Surly Pugsley 2.0 Update; 5" tyres on 100mm Rims = The Surly `PugLander`...

So some Surly fans online and some friends ask me why don't I just get a Surly Ice Cream Truck (ICT) if I want a 5" tyre Fatbike with 100mm wide rims to get the biggest footprint available for riding on the coast in the most difficult places?

Well the answer is not because I have this size wheel set already on a 9 year old Surly Moonlander,

Here is reasons I just built what I have;

I don't want a press fit bottom bracket - I think they have no place on the coast in salt water environment,

Or expensive crank sets costing several hundred of pounds - I use £20 100mm square taper bottom brackets and old secondhand square taper cranks, both usually never cost more than £50,

The bearings in the VP Square taper BB`s once replaced with SKF brand bearings repacked with Marine grease run for several years,

Inexpensive headsets for same reasons, Cane Creak £30 1' 1/8th repacked with Marine grease last ages,

A 197mm wide rear hub, is far too wide for squeezing through tight rocks and the rear mechs are seriously exposed ready to be ripped off or damaged,  135mm or 142mm rear hub on an offset rim, with a nice wee Shimano Zee mech tucked in out of harms way will last a lot longer (non bearing jockey wheels too for long life),

Until lately my alternative to going to an ICT;

Sure a ICT looks the bollocks and with a suspension fork and dropper seat post fitted would be a hoot on trails - they are as some good friends have and love them, but for the coast I know what I have been wanting...

I managed to narrow down the BB width on my Surly Moonlander using a 155mm square taper and still it can run a 1 x 10 speed drive chain  which is only 5mm wider each side than a 4" tyre Fatbike - like the older Pugsleys,

So a new Moonlander would have been ideal for the next Decade of coastal riding, 

Folk have been wondering if a new Moonie would appear on the Surly list,

No need to now as a frame set has come out that I have discovered does everything it does and some things better...

Surly Pugsley V.2...

My Surly Pugsley 2.0 frame is a year and a half old now since I built it up after receiving it as a gift from HQ to build while I recovered from a cancer Op and built as a 29+  bike packing rig it has this year hardly turned a wheel...

5" tyres fit;

When the New Pugsley was launched the complete bikes are specced with 4.6" tyres, the new in-between size Fatbike tyre, the blurb and Surly website states 5" (4.8") tyres can fit in the rear, a Moonlander fork is needed to go 5" tyre up front. this would be with the stock (Surly Other Brother Daryll) rims fitted.

I wondered if they would fit on the rear of the new Pug on a 100mm wide rim?, it certainly fitted the new Pugsley with an old 4.7" Surly `Big Fat Larry` Tyre - these came on a secondhand Surly Moonlander wheel set I bought on eBay, all I had to do was offset the front wheel to match the Pugsley 2.0 offset fork,

And here they are...

 

The BFL`s are ok but an older generation Fatbike tyre and a lot of flex in the sidewalls soon see the sidewalls very worn quickly getting scrubbed on rocks at low pressures.

I later tried my own Moonlander rear wheel in the new frame as it has my favourite beach tyre - a 4.8" Schwalbe Jumbo Jim, and it fitted!, with loads of tyre clearance too!

Meanwhile Things getting good with G and I so I gave her the Moonlander for the coast as her (One off) Prototype Genesis Fatbike frame is a bit too special to trash on the coast and she likes to ride it with the plus wheels for xc trails, and I was doing the same with my 29+ wheels on my Surly Wednesday, these bikes have ridden over 1300 off-road miles all over the Shire on trails during 3 months of Lockdown when we were self isolating...

Down to 2 main bikes each and a decision to make...

Glenda was happy with her 27.5+ wheels on the Genesis, and the big Moonlander for the coast and sandy trails - in fact her full susspension bike is now in the loft and her friend has a loan of her regular 29er MTB!,  She is smashing times on Strava around here beating XC MTB`s and Gravel bikes on the battered old Moonlander! ha ha!,

N+2 bikes...

For myself I decided to make a choice, one trail bike,  one beach bike, 

My mind was made up for me in the last 3 months of lockdown riding trails on the Surly Wednesday as a ridged 29+ bike after removing the Bluto front suspension fork and dropper seat post, and I now prefer it`s simple low maintenance build, and the ride looking for smoother lines through stuff instead of battering over with he suspension I have found more rewarding, and it has not stopped me getting up some massive climbs easily in the local Lammermuirs, proving to be the best trail bike I have owned easily,

That and the Wednesday cannot fit a 5" Jumbo Jim in the rear (just the 4.6") so time to get the new Pugsley 2.0 fully beach prepped up...

Oh I still have my original MK1 Grey Pugsley - Scotland`s 1st Fatbike, for real special days out, never selling that!...

Clearout sale...

So I sold my two Pugsleys with the orange graphics, both are well used and both had a lot of coastal abuse,  but both have been looked after and serviced and will give their new owners lots of fun for years yet...

I stuck that money back into the bike kitty and ordered some new riding kit, 5" Jumbo Jims another Surly Frame bag, and a Surly Moonlander Offset fork - a rare thing and something I have not seen on in the flesh on a Moonlander, but wanted to have a reversible wheel option for my beach riding bike - why? cause I can with a Pugsley!

Offset Moonlander wheels...

I got to finally fit the Moonlander wheels ready for the Pugsley, 5" tyres on 100mm rims, 

I laced the front offset - the same as the rear wheel, fitting a Surly rear hub with fixed Surly Dingle cog to enable for reversible wheels in traditional Pugsley set up to get you home bail  if the mech is trashed or free hub problems to eliminate drivetrain failures...

`Ghetto` Split Tube Tubeless...

Tyres as usual are set up tubeless using the usual split tube method using 17" x 2.75"motorbike tubes to get the width once split and they have been sitting ready for the fork to arrive...

Tyres are the new ADDIX Jumbo Jims that are supposed to have stronger side walls - that will get put to the test soon on the sharp rocks on the coast soon!...

Fugley fork!...

The offset Moonlander fork is not dandy looking, looks like it's been hit by a bus!, but function over form for a bike to get you places a regular bike will not and get you home again,

I soon had the original fork off the Pug and the Moonlander fork was fitted after setting a star nut in the steerer tube and seating the lower crown race on the steerer, 

The steerer tube was left at 10" the same as original fork...

Time for some spannering...

With 142mm wide rear drop outs in the Pugsley 2.0, you have a selection of 3 pairs of rear hub spacers  for fitting 135mm rear hubs, 9mm spacers here for a 135mm Hope Pro 2 hub...

Wheels on and brake callipers installed - the rear has to be removed to fit the rear wheel but takes seconds to re fit...

Possibly the only Surly Pugsley with reversible 5" tyre, 100mm rim wheels here in the UK...

Feels ok... I" taller head tube on the Large frame than older Surlys I have/owned is noticeable, less weight on your wrists...

4-5 psi will be the usual pressure for coastal cycling...

Perfect drive chain-tyre clearance in low gears...

Even though only a 100mm wide Bottom Bracket the chain clearance is fine in 1st gear, 

The Pugsley 2.0 frames is a pretty amazing frame design to allow both 5" tyres and good chain clearance in low gears while still only a 100 BB...

The original Moonlander on the left is nearly 10 years old, and the new Pugsley 2.0 in its second year is ready to take beach riding into the next decade for myself...

More soon...