Author Topic: Surly ECR for Sierra Cascades or Atlantic route  (Read 5222 times)

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Offline delphi99

Surly ECR for Sierra Cascades or Atlantic route
« on: July 07, 2016, 09:40:39 am »
Has anyone ridden the Surly ECR on the Adventure Cycling Association's routes? I'm considering the Sierra Cascades route or the Atlantic route for next summer. Can anyone advise as to the appropriateness of this bike for primarily paved roads, ascents/descents with load? Any mods recommended? Any other ACA routes people have ridden with the ECR?

Offline Pat Lamb

Re: Surly ECR for Sierra Cascades or Atlantic route
« Reply #1 on: July 07, 2016, 01:41:08 pm »
Well, for the most part you can tour on any bike, but some bikes are more suitable for some routes than others.  Riding a big 3" tire bike like the ECR on road routes like the SC or Atlantic Coast can surely be done.  The rider is going to have to haul a fair bit of extra weight in the bike, and overcome extra rolling resistance from the tires.  It's roughly analogous to making a doughnut run from California to the original Krispy Kreme store in North Carolina in an all wheel drive four-wheelin' pickup truck with monster tires, and then complaining about the cost of gas.

Offline RussSeaton

Re: Surly ECR for Sierra Cascades or Atlantic route
« Reply #2 on: July 07, 2016, 03:33:59 pm »
Not a bike I would ever want to ride.  But it does take 700C wheels.  Not sure the rims can handle normal sized 700C touring tires or not.  But if they can, then its easy to change the tires out to 700x35mm touring tires.  Then the bike should be somewhat OK on paved roads.