For me 2011 is shaping up to be the year of the new bicycle. I think the last new bicycle I owned was a rad litte number made by Diamond Back. It was a freestyle bike with mag wheels, front and rear pegs, and a frame that was purpose-welded for frame-stands. Hell yeah I did some tricks with that bike that I’m sure made my mom cover her eyes rather that watch!
I’m a bit older now and my cycling life centers around bicycle commuting. Rather than being excited about bar hops, cherry pickers, and frame-stands I get jazzed about how hardcore it is to ride to work in -10 deg F. weather. I’ve been looking for the perfect commuter bicycle to handle the task of using everyday to haul my ass to work as well as hauling cardboard and cans to the recycling center. On top of these utilitarian needs I wanted a bicycle that would be ready for a late-Friday afternoon decision to head out for some bike-camping with my #wolfpack from The Bozeman Fix.
Surly Bikes decided to drop their new Troll frame last fall and I pretty much started drooling at first view. At this time I began doing some bank account math regarding what was more important – food on my dinner table or a new rig in my stable and quickly decided my hard-earned pennies were best spent sourcing a parts list that would make most any cycle commuter start a constant drool.  The frame was only the beginning. It represented the foundation for a bicycle built with an 8-speed internal rear hub, a power-generating dynamo front hub, a super-ultra-awesome front and rear light system, and topping it off, a whole host of practical parts like disc brakes, swept-back handlebars, fenders, a big ol’ grocery basket, and the list goes on. If you’re really interested in exactly what went into the build, comment below or contact me and I’ll set you up with a parts list.
In the video below I present the build process of my newly-aquired 2011 Surly Troll frameset as seen from the ground up in timelapse form. The beer-drinking, rock-n-roll-listenin’ mechanics shown are Casey, Mike, and Sam. Thanks also goes to Mason and Bangtail Bikes for their help – even though they don’t appear in the vid. These guys are nerds and proud of it. Show ’em your love in the comments section, folks.