A few weeks ago I stopped in at the local bike shop, Zion Cyclery in Zion, Illinois, and one of the mechanics told me that they had just received a phone call from a cyclist in Ukraine who saw my article about how Zion Cyclery built my Surly Pugsley Fat Bike with a Shimano Alfine 8-Speed Internal Geared Hub and he wanted them to make one just like it for him. It turned out that William Salefski, an American citizen working in Ukraine, was the cyclist who wanted to Pugs and he was going to be in the Chicago area in July to pick it up. I didn’t know when William was going to pick up the bike, but by chance I was at the shop when he arrived and I was delighted to meet him and welcome him to the world of Fat Bikes.
William Salefski and his new Surly Pugsley
William’s first ride on his new Pugs
Expert Mechanic Grant Mullen explains how the Alfine hubs works
Packing the Pugs for shipment to Ukraine
I want to make it plain that I have absolutely no financial connection with Zion Cyclery—they are simply the bike shop I choose to do business with. They are a family owned shop and have a sterling reputation for quality work, great customer service and fair prices. I have visited dozens of bike shops in the Chicago suburbs and these are the only folks I will let touch my bikes!
cd1972
July 3, 2013 at 5:07 AM
Wow, great looking bike! I wonder how this thing rides?
All Seasons Cyclist
July 3, 2013 at 10:03 PM
Fat Bikes are simply awesome! They ride like a dream and you will have more fun on them than on any other bike!
hughonabike
July 3, 2013 at 5:23 AM
Nice bike..There’s also a chance that it may turn a few heads in Ukraine.
All Seasons Cyclist
July 3, 2013 at 10:03 PM
I doubt if there are any bikes like it there right now!
Katie
July 3, 2013 at 5:55 AM
Coolest meetup!
All Seasons Cyclist
July 3, 2013 at 10:04 PM
I thought it was great as well!
Cycling Dayton
July 3, 2013 at 5:55 AM
So what is the point of a fat tire bike?
All Seasons Cyclist
July 3, 2013 at 10:05 PM
Not only are Fat Bikes the “funnest” bikes you will ever ride, but you can ride them in deep snow, sand, mud, over rocks and awful trails.
Cycling Dayton
July 4, 2013 at 12:47 PM
Interesting. They’re probably pretty slow though aren’t they?
hughonabike
July 4, 2013 at 4:22 PM
I got one. It’s like me, built for comfort and fun………Faster than it looks.
F. Mohr
July 3, 2013 at 6:57 AM
Surly makes a good bike. I have the Steamroller. I have been thinking one of these days to get a Pug .
All Seasons Cyclist
July 3, 2013 at 10:05 PM
Go for it — you will never regret it!
billgncs
July 3, 2013 at 7:27 AM
what a great story, that you could meet. Isn’t it a small world.
All Seasons Cyclist
July 3, 2013 at 10:06 PM
As they sing at Disney World, “It’s a small world after all.”
Joboo
July 3, 2013 at 9:16 AM
Awesome!!
One more in the Fat Bike clan!!! Woohoo!! 🙂
I won’t get into the “why a fat bike” convo; I could go on and on forever!! LOL 😉
I will say however…. THEY ARE NOT JUST FOR SNOW AND SAND!!
Pedal On!!
Peace
All Seasons Cyclist
July 3, 2013 at 10:07 PM
Yep! I have five high-quality bikes, but the Pugs makes me smile like no other bike can.
Irish Katie
July 3, 2013 at 11:51 AM
He looks totally happy in that first photo. Wooohoooo!
All Seasons Cyclist
July 3, 2013 at 10:08 PM
Katie, EVERYONE smiles the first time they ride a Fat Bike — and it never wears off as long as they keep riding!
taplatt
July 3, 2013 at 12:15 PM
That certainly looks like a bike that would survive on the notoriously horrible Ukrainian roads.
All Seasons Cyclist
July 3, 2013 at 10:08 PM
I’ve never been to Ukraine, but if the roads are as bad as you say then this is the perfect bike for it.
tlsylvan
July 3, 2013 at 4:17 PM
Awesome bike! I’m Ukrainian, so it’s always funny to see Ukraine pop up in random places 🙂
All Seasons Cyclist
July 3, 2013 at 10:10 PM
Pryvit (I had to look that up). This is the first time the word “Ukraine” has appeared on this blog!
Marguerite Nico
July 3, 2013 at 4:52 PM
Awesome!! That’s cool that he just happened to order a bike like yours!
All Seasons Cyclist
July 3, 2013 at 10:11 PM
That is what he was aiming for — but the red color was not available when I got mine.
simonnurse
July 4, 2013 at 3:12 AM
These things climb like you wouldn’t believe. Its counter intuitive – on the face of ti big weight, but the tyres grip anything in its path. We saw one at the recent 24hr race (Mountain Mayhem) and it was very impressive. I can feel – another – bike coming on…
All Seasons Cyclist
July 4, 2013 at 10:55 PM
A Fat Bike will put a smile on your face like no other bike can!
Sandra
July 4, 2013 at 1:36 PM
That is so cool! Our local shop (Bike Rack) has a Pug in shop. It’ll be a long while before I can afford one of those. :-). Looks like so much fun!!!
All Seasons Cyclist
July 4, 2013 at 10:55 PM
“Fun” doesn’t even begin to describe a Pugs!
Richard E Marion
July 4, 2013 at 10:13 PM
Elegantly Pure Machinery. How kindly does it take to relentless gravity and heartless headwinds?
All Seasons Cyclist
July 4, 2013 at 10:57 PM
It handles a strong headwind about the same as any other mountain bike. Due to the weight of the bike it can be a bit slower on a climb, but the ride downhill is AWESOME! There is no other bike I’d rather take downhill than a Pugs (especially if the trail is rough).
timscyclingblog
July 5, 2013 at 8:38 AM
Regardless of performance or need, I want one anyway 🙂
hughonabike
July 5, 2013 at 10:08 AM
That right there is the right attitude……..
All Seasons Cyclist
July 5, 2013 at 9:09 PM
I’ve seen a lot of people take their first ride on a new bike — some smile, some frown, others grimace. I’ve never seen anyone hop on a Fat Bike without smiling from ear-to-ear!
Bill Salefski
July 19, 2013 at 4:47 AM
The Pug landed in Lviv. Check out the photos on the link.
The roads in Lviv are mostly made of cobbles, and the Pug eats them up. Half a bar tire pressure.
There is also some road repairs being done, and the Pug rolls right over the sand.
The winter snow will not be a problem.
All Seasons Cyclist
July 19, 2013 at 4:29 PM
Bill — I don’t have your email address, but I was wanting to know if you would allow me to publish your photos on All Seasons Cyclist? I think my readers would be very interested — they were great photos! Those cobble stones looked like Paris-Roubaix.