing its versatility for various terrains.
  • Surly Preamble Drop Bar: Designed for narrower tires, optimized for smoother terrains and urban environments.
• Geometry:
  • Surly Straggler, 700C: Designed for all-road versatility, accommodating both paved roads and rough terrains. Its geometry leans more towards adventure and gravel riding.
  • Surly Preamble Drop Bar: Tailored for urban environments and smoother terrains, emphasizing comfort and an upright riding position.
• Ride Feel:
  • Surly Straggler, 700C: Offers a blend of stability and agility, suitable for both city commuting and off-road adventures.
  • Surly Preamble Drop Bar: Provides a smooth and stable ride, especially tailored for city streets and park paths.

vs. the Salsa Journeyer Sora 700C

The Salsa Journeyer Sora 700C is designed as a touring bike, emphasizing comfort and load-carrying capacity for long-distance rides. Its geometry and components, including the Shimano Sora groupset, are tailored for endurance and reliability on extended journeys. In contrast, the Surly Preamble Drop Bar is more urban-centric, optimized for city streets and smoother terrains. While the Journeyer is built for exploration and might come at a relatively higher cost, the Preamble focuses on providing a balanced and comfortable ride in urban settings.

• Groupsets:
  • Salsa Journeyer Sora 700C: Equipped with Shimano Sora R3000 components, known for their reliability in touring conditions.
  • Surly Preamble Drop Bar: Features a mix of microSHIFT and Avid components, offering a balance of performance and value for urban cycling.
• Frame and Fork:
  • Salsa Journeyer Sora 700C: Features the Journeyer Drop-Bar Thru-Axle frame and a Waxwing fork, designed for durability and load-bearing.
  • Surly Preamble Drop Bar: Constructed with 100% Chromoly steel tubing for both frame and fork, ensuring resilience and a smooth ride quality.
• Tire Size and Type:
  • Salsa Journeyer Sora 700C: Comes with Teravail Washburn tires, 700c x 38 mm, designed for durability and grip on varied surfaces.
  • Surly Preamble Drop Bar: Features narrower tires optimized for smoother terrains and urban environments.
• Geometry:
  • Salsa Journeyer Sora 700C: Tailored for touring, its geometry emphasizes comfort and stability for long-distance rides and varied terrains.
  • Surly Preamble Drop Bar: Designed for urban environments, its geometry promotes an upright riding position suitable for city streets and park paths.
• Ride Feel:
  • Salsa Journeyer Sora 700C: Provides a stable and comfortable ride, especially tailored for long journeys and carrying loads.
  • Surly Preamble Drop Bar: Delivers a smooth and balanced ride, optimized for city commuting and casual rides.