Surly's Midnight Special pairs road geometry with fat tires

Traditional steel meets modern all-road disc

The Surly Midnight Special is a go-anywhere dropbar bike with massive tire clearance

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Josh Patterson

Published: February 19, 2018 at 1:00 pm
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Surly Bikes has carved out a niche by developing sensibly-priced steel bikes that meet real-world needs. The company’s latest creation is the Midnight Special, a versatile all-road bike that’s up to speed with the latest component standards.

Surly Midnight Special highlights

  • 4130 Steel frameset
  • 650b / 700c compatible
  • 44mm head tube
  • Front and rear thru-axles
  • Direct-mount brake mounts
  • Massive tire clearance
  • $1,799 complete / $625 frameset (UK and Australian pricing TBC)
  • Available now
The Midnight Special is Surly's take on a modern steel road bike - Courtesy

Call it a gravel bike, call it an all-road bike, however you want to position it, the Midnight Special is a do-it-all drop bar bike with massive tire clearance.

Pot-holes and rough roads be damned, this bike will take 650b tires up to 60mm (2.35in) wide and 700c tires up to 42mm wide.

A 44mm head tube for tapered fork fitment - Courtesy

While Surly has won the hearts and mind of retro-grouches the world over, this new machine is up to speed with current frame standards.

The Midnight Special has a 100x12mm front thru-axle with a 142x12mm thru-axle at the rear. It has a 44mm head tube for compatibility with forks and tapered steerers.

It wouldn't be a Surly if fat tires didn't fit - Courtesy

“We deliberately kept the Midnight Special a little leaner on the braze-on side of things. Well, lean for a Surly,” the company notes.

While some Surly models are blistering with braze-ons, the Midnight Special is a bit more streamlined. Being a Surly, it still sports three pairs of water bottle mounts along with rack and fender mounts.

The frame is designed for direct-mount brakes - Courtesy

The Midnight Special is available in eight sizes with geometry that appears to be quite neutral.

The Midnight Special will fit a wide range of riders - Courtesy

Surly offers the Midnight Special as a frameset and in one complete built. The complete bike features a SRAM Rival 22 drivetrain with mechanical TRP Spyre brakes. It rolls on 650bx47mm WTB Horizon tires.

The complete Midnight Special rolls on the fast and comfortable 650bx47mm WTB Horizon tires - Courtesy

The Midnight Special is now available. Pricing is set at $626 for the frame and fork and $1,799 for the complete bike. UK and Australian pricing have yet to be announced.

Visit surlybikes.com for more information.

Josh Patterson

Contributor

Josh Patterson is a BikeRadar contributor and former technical editor. He has spent most of his career working in the cycling industry as an athlete, mechanic and journalist. He holds a master's degree in journalism and has more than 20 years of experience as a cyclist and 12 years of experience riding and writing for BikeRadar, Cyclingnews, Cycling Weekly, Dirt Rag, RoadBikeReview and Outside Magazine. A native of the Flint Hills of Kansas, Josh was a pioneer in the gravel cycling movement, having raced the first Unbound 200 and many other gravel events around the globe. He considers himself a cycling generalist and enjoys road, gravel and mountain biking in equal measure. When not traveling for work, he can be found exploring the singletrack and lonely gravel roads that surround his home in Fort Collins, Colorado. In addition to his love of cycling, Josh is an enthusiastic supporter of brunch, voting rights and the right to repair movement.
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