Overview
Our inspiring review is coming soon, for now here is what Surly says:
The Wednesday is Surly’s all-terrain fat bike. The frame features trail-ready geometry, 4.6″ of tire clearance, provides lots of cargo carrying capabilities and is paired with a 100mm suspension-corrected fork.
Geometry & Ride Characteristics
The Surly Wednesday geometry is distinctively crafted for both trail and touring adventures. The frame is designed to provide clearance for 26 x 4.6” tires, ensuring versatility across various terrains. The Wednesday has a comfortable and ergonomic riding posture, offering a balanced stance that melds the upright comfort of touring bikes with the agility of trail bikes Furthermore, the bike is equipped with multiple braze-ons for front and rear racks, three-pack mounts, and fenders.
Riding the Surly Wednesday feels like a seamless fusion of adaptability and robustness. Its geometry, combined with its tire clearance, offers a ride that is both responsive and stable, making it perfect for navigating through snow, sand, and singletrack trails. The bike’s design leans more towards trail bikes but with the spirit of a touring bike. With its versatile features, riders can expect a balanced and comfortable riding position, suitable for both challenging trails and long-distance journeys. This configuration not only provides excellent control in diverse conditions but also ensures comfort during extended rides, making every day a great day to ride a Wednesday.
- Rider Height Design: The Surly Wednesday’s geometry is tailored to accommodate a broad spectrum of rider heights, ensuring that individuals of various statures can find an optimal fit, setting it apart from some bikes with a more restrictive height range.
- Reach and Stack: The reach of the Wednesday spans from 400.0mm to 471.0mm, and the stack ranges from 573.0mm to 606.0mm across its sizes. This configuration guarantees a relaxed and ergonomic riding stance, contrasting with certain bikes that might lean towards a more aggressive posture.
- Head Tube Angle: The Wednesday maintains a consistent head tube angle of 69.0° across all sizes. This angle offers a harmonious blend of stability and nimbleness, differing from racing bikes that might have sharper angles for rapid maneuvers.
- BB Drop: The BB drop for the Wednesday is consistently set at 55.0mm for all sizes. This design choice ensures a lower center of gravity, enhancing stability, especially during turns, distinguishing it from some bikes with varying BB drops.
- Wheelbase: The wheelbase of the Wednesday extends from 1081.0mm to 1164.0mm. This is longer than many aggressive trail bikes, and a lengthier wheelbase provides enhanced stability, especially at increased speeds, making it apt for a variety of terrains.
- Chainstay Length: The Wednesday boasts a uniform chainstay length of 435.0mm across all sizes, ensuring consistent and predictable handling. This is slightly elongated compared to some performance-focused bikes, emphasizing stability over agility.
- Top Tube Length, Actual and Effective: The actual top tube lengths for the Wednesday range from 571.0mm to 627.0mm, and the effective lengths span from 570.0mm to 650.0mm. These measurements ensure riders have a comfortable reach to the handlebars, in contrast to some bikes that might have extended top tubes for a more aggressive posture.
- Seat Tube Angle: The seat tube angles for the Wednesday are consistently set at 73.5° across all sizes, ensuring an ideal pedaling position. This contrasts with some racing bikes that might have steeper angles, prioritizing aggressive pedaling dynamics over comfort.
- Standover Height: The standover heights for the Wednesday extend from 711.0mm to 841.0mm, allowing riders of diverse heights to comfortably mount and dismount the bike, especially crucial for trail settings with frequent stops.
vs. the Surly Ice Cream Truck
The Surly Ice Cream Truck and the Surly Wednesday, while both fat bikes, offer distinct ride experiences. The Ice Cream Truck, with its 4130 Chromoly steel frame and ability to accommodate up to 5-inch wide tires, is designed for rugged terrains, providing a plush ride that excels in snow or sand. In contrast, the Wednesday’s geometry leans more towards versatility, suitable for both trail and touring adventures. While both bikes prioritize stability, the Ice Cream Truck is more oriented towards challenging terrains, making it relatively pricier than the more versatile Wednesday.
