Surly Bikes
First off, let me say that I know you don't need my/our permission to do (or not do) anything ever.
What I mean to do here is simply have it said: you don't need to be anything the bicycle industry says you need to be.
It's ok not to be the fastest, or ride the furthest. You don't need to turn yourself inside out. You are not required to conquer whole continents on your bicycle, nor are you expected to be Danny MacAskill - though, everything I have heard about the fella is that he's a really nice guy, so if you're going for that, don't let me dissuade you. You don't need to be able to wheelie for a mile or ride the whole Divide. If the Tour de France isn't enough of an impossible goal for you, let me direct your attention to the Red Bull Rampage.
Too much of the gold standard in cycling, in my opinion, involves pain, suffering, or ridiculous amounts of risk. Get out and ride, but don't fall for our line or theirs that says that if you get an ECR or a Long Haul Trucker that the only thing to do next is to circumnavigate something. Or, that if you get a 17" travel quintuple suspension bike that you need to jump it off of your roof. Riding it to get donuts is plenty.
If you are a person who craves a deep challenge, who really likes suffering, then by all means, get after it. But,if you are a person who thinks bikes are fun and a decent transportation option consider this your enthusiastic thumbs up from the trenches. Keep your current bike in good working order. That new thing that's being waved in front of you is probably pretty neat, but purchasing it neither makes you a super person, nor requires you to use it to the edges of its design parameters.
(Daily affirmation complete. And, now, a 180:)
That said, we have something available as of, like, right now, that I can endorse using for its intended purpose. It's a silicone pint glass. It's black. It's got white decorations on it. It's very good at holding liquids. We try generally to not just put our logo on something we didn't design, but these are pretty nice things to have. They pack well if you're going camping and they make great hot pads for grabbing the handle of your cooking pot. Their near unbreakability means they can also act as a stress releiver when you throw one across the room at your idiot friend or uncooperative inanimate object. On top of all of that, Fleck says you can poach an egg in one. Damn. I mean. Damn.
They can hold either liquid courage to make you do stupid (amazing?) shit, or they can hold a tonic against the day's strife and offer a great excuse to not do something. There, I tied it all together real neat. Do things or don't. Buy this cup. BLAM! Heart-felt message cheapened with commerce.
Thanks,
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