This article is meant to be an initial overview on the Surly Big Easy cargo bike. If you are looking for my review, that is over here.
Surly has had a few iterations of longtail cargo bikes over the years. The Big Dummy, and the Big Fat Dummy. Both of these bikes have fit a need for heavy-duty hauling that is somewhat compatible with Xtracycle parts. This morning Surly dropped a new bike, an electric bike.
Meet the Surly Big Easy Electric Longtail Cargo Bike
A Bosch Performance CX equipped, Class-1, steel, 26″ wheeled, longtail cargo bike. That’s a mouthful.
What makes this bike special? It’s equipped for daily kid hauling, or easily hook up the Surly trailer system to haul even more gear. 26″ wheels are more forgiving and have a wide selection of tires. I picture this being the kid/grocery hauler during the week and the bikepacking rig for the weekend. I love that they showed off the towing capacity paired with the Surly trailer. THIS is what car replacement looks like.
Other details: Mounts for a 2nd battery, according to the website all mounting hardware and wires are including for dual battery (what about keys and mounting time? We don’t know..) This is only available in the US. It is size specific and the frame dictates this, not simply swapping the bars.
I’m also very excited that this will be one of the only longtail cargo bikes that work with the Surly trailer. We use the Surly trailer often at the bike shop and it will be nice to be able to use it with a longtail for more adventures!
MSRP: $5000
Frameset
| Frame | Surly Big Easy Frame for Bosch Mid Drive |
|---|---|
| Fork | Surly Big Easy Fork |
| Seatpost Clamp | Surly Stainless |
Components
| Headset | Cane Creek ViscoSet [tuned for Surly Big Easy] upper. 40 series lower |
|---|---|
| Brakes | Tektro Orion 4 Piston HD-M745 |
| Brake levers | Tektro |
| Shifters | SRAM NX 11 speed |
| Grips | Velo single lock-on |
| Rotors | Tektro 6-Bolt 180mm |
| Stem | ProMax 4-bolt 31.8mm clamp |
| Handlebar | Salsa Bend 17 degree. No logo |
| Saddle | WTB Volt |
| Seatpost | ProMax 2-Bolt. 30.9mm |
| Kickstand | Alloy w/ Stainless bolt |
Drivetrain
| Drive Unit | Bosch Performance CX [20m/h] |
|---|---|
| Battery | Bosch PowerPack 500 |
| Display | Bosch Purion |
| Crankset | Miranda for Big Easy |
| Bottom Bracket | included in Bosch Unit |
| Front derailleur | N/A |
| Rear derailleur | SRAM GX |
| Cog or cogset | SunRace CSMS7 11-42 |
| Chain | KMC X11e |
Wheels
| Front hub | Shimano M525, 32h, QR |
|---|---|
| Rear hub | Shimano M525, 32h, QR |
| Rims | WTB STS i29 TCS |
| Tires | Surly ExtraTerrestrial 26×2.5″ Tubeless Ready |
Surly Bike Cargo Bike Accessories
Surly Kid Corral System $325
The Kid Corral system was designed for kids while they’re riding on the deck of your Big Easy, Big Dummy, or Big Fat Dummy.
Semi-modular system is designed to easily add or remove sections of the corral rails to fit your passenger safety needs, it includes:
- Full safety rail system
- Two soft Deck Pads
- Deck Bar and required mounting hardware
- The Kid Corral system is also compatible with the Thule Yepp Maxi child seat, for riders of smaller proportions
Surly Deck Bar $90
The Deck Bar attaches directly to the Dummy Deck to offer a secure hand grab for passengers. Provides a solid, comfortable handhold for riders large and small. Also available as part of the Corral Kit (above).
Surly Deck Pad $30
The Deck Pad mounts to the Dummy Deck to provide a soft platform for passengers large and small. Sold 1 each
Surly Big Dummy Bag $275
Bags to help you maximize cargo capacity on Surly Bikes equipped with the cargo deck and rack system.
- Dummy Bags feature a roll-up rain flap, an expandable cargo flap, and a water-resistant inner pocket with an optional divider
- Stainless steel drainage and cinch cord grommets, replaceable cinch cords, and replaceable wear patches at the disc caliper and derailleur contact points
- Designed to work with Surly’s Big Dummy cargo bikes and other cargo bikes using the Xtracycle Longtail Standard rack system.
- 840d nylon exterior provides abrasion-resistance, while the tarp liner keeps cargo dry
- Dummy not included
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does it come with the bags? YES
- Can it work with Xtracycle parts? SOMEWHAT, we are testing this a bit more extensively
- What does the kickstand look like? Is there a dual kickstand available? MAYBE, but the Rolling Jackass from Cyclefab will work well without the 2nd battery and we have some on order.
- Does the Yepp Maxi need adapters to work? How many fit? KINDA, more documentation coming.
- How difficult is it to install the additional battery wiring? TBD
Who Is This Bike For?
A few customers came to mind while I watched the Big Easy video.
1. The Surly lover. They have 3 Surly’s already and support the brand no matter what.
2. The Surly lover that now has kids.
3. The friend that you always invite camping because they bring the kitchen sink and extra food for everyone to eat.
4. The person that wants only ONE bike and likes to go camping.
5. The person or company that wants the ease of a longtail cargo bike because they ride like a normal bike AND the ability to pull a Surly trailer.
Why am I Excited About This Bike?
Spend 10 minutes with me as I tell you the pros/cons, and why I think this is a unique bike for the market.
Denver Surly Big Easy Cargo Bike Demo
Bike Shop Girl has a Surly Big Easy cargo bike for demo and I'll be posting a detailed review hopefully in the next week. If you are interested in talking more about cargo bikes or giving a few a try please book an appointment!
A full review will be coming later this summer!
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