- Fork:
- Ice Cream Truck: Features a Surly Ice Cream Truck fork with a 1-1/8″ straight steerer and tapered straight blade.
- Wednesday: Comes with a 100% Surly Chromoly steel fork, designed for disc-only, lugged and brazed, with a sloping crown and tapered, butted curved blades.
- Drivetrain and Groupset:
- Ice Cream Truck: Equipped with a Shimano SLX drivetrain, known for its reliability and smooth shifting.
- Wednesday: Features an SRAM SX Eagle drivetrain, providing a wide gear range suitable for various terrains.
- Tire Clearance:
- Ice Cream Truck: Can accommodate up to 5-inch wide tires, making it ideal for extreme terrains like deep snow or sandy trails.
- Wednesday: Designed for up to 4.6-inch wide tires, offering versatility across a range of conditions, from trails to snow.
- Ride Feel:
- Ice Cream Truck: Offers a plush ride, excelling in challenging terrains due to its wider tire clearance and robust frame.
- Wednesday: Provides a more versatile ride feel, suitable for both trail adventures and touring, with its balanced geometry.
- Geometry:
- Ice Cream Truck: Geared towards stability in rugged conditions, with a design that emphasizes control in challenging terrains.
- Wednesday: Features a geometry that leans towards versatility, accommodating both trail and touring setups, with modern mountain standards incorporated.
- Cost Implication:
- Ice Cream Truck: Generally positioned at a higher price point due to its specialized features for extreme terrains.
- Wednesday: Relatively more affordable, designed for riders seeking versatility and adaptability in various conditions.
- Versatility:
- Ice Cream Truck: Primarily designed for rugged terrains, making it a top choice for riders tackling snow, sand, or muddy trails.
- Wednesday: Known for its adaptability, the Wednesday can handle singletrack trails, snow, and long-distance touring with ease.
vs. the Salsa Mukluk Deore 11
The Salsa Mukluk Deore 11 and the Surly Wednesday both cater to the fat bike category but offer distinct ride dynamics. The Mukluk, with its aluminum frame and Bearpaw fork, is lightweight and agile, optimized for snowy terrains and winter expeditions. In contrast, the Wednesday’s Chromoly steel construction and versatile geometry make it adaptable for both trail adventures and touring escapades. While both bikes emphasize stability, the Mukluk leans more towards specialized snow performance, potentially positioning it at a different cost tier compared to the multi-terrain Wednesday.
- Frame Material:
- Salsa Mukluk Deore 11: Features an aluminum frame, which is lightweight and resistant to rust.
- Surly Wednesday: Constructed from 100% Surly Chromoly tubing, known for its durability and flexibility.
- Fork:
- Salsa Mukluk Deore 11: Comes with a Bearpaw fork, designed specifically for fat bike conditions.
- Surly Wednesday: Equipped with a 100% Surly Chromoly steel fork, lugged and brazed, tailored for disc-only setups.
- Drivetrain and Groupset:
- Salsa Mukluk Deore 11: Features a Shimano Deore M5100 drivetrain, renowned for its reliability and efficient shifting.
- Surly Wednesday: Uses an SRAM SX Eagle drivetrain, offering a wide gear range suitable for diverse terrains.
- Tire Clearance:
- Salsa Mukluk Deore 11: Designed to accommodate fat tires, making it ideal for snowy terrains and winter rides.
- Surly Wednesday: Can fit up to 4.6-inch wide tires, providing versatility for trails, snow, and more.
- Ride Feel:
- Salsa Mukluk Deore 11: Offers a responsive and agile ride, especially optimized for snowy conditions and winter trails.
- Surly Wednesday: Delivers a versatile ride experience, suitable for both trail adventures and touring, due to its adaptable geometry.
- Geometry:
- Salsa Mukluk Deore 11: Geared towards stability in snow and challenging conditions, with a design that emphasizes control and maneuverability in soft terrains.
