Preamble is a hard-boiled steel commuter built for comfort, durability, and buffoonery on pavement and gravel.
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
Bike Capabilities
- 5/5 with Commuting Commuting: 5 out of 5
- 4/5 with Tire Clearance Tire Clearance: 4 out of 5
- 5/5 with Keeping Shit Simple Keeping Shit Simple: 5 out of 5
- 5/5 with Pavement Pavement: 5 out of 5
- 5/5 with Gravel Gravel: 5 out of 5
NOTE: You can ride your bike wherever the hell you want, but this is what we think this bike is best at.
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Where to Buy
Specifications
Frameset
- Frame
- Surly Preamble, 100% Chromoly steel tubing, E.D. coated
- Fork
- Surly Preamble, 100% Chromoly steel fork, Disc Only
- Seatpost Clamp
- Surly Stainless 30.0
Components
- Headset
- VP 1-1/8" Threadless
- Brakes
- Avid BB5 Mechanical
- Brake levers
- Avid FR-5
- Rotors
- SRAM 160mm F/R
- Shifters
- microSHIFT Acolyte Xpress
- Stem
- Kalloy 31.8
- Handlebar
- Kalloy, 35mm rise, 9-degree backsweep
- Grip/Tape
- Black Rubber
- Saddle
- Selle Italia X-Base
- Seatpost
- Kalloy 27.2 x 300mm
Drivetrain
- Crankset
- Samox, 3-piece, 40t
- Bottom Bracket
- JIS 68 x 124.5mm
- Front derailleur
- N/A
- Rear derailleur
- microSHIFT RD-M5185M
- Cog or cogset
- microSHIFT 12-42t, 8-speed
- Chain
- KMC Z8.3
Wheels
- Front hub
- Novatec, 6-bolt disc, 32h, QR
- Rear hub
- Novatec, 6-bolt disc, 32h, QR
- Rims
-
Tubeless Compatible
- Tires
- Kenda Kwik Tendril 700c x 35mm (MD/LG/XL) & Kenda Standard 650b x 1.35 (XS/SM)
Frameset
- Frame
- Surly Preamble, 100% Chromoly steel tubing, E.D. coated
- Fork
- Surly Preamble, 100% Chromoly steel fork, Disc Only
- Seatpost Clamp
- Surly Stainless 30.0
Components
- Headset
- VP 1-1/8" Threadless
- Brakes
- Avid BB7 Mechanical
- Brake levers
- microSHIFT R400-L and R-490-R
- Rotors
- SRAM 160mm F/R
- Shifter
- microSHIFT R400
- Stem
- Kalloy 31.8
- Handlebar
- Salsa Cowbell
- Grip/Tape
- Black Cork
- Saddle
- Selle Italia X-Base
- Seatpost
- Kalloy 27.2 x 300mm
Drivetrain
- Crankset
- Samox, 3-piece, 40t
- Bottom Bracket
- JIS 68 x 124.5mm
- Front derailleur
- N/A
- Rear derailleur
- microSHIFT RD-M46S
- Cog or cogset
- microSHIFT 11-36t, 9-speed
- Chain
- KMC Z9
Wheels
- Front hub
- Novatec, 6-bolt disc, 32h, QR
- Rear hub
- Novatec, 6-bolt disc, 32h, QR
- Rims
-
Tubeless Compatible
- Tires
- Kenda Kwik Tendril 700c x 35mm (MD/LG/XL) & Kenda Standard 650b x 1.35 (XS/SM)
Complete bike spec subject to change
Select a few bike sizes to compare.
SIZE | XS | SM | MD | LG | XL |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rider Height | 5'0"–5'5" 1524–1651 | 5'4"–5'8" 1625.6–1727.2 | 5'7"–6'0" 1701.8–1828.8 | 5'11"–6'3" 1803.4–1905 | 6'2"–6'7" 1879.6–2006.6 |
Reach | 13.9 352 | 15.0 381 | 15.4 391 | 15.9 404 | 16.6 421 |
Stack | 20.4 517 | 21.1 535 | 22.3 567 | 23.8 605 | 25.3 643 |
Head Tube Angle | 70.0° | 71.0° | 72.0° | 72.0° | 72.0° |
Head Tube Length | 4.7 120 | 5.3 135 | 5.1 130 | 6.7 170 | 8.3 210 |
Seat Tube Length | 16.1 410 | 19.9 505 | 22.2 565 | 23.8 605 | 25.4 645 |
BB Drop | 2.1 54 | 2.1 54 | 2.6 66 | 2.6 66 | 2.6 66 |
Wheelbase | 38.9 987 | 39.9 1013 | 40.6 1030 | 41.5 1055 | 42.7 1085 |
Chainstay Length | 16.5 420 | 16.5 420 | 17.1 435 | 17.1 435 | 17.1 435 |
Top Tube Length, Effective | 19.7 500 | 21.5 545 | 22.4 570 | 23.6 600 | 24.8 630 |
Seat Tube Angle | 74.0° | 73.0° | 72.5° | 72.0° | 72.0° |
Standover Height | 28.4 722 | 30.6 776 | 32.5 826 | 34.0 863 | 35.5 901 |
Stem Length | 3.1 80 | 3.1 80 | 3.5 90 | 3.9 100 | 3.9 100 |
Stem Angle | 7° | 7° | 7° | 7° | 7° |
Handlebar Width | 15.0 380 | 15.7 400 | 16.5 420 | 17.3 440 | 18.1 460 |
Crank Length | 6.5 165 | 6.7 170 | 6.7 170 | 6.9 175 | 6.9 175 |
Fork Length | 15.0 380 | 15.0 380 | 15.7 400 | 15.7 400 | 15.7 400 |
Fork Rake | 1.9 47 | 1.9 47 | 1.7 44 | 1.7 44 | 1.7 44 |
Select a few bike sizes to compare.
