Surly Pugsley Army bike; quick frame swap and back out on the beach again after a week off from cycling...

 

Time to get out cycling again after a week off of my bikes being busy with the motorbike and a military vehicle meet last Sunday - more on that in the next blog.

So, The Army Pug,  my home made army style Fatbike was built using an original MK 1 Surly Pugsley frame set that I got in a part exchange with friend Chris for the John Deere green and yellow Surly Moonlander I bought which turned out not to be a size Large but an XL!, it suited Chris more with his height and I was happy to get a size Large Mk 1 Pugsley frame set to add to the Fat Retro Collection...

When friend Alan offered me a size Large Yellow Pugsley frame set it seemed a good idea as I could then strip and repaint the Mk 1 Pug on the Army bike as these frames are rare and sought after these days.

The Yellow Pugsley frames came out in around 2014/15 and many were used as warranty replacements on the Snowblind white complete bikes (The first complete build Fatbikes by Surly), this  frame set had a painted fork from being on another black bike and a lot of marks from being used with frame bags despite being covered with clear protective tape.It is a shame to paint the original colour of a frame but yellow did not really fit into my colour scheme of bikes and so it got sanded and using the compressor spray gun it got a coat of red oxide primer then two coats of Olive Drab spare from the Jeep...

This was done in a day and a few days later I swapped over the frames and job done...

The original Surly Pugsley frames are easily recognisable with non drop top tube and cantilever mounts on the frame and forks, the Large also only has a 4" head tube on these early models (5" on newer frames)...

Im looking forward to repainting and building up another original Mk1 Pugsley again using some rare old Fatbike parts I have squirrelled away... I`m thinking a Porsche Peppermint green colour with silver parts - I do have rare to the U.K. Alaska Made Snowcat 55mm wide 29" wheels so maybe a 29+ single speed with swappable wheels giving two gearing options in classic Surly Pugsley tradition?,  we will see...

Back to the green bike and I took it an early morning cycle along to John Muir Country Park (JMCP) via a harvested and baled Barley field, before the day got too hot as forecasted to hit 25 C by midday, it was a fantastic calm day with still water and G would have loved to SUP today but working... 

After some beachcombing revealed loads of WW2 .303 rifle cartridge cases and a pristine bullet - or a projectile  as I was told to call them...

Here is some film, first beach riding film I have added narrative and feedback is welcome!, 

Music is by Boards of Canada

More soon...