Here are some photos of my recently completed project bike, a Surly 1x1. I live in Perth, Western Australia. The weather here is always beautiful for riding and I ride almost every day of the year - to work, to the shops, to visit friends, or just to be out playing in the traffic for fun.

Got the frame second-hand and had the local framebuilder (Quantum Bicycle Manufacturers, North Perth) blast it and give it a nice teal two-pack paintjob.

The local wheelsmith, Mick, put the wheels together - Surly hubs, DT Competition spokes (32 of), DT brass nipples, Alex rims, laced cross-3, White Industries freewheel. For people interested in numbers it's got 42x16 on 32-559 wheels (26 inch x 1.25 inch) producing 64.2 gear inches, 4.7 gain ratio, 5.1 metres development, a crusing speed (at 90 rpm) of 27.7 kmh (17.2 miles per hour for the dinosaurs!), and a partridge in a pear tree.

Other parts of note include XT parallel-push V-brakes, a Brooks Swift titanium railed saddle, a pair of very sharp steel-carbide studded pedals, some very heavy Truvativ Hussefelt cranks, and the completely unnecessary upgrade to stainless steel drink bottle cage bolts despite the lack of any drink bottle cages. I love it!

I know it looks like a complete mismatch of parts and most purists will shake their heads with disapproval, but I'm not a purist. I just ride bikes every day and know what I like.

Russell