- Surly Wednesday: Features a geometry tailored for versatility, accommodating both trail and touring setups, with modern mountain standards integrated.
- Cost Implication:
- Salsa Mukluk Deore 11: Given its specialized features for snow and winter terrains, it might be positioned at a different price point.
- Surly Wednesday: With its focus on versatility and adaptability across various conditions, it could be relatively more affordable or in a different cost bracket.
- Versatility:
- Salsa Mukluk Deore 11: Primarily designed for snowy terrains and winter trails, making it a top choice for riders tackling soft and challenging conditions.
- Surly Wednesday: Renowned for its adaptability, the Wednesday is apt for singletrack trails, snow, and long-distance touring.
vs. the Salsa Beargrease SLX
The Salsa Beargrease SLX and the Surly Wednesday, while both falling under the fat bike category, present distinct riding experiences. The Beargrease SLX, with its carbon frame, is designed for agility and speed, making it a top choice for racing on varied terrains, especially snow and loose trails. In contrast, the Wednesday, with its Chromoly steel frame, emphasizes versatility, suitable for both trail adventures and touring. While both bikes prioritize stability, the Beargrease SLX leans more towards performance-oriented rides, potentially positioning it at a different cost tier compared to the multi-terrain Wednesday.
- Frame Material:
- Salsa Beargrease SLX: Boasts a lightweight Beargrease Carbon v2 frame, offering rigidity and responsiveness.
- Surly Wednesday: Constructed from 100% Surly Chromoly tubing, known for its durability and a more compliant ride feel.
- Fork:
- Salsa Beargrease SLX: Features a Kingpin fork, complementing the lightweight and performance-oriented nature of the bike.
- Surly Wednesday: Comes with a 100% Surly Chromoly steel fork, designed for disc-only, offering robustness and versatility.
- Drivetrain and Groupset:
- Salsa Beargrease SLX: Equipped with a Shimano SLX M7100 drivetrain, ensuring smooth and efficient shifting for performance rides.
- Surly Wednesday: Uses an SRAM SX Eagle drivetrain, offering a wide gear range suitable for diverse terrains and conditions.
- Tire Clearance:
- Salsa Beargrease SLX: Designed for 27.5 x 4.0″ tires, focusing on speed and agility.
- Surly Wednesday: Can accommodate up to 4.6-inch wide tires, providing versatility for trails, snow, and touring.
- Ride Feel:
- Salsa Beargrease SLX: Offers a performance-oriented ride, emphasizing speed, agility, and responsiveness, especially on snowy and loose trails.
- Surly Wednesday: Delivers a versatile and adaptable ride experience, suitable for both trail adventures and touring, with a focus on stability and comfort.
- Geometry:
- Salsa Beargrease SLX: Geared towards racing and performance, with a design that emphasizes quick handling and agility.
- Surly Wednesday: Features a geometry tailored for versatility, accommodating both trail and touring setups, with a balanced approach to stability and maneuverability.
- Cost Implication:
- Salsa Beargrease SLX: Given its performance-oriented features and carbon construction, it might be positioned at a higher price point.
- Surly Wednesday: With its focus on versatility and adaptability across various conditions, it could be relatively more affordable or in a different cost bracket.
- Versatility:
- Salsa Beargrease SLX: Primarily designed for racing on varied terrains, making it a top choice for riders seeking speed and performance.
- Surly Wednesday: Renowned for its adaptability, the Wednesday is apt for singletrack trails, snow, and long-distance touring.
Features
Features
Versatile Geometry: The geometry of the Surly Wednesday is meticulously tailored for both trail and touring adventures, ensuring a balanced stance that melds the upright comfort of touring bikes with the agility of trail bikes.
Ample Tire Clearance: The Surly Wednesday is designed to accommodate 26 x 4.6” tires, offering versatility across a range of terrains from snowy paths to rugged trails.
Modern Mountain Standards: Incorporating features like stealth dropper post routing, a 44mm headtube, suspension correction, and both front and rear thru-axles, the Wednesday is equipped for modern mountain biking needs.