SIZE | XS | SM | MD | LG | XL |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rider Height | 5'0"–5'5" 1524–1651 | 5'4"–5'8" 1625.6–1727.2 | 5'7"–6'0" 1701.8–1828.8 | 5'11"–6'3" 1803.4–1905 | 6'2"–6'7" 1879.6–2006.6 |
Reach | 13.9 352 | 15.0 381 | 15.4 391 | 15.9 404 | 16.6 421 |
Stack | 20.4 517 | 21.1 535 | 22.3 567 | 23.8 605 | 25.3 643 |
Head Tube Angle | 70.0° | 71.0° | 72.0° | 72.0° | 72.0° |
Head Tube Length | 4.7 120 | 5.3 135 | 5.1 130 | 6.7 170 | 8.3 210 |
Seat Tube Length | 16.1 410 | 19.9 505 | 22.2 565 | 23.8 605 | 25.4 645 |
BB Drop | 2.1 54 | 2.1 54 | 2.6 66 | 2.6 66 | 2.6 66 |
Wheelbase | 38.9 987 | 39.9 1013 | 40.6 1030 | 41.5 1055 | 42.7 1085 |
Chainstay Length | 16.5 420 | 16.5 420 | 17.1 435 | 17.1 435 | 17.1 435 |
Top Tube Length, Effective | 19.7 500 | 21.5 545 | 22.4 570 | 23.6 600 | 24.8 630 |
Seat Tube Angle | 74.0° | 73.0° | 72.5° | 72.0° | 72.0° |
Standover Height | 28.4 722 | 30.6 776 | 32.5 826 | 34.0 863 | 35.5 901 |
Stem Length | 3.1 80 | 3.5 90 | 3.5 90 | 3.9 100 | 3.9 100 |
Stem Angle | 7° | 7° | 7° | 7° | 7° |
Handlebar Width | 27.6 700 | 27.6 700 | 28.3 720 | 28.3 720 | 28.3 720 |
Crank Length | 6.5 165 | 6.7 170 | 6.7 170 | 6.9 175 | 6.9 175 |
Fork Length | 15.0 380 | 15.0 380 | 15.7 400 | 15.7 400 | 15.7 400 |
Fork Rake | 1.9 47 | 1.9 47 | 1.7 44 | 1.7 44 | 1.7 44 |
Standover height measured at the center of the TT; and based on a wheel diameter of 677mm on X-Small–Small, and 717mm on Medium–X-Large
- Frame Construction
100% Surly Chromoly steel, Natch tubing, double-butted main triangle, TIG welded, E.D. coated
- Fork Construction
Surly Preamble, 100% Chromoly steel fork, Disc Only
- Rear Dropout Configuration
Vertical
- Rear Hub Spacing
10 x 138mm Surly Gnot Boost QR
- Front Hub Spacing
10 x 100mm
- Rear Brake
51mm IS (160-180)
- Front Brake
51mm IS (140-180)
- Headtube
Ø34mm
- Steerer Tube
Ø28.6mm
- Crown Race
30mm (1-1/8")
- Stock Headset Upper (S.H.I.S)
EC34
- Stock Headset Lower (S.H.I.S)
EC34
- Seat Collar
Ø30.0mm
- Seatpost
Ø27.2mm
- Front Derailleur (Clamp)
Bottom Pull (Ø28.6)
- Max Chainring (CL) [3]
1x: 42t
2x: 46/36t max
- Bottom Bracket
68mm BSA, threaded
- Tire 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: 650b x 38mm w/ fenders, 650b x 41mm w/o fenders
700c: 700c x 38mm w/ fenders, 700c x 41mm w/o fenders
- Bottle Mounts Frame
2: Standard
- Rack Mounts Frame
Yes
- Rack Mounts Fork
Fork crown and mid-blade rack mounts and fender mounts
- Fender Mounts Frame
Yes
- Fender Mounts Fork
Fork 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.
Support
Downloads
- Preamble Instructions
[pdf] - 1.5MB - Fork Instructions
[pdf] - 7.0MB - Surly Bike Sizing Chart
[pdf] - 308KB - Wheel, Rim, and Tire Instructions
[pdf] - 672KB - Bicycle Owner's Manual (English)
[pdf] - 1.2MB
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