When considering how to review the Surly Big Fat Dummy, I figured it would be best to make a few comparisons. The first comparison I will cover is that with the other cargo bike from Surly (at least, the one I previously owned before getting the BFD); the builds, the designs, and intended uses. The second comparison is how the bike handles overall, when compared to a typical bike, whether that be another cargo bike, another fat bike (i.e., Surly Pugsley), or another 26" wheeled rig (in my case, the Surly Troll). Though this last comparison may not seem fair, or even reasonable to some to throw into the comparison bin (seeing that they are completely different bike designs) I still figure most people looking to buy the BFD are wanting to make sure it is a bike they will use regularly, and not just some novelty purchase (a somewhat expensive one at that).
Our first cargo bike we purchased in our family was the Surly Big Dummy, original design.
This frame had a sloping top tube, which, I'm sure, was intended for multiple sizes of riders to be able to stand over comfortably. Still, the frame we ended up getting was an XL (21") and I, at 6'2.5" tall with a 35" inseam was the only one fitting this bike. The tubing was also noteworthy in that Surly had chosen to use really beefy, larger diameter tubing to enhance the overall strength. Here are some other specs:
-XT 9sp groupset
-Surly MR Whirly 180mm crankset
-XT Hubs laced to Sun Rhyno Lite Rims
-Avid BB5 front disc brake, XT 950 rear V-brake
-Surly Open Bar
-Brooks B67 saddle
-Xtracycle type 1(?) bags
-Wald large front basket
-Maxxis Hookworm 26x2.5" tires (rear pictured is a 2.2" Halo Twin, which turned out to not be a very good choice for this bike)
I rode the crap out of this bike. Whether I was commuting on my daily 40 mile round trip, hauling our two boys (ages 10 and 7, and both tall for their ages--without the use of the rail collars; a mistake I will not make again after having them now), or just carrying loads of stuff to see what it could handle (my biggest feat was hauling 100lbs of 8' sections of lumber--again something I will not do again anytime soon), the version 1 Big Dummy could do it all, albeit not always perfectly (carrying any cargo bike over anything is nuts!), but in all fairness I did push this bike past the load recommendations from Surly and it still performed like a champ. The Hookworms are one of the keys to a really smooth ride; they pair wonderfully with this bike and I highly recommend them if you own a Big Dummy and are running errands in the city or doing trips mostly on pavement/gravel.
I must say that almost immediately I wanted to throw a super fat set of tires on the Big Dummy and wished Surly made a fat cargo bike; really for no other reason than I was curious of how much stuff I could carry over any terrain I wanted (if you have not watched Goat from Crust Bikes fame in "Riding the Spine" on Youtube, do yourself a favor and watch that stuff--it is so good). When Surly announced in December that the legend of the "Big Fat Dummy" was going to become a reality, I dropped everything, messaged Aimee from the Bike Biz here in Sacramento, and said, "I am going to get this bike!" I then proceeded to sell our beloved Big Dummy to put all my eggs in the BFD basket. Far from a cheap investment, I was sure the bike would pay off in the long run. The key things I was looking for in this new design were surrounded in the overall extra stability of the complete build. Here are some specs of our complete Big Fat Dummy:
-SRAM 2x11 Drivetrain (32/22 x 11-42(!))
-SRAM Hydraulic disc brakes
-Answer 780mm riser
-Thomson 50mm stem
-Brooks Cambium saddle
-Dummy Bags--one of the best upgrades one can make to their Dummy/BFD, in my opinion
-Salsa 150mm front thru axle hub laced to MOBD 80mm rim with Big Fat Larry 5" front tire
-Salsa 197mm rear thru axle hub laced to MOBD 80mm rim with Nate 4"
-Raceface 175 (100mm shell bb)
I learned a while ago that Surly's cargo bikes (both the Big Dummy with ample room for 3" tires as well as the BFD, which can house up to a massive 5.25") were capable of a lot, both on and off road; a bike like this could easily be a person's only form of transportation and recreation. Still, for convenience sake, I have opted to own a second bicycle as well, in order to make bike packing trips with friends less of a hassle, transportation-wise.
I won't go into too much detail on how the BFD differs from a typical 26" knobby hardtail trail bike, but I think I should note that when it comes to riding the BFD long distances, the machine handles like a champ.
When compared to my other bike ('17 Surly Troll XL), the time it takes me to get to work is equal. I feel this is due to the wide hub platform the BFD runs on (150mm front/197mm rear hub widths); this makes the large wheel base feel more balanced (length and width-wise) and handles more like a typical (fat) bike. It sprints and shreds the gnar aptly. It feels like a much more balanced bike for its class. If you have owned a Pugsley, chances are you first felt that "offset pull", due to the fact that the frame is, well, offset to house the 135mm hub laced to a rim that can hold a 4" tire. The BFD, in contrast, holds true and straight and could be ridden easily with no hands...but I am in no way recommending this.
Some notes on personal preferences:
If you already own a Pugsley, Moonlander, Ice Cream Truck, etc, you probably are used to the 100mm bb shell. However, the BFD complete ships with a wide Q-factor Raceface crankset which adds even more width to the drivetrain, for better or worse. I get why Surly included this and I am grateful for it. I've gotten used to it now, but I did feel as though I had quite the wide stance when I first test-rode this beast; it really makes it feel more like a monster of a bike. In fact, along with the hubs and bottom bracket, the handlebars included on the complete build are also massive: 780mm Answer low risers. I absolutely love wide bars for their comfort in handling gnarly terrain, but for commuting/long distance touring, I would not recommend this bar. (I love the Jones H Loop for its versatility and overall comfort and will most likely be replacing the Answer bar with one of those.)
So, what is the verdict? If I could do it all over again and had the option of a Bid Dummy or Big Fat Dummy, which would I choose? DEFINITELY the BFD, but that doesn't mean it's for everyone. It is truly a super fun, versatile bike that can practically go anywhere and handles amazingly, but some may prefer the less beefy feel and versatile practicality for everyday tasks found on the original Big Dummy (on a side note, I have not ridden the Leap from Xtracycle, so I cannot speak to its durability or ride quality, but I am curious, so...).