Bag, Rack and Fender Mounting Points
The Surly Wednesday is equipped with the following mounting points to cater to all your gear-hauling needs:
Front Fork Mounts: There are multiple mounts on both sides of the front fork for water bottles, cargo cages, or front racks.
Rear Rack Fork and Frame Mounts: The rear of the bike has mounts for attaching a standard rear rack for panniers or other gear. (upper, lower, and mid-blade threaded)
Down Tube Mounts: The down tube has mounts for a water bottle cage or for attaching additional gear.
Fender Mounts: The bike has mounts for full coverage fenders, which are essential for wet weather riding.
Surly Wednesday Featured in the Wild
Surly Wednesday Review: Best Fat Bike for Most People?
In this video review by Elevation Every Weekend, the 2021 Surly Wednesday fat bike is put to the test. As a seasoned owner of Surly fat bikes, the reviewer provides insights into the characteristics of the Surly Wednesday, especially in comparison to other Surly models like the Ice Cream Truck and Pugsley. The Wednesday is positioned as an “all around fat bike,” adept in various terrains. The reviewer questions, “Does it deliver in all of them though?” and encourages viewers to watch the video to discover the bike’s performance in diverse conditions.
Surly Wednesday Review on BikeRadar
BikeRadar’s review by Josh Patterson positions the Surly Wednesday as an accessible entry into the realm of fat biking. While praising its commendable trail behavior suitable for all-season rides, Patterson also highlights areas where cost-saving measures are evident, such as the braking system and tire thread count. However, he acknowledges the bike’s overall value, stating, “Despite price-point component complaints, the Wednesday is still a good value bike.” Patterson suggests that potential buyers might consider component upgrades as their budget permits.
Surly Wednesday Review: Sun, sand & snow in New Mexico
Cass Gilbert’s review on BIKEPACKING.com delves into the Surly Wednesday’s adaptability for both trail riding and extended bikepacking. Described as an “Omniterra” by Surly, the Wednesday merges features from its siblings, the Pugsley and the Ice Cream Truck. Gilbert emphasizes its balanced handling, stating, “Handling that strikes a balance suited to both engaging singletrack, and loaded bikepacking.” The review further showcases the bike’s prowess in the diverse terrains of New Mexico, underscoring its capability as a versatile fat bike suitable for a range of adventures.
Specs
Build Kit
The Surly Wednesday drivetrain is highlighted by the SRAM SX Eagle components, including a 12-speed chain and an 11-50t cassette. The braking system features SRAM Avid FR-5 brakes with 160mm rotors. The bike is equipped with Cane Creek headset, Kalloy stem, and seatpost, and rolls on Surly’s My Other Brother Darryl wheels wrapped in tubeless-ready Surly Nate 26 x 3.8˝ tires. The overall build emphasizes durability and performance.
Frameset
- Frame: 100% Surly Chromoly tubing. E.D. Coated. TIG-welded. Double-butted main triangle.
- Fork: 100% Surly Chromoly steel. Disc only, lugged and brazed. Sloping crown with threaded eylets, tapered and butted curved blades with mid-blade rack eyelets, dual dropout eyelets.
- Seatpost Clamp: Surly Stainless 33.1
Drivetrain
- Front Derailleur: N/A
- Rear Derailleur: SRAM SX Eagle
- Cassette: SRAM Eagle 11-50t
- Chain: SRAM SX Eagle 12-spd
- Crankset: SRAM NX Eagle DUB
- Shifter: SRAM SX Eagle 12-spd
- Brakes: SRAM Avid FR-5
- Rotors: 160F/160R
Components
- Headset: Cane Creek
- Stem: Kalloy 31.8
- Handlebar: OE 31.8mm
- Grips / Bar Tape: Velo Black
- Seatpost: Kalloy 30.9
- Saddle: WTB Volt
- Seatclamp: Surly Stainless 33.1
Wheels
- Front Wheel: Novatec 15 x 150mm, 32h, 6-bolt, Surly My Other Brother Darryl
- Rear Wheel: Novatec, 6 bolt Disc, 32H, Surly My Other Brother Darryl
- Tires: Surly Nate 26 x 3.8˝, 60tpi, tubeless ready
Frame Construction
The Surly Wednesday features a frame constructed from 100% Surly Chromoly tubing, ensuring both durability and a compliant ride feel. The frame’s construction is further enhanced by TIG welding, a method known for its precision and robustness. The main triangle of the frame is double-butted, optimizing strength without adding unnecessary weight. A standout feature of the Wednesday is its unique dropout system, characterized by dual dropout eyelets, which offers versatility for various setups and components.
