Surly Midnight Special

Midnight Special certainly has the versatility too and is one of the more aggressive options (though it's not really aggressive, just compared to those other bikes) if you end up worrying about those 50 mile rides. I have an an All City Zig Zag, not a great commuter because it doesn't take any racks, but one thing to note is that it's got more road/endurance geometry but also a longer wheelbase which makes towing a trailer easier...

On the other hand, the hefty steel of Surly (which is the reason they are kinda heavy) seems quite sturdy and maybe is a bit on the other extreme of the spectrum :). * By having it built "to order", and taking into account the low price of the frame (800 EUR) I could have way better specs (wheels, saddle, groupset) on my MS then I would have had on a similarly priced Trek Domane SL 6. This will probably not be the case when you are looking at the (in my opinion rather poor value) 'stock' midnight special. * On the stock midnight special I tested, the brakes and saddle were incredibly shitty.

It got the job done on the pavement as well as some dirt trails, mud, etc. I've never even ridden a drop-bar bike, *or* just a road bike in general. I'm kind of used to a sluggish yet steady ride. From what I can gather, the Midnight Special seems to ride like a road bike (for the most part), yet it has the capability of going off pavement or curbs confidently too.

I tested a surly midnight special for similar purposes, and was stunned. The thing is quite heavy (not important if not hilly), rides fast and nimble, but has fat tires that (together with the steel frame) suck up everything. Cobblestones which have the assumed purpose of slowing down bicycles (in Antwerp) felt like hardpacked gravel feels on my road bike (i.e.

Clearance for 700x35 and internal cable routing are a must. Lugs and plenty of bosses for a top tube bag and under the down tube are a plus. The Surly Midnight Special is almost there, but external cable routing being open to the elements is not very appealing. Also not a huge fan of the unicrown fork.