Nothing More is Needed. Nothing Less Will Do. The challenge was thus: Build a serious steel bike and give it only the attributes that matter most. Make it quick and comfortable on pavement, as well as confident and compliant on degraded surfaces. What the Enginerds put forth is Preamble, a pavement and gravel utility worker that proves you don’t need to cut corners or clip coupons to make a more affordable steel bike. You just need to keep shit simple. Preamble can run racks and fenders and carry a couple water bottles. Surly was raised on stealing basic cable, after all. Smooth and efficient on asphalt, Preamble’s double-butted main triangle provides a resplendent ride feel and withstands abuse from life’s inevitable potholes. Make it your own with flat bars, drop bars, a basket, or bags. On the road to steel euphoria, Preamble is the gateway drug. Let facts be submitted to a candid world: Offered in flat-bar and drop-bar configurations Easy T-Shirt sizing to fit nearly every rider (XS,S,M,L,XL) Sloping top tubes on XS and Small frames for improved standover and comfort To offer the best rider experience for every frame size, XS and S frames get 650b wheelsets while M–XL get 700c Custom-cast single-position vertical dropout Frame Construction100% Surly Chromoly steel, Natch tubing, double-butted main triangle, TIG welded, E.D. coatedFork ConstructionSurly Preamble, 100% Chromoly steel fork, Disc OnlyRear Dropout ConfigurationVerticalRear Hub Spacing10 x 138mm Surly Gnot Boost QRFront Hub Spacing10 x 100mmRear Brake51mm IS (160-180)Front Brake51mm IS (140-180)HeadtubeØ34mmSteerer TubeØ28.6mmCrown Race30mm (1-1/8")Stock Headset Upper (S.H.I.S)EC34Stock Headset Lower (S.H.I.S)EC34Seat CollarØ30.0mmSeatpostØ27.2mmFront Derailleur (Clamp)Bottom Pull (Ø28.6)Max Chainring (CL) [3]1x: 42t2x: 46/36t maxBottom Bracket68mm BSA, threadedTire Clearance Frame [1]/[2]XS-SM frames: 650b x 41mm (with or without fenders)MD-XL frames: 700c x 41mm (with or without fenders)Tire Clearance Fork [1]650b x 47mm or 700c x 44mmRigid Fork Spec650b: 380 x 47mm; 700c: 400 x 44mmBottle Mounts Frame2: StandardRack Mounts FrameYesRack Mounts ForkFork crown and mid-blade rack mounts and fender mountsFender Mounts FrameYesFender Mounts ForkFork crown and mid-blade rack mounts and fender mounts [1] Different tire and rim combinations will result in different clearances. [2] Depending on drivetrain configuration, tire clearance may be limited by the chain and not frame. [3] Listed chainring clearance is worst case scenario. Clearances vary widely depending on components and configurations.