Geometry
| SIZE | XS | S | M | L | XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reach | 400.0 | 420.0 | 436.0 | 453.0 | 471.0 |
| Stack | 573.0 | 578.0 | 587.0 | 597.0 | 606.0 |
| Head Tube Angle | 69.0° | 69.0° | 69.0° | 69.0° | 69.0° |
| Head Tube Length | 95.0 | 100.0 | 110.0 | 120.0 | 130.0 |
| Seat Tube Length | 316.0 | 366.0 | 416.0 | 466.0 | 516.0 |
| BB Drop | 55.0 | 55.0 | 55.0 | 55.0 | 55.0 |
| Wheelbase | 1081.0 | 1101.0 | 1122.0 | 1143.0 | 1164.0 |
| Chainstay Length | 435.0 | 435.0 | 435.0 | 435.0 | 435.0 |
| Top Tube Length, Actual | 571.0 | 577.0 | 590.0 | 606.0 | 627.0 |
| Top Tube Length, Effective | 570.0 | 590.0 | 610.0 | 630.0 | 650.0 |
| Seat Tube Angle | 73.5° | 73.5° | 73.5° | 73.5° | 73.5° |
| Standover Height | 711.0 | 737.0 | 774.0 | 807.0 | 841.0 |
| Stem Length | 60 | 60 | 70 | 70 | 80 |
| Stem Angle | 7° | 7° | 7° | 7° | 7° |
| Handlebar Width | 700 | 700 | 750 | 750 | 750 |
| Crank Length | 170 | 170 | 175 | 175 | 175 |
| Fork Length | 468.0 | 468.0 | 468.0 | 468.0 | 468.0 |
| Fork Rake | 47.0 | 47.0 | 47.0 | 47.0 | 47.0 |
Warranty
Register your purchase at Surly’s Warranty Registration.
LIMITED WARRANTY FOR THE SURLY WEDNESDAY
This Surly product is warranted against defects in materials and workmanship for three years from the date of retail purchase of the product, subject to the limitations detailed below. Save your dated receipt for proof of purchase.
This warranty does NOT cover the following:
- Damage due to improper assembly or follow-up maintenance or lack of skill, competence or experience of the user or assembler
- Products that have been modified, neglected, used in competition or for commercial purposes, misused or abused, involved in accidents or anything other than normal use
- Installation of components, parts or accessories not originally intended for or compatible with bicycle as sold
- Damage or deterioration to the paint, surface finish, aesthetics or appearance of the product
- Normal wear and tear
- Labor required to remove and/or refit and re-adjust the product within the bicycle assembly
This limited warranty is expressly limited to the repair or replacement of a defective product, at the option of Surly, and is the sole remedy of the warranty. This limited warranty applies only to the original purchaser of the Surly product and is not transferrable. This warranty applies only to products purchased through an authorized dealer or distributor. In no event shall Surly be liable for any loss, inconvenience or damage, whether direct, incidental, consequential, or otherwise resulting from breach of any express or implied warranty or condition, of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or otherwise with respect to our products except as set forth herein.
This limited warranty gives the consumer specific legal rights, and those rights and other rights may vary from place to place. This limited warranty does not affect your statutory rights.
TO THE EXTENT NOT PROHIBITED BY LAW, THESE WARRANTIES ARE EXCLUSIVE AND THERE ARE NO OTHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS INCLUDING WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
