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.

• 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