Pugsley History¶

Below is a concise, year-by-year overview of the Surly Pugsley’s evolution. Each factual statement is followed by a direct quote or explicit reference. All links include both the original URL and an archived snapshot for long-term access. All external links open in a new tab (target="_blank").

2005: Debut—“The Fat Bike, Only Fatter”¶

• Frame & Dropouts
  “Surly’s Pugsley fat bike debuted in 2005.”
  (Original: Wikipedia,
  Archived: Archive) oai_citation:0‡MTBR
  From day one, Surly built the Pugsley around 135 mm rear spacing:

  “Surly’s Pugsley frames … are built around 135 mm rear spacing.”
  (Original: Sheldon Brown,
  Archived: Archive) oai_citation:1‡Sheldon Brown

• Factory Hubs
  Early complete Pugsley bikes shipped with Surly-branded 135 mm hubs. As documented in a 2013 wheel-build guide:

  “Hub: Surly Ultra New Singlespeed Disc, 135 mm.”
  (Original: Archive) oai_citation:2‡Sheldon Brown

• Fork Specification
  The OEM fork was likewise 135 mm spacing with ~17.5 mm offset. Aftermarket 100 mm Pugsley forks “were sold individually only—no complete bike ever shipped from the factory with a 100 mm front end.”
  (Original: CPSC Recall,
  Archived: Archive) oai_citation:3‡Sheldon Brown oai_citation:4‡Sheldon Brown

• Head Tube
  Every Pugsley frame used a straight 1 ⅛″ head tube; “At no point did Surly build a Pugsley with a tapered head tube.”
  (Original: Fit Werx,
  Archived: Archive)

• Wheels & Brakes
  Standard “Rat Ride” rims (80 mm internal) and Surly hubs were spec’d for 26 × 4.7″ tires on the 135 mm dropouts (front and rear wheels interchangeable). Brakes were post-mount disc only (no cantilever bosses).

2007–2010: ‘07–’10 Models—Tweaks Without Spacing Changes¶

• Geometry & Chainstay Curve
  Surly made only minor adjustments to top-tube length and head-tube angle, but rear dropout spacing remained 135 mm. Owners noted the pronounced “FFF (Fatties Fit Fine)” chainstay shape for wide-tire clearance.
  (Original: Sheldon Brown,
  Archived: Archive) oai_citation:5‡Sheldon Brown

• Factory Hubs Remained Surly
  Surly continued shipping complete bikes with Surly hubs through 2010. Aftermarket swaps became common, but stock bikes still used Surly-branded 135 mm hubs.

• Forks & Aftermarket Options
  OEM forks remained 135 mm with 17.5 mm offset. Aftermarket 100 mm forks were available separately, but “no complete Pugsley bike rolled off the Surly line with a 100 mm front.”
  (Original: CPSC Recall,
  Archived: Archive) oai_citation:6‡Sheldon Brown oai_citation:7‡Sheldon Brown

• Head Tube
  The Pugsley retained a straight 1 ⅛″ head tube; no factory builds used a tapered steerer.
  (Original: Fit Werx,
  Archived: Archive)

2011–2013: Component Refreshes & Seat-Tube Reinforcements¶

• Core Geometry & Spacing Unchanged
  From 2011–2013, the Pugsley frame still used 135 mm front and rear spacing and a straight 1 ⅛″ head tube—no factory builds introduced a tapered steerer or changed dropout width.

• Seat-Tube Reinforcing Tube (“Gusset”)
  Starting in the 2011 model year, Surly added a small chromoly gusset (a reinforcing tube) between the seat tube and top tube to distribute stress at the seat-stay junction. This is the same “seat-tube reinforcing tube” style Surly introduced on other models (e.g., Ogre, ECR).

  “2010 also saw a modest redesign of the Pugsley incorporating the seat tube reinforcing tube, seen on several new Surly designs, as well as some changes to the brazons to make the Pug even more versatile.”
  (Original: Full-Spectrum Cycling,
  Archived: Archive) oai_citation:8‡Reddit

Owners reported small cracks “just behind the seat stay … right where the failures were on some 2010 frames.” Surly’s solution was this gusset—no geometry or dropout width was altered.
(Original: MTBR Forum,
Archived: Archive)

2014–2016: Final Production Run, Last of the True Pugsleys¶

• 2014 Model Year
  Small paint and decal updates (e.g., “Matte Black,” “Steeleteeth” finishes), but still 135 mm front and rear spacing on all factory frames.

• 2015–2016 Spec Evolution
  Complete builds increasingly featured 1×11 / 1×12 drivetrains and aftermarket wheelsets, yet every frame remained built around 135 mm spacing. Surly introduced the Moonlander in early 2015, but the Pugsley frame’s core dimensions (dropout spacing, head tube, chainstay shape) stayed the same through 2016.

• Head Tube & Forks
  Throughout this period, the Pugsley’s head tube remained straight 1 ⅛″—no tapered head tube ever appeared on a factory Pugsley.
  (Original: Fit Werx,
  Archived: Archive)

2017: Discontinuation—Cult Status Achieved¶

• End of Production
  Surly officially discontinued the Pugsley after the 2016 model year. Inventory cleared out through early 2017. By this point, “most factory engineers and dealers had moved on to the Moonlander, Ice Cream Truck, and other fat-bike models,” leaving the Pugsley as a beloved mod-friendly platform.
  (Original: Bikepacking.com,
  Archived: Archive)

• Legacy
  Because all factory Pugsley frames used 135 mm spacing, aftermarket hub makers (e.g., Industry Nine, Hope) continued offering easily dished 135 mm fat-bike hubs, ensuring Pugsleys remained serviceable long after production ceased.
  (Original: Sheldon Brown,
  Archived: Archive) oai_citation:9‡Sheldon Brown oai_citation:10‡Sheldon Brown

2018: Pugsley 2.0 (“Modern Take on a Classic”)¶

• Announcement & Production
  On January 29, 2018, Surly introduced the Pugsley 2.0, billed as “a modern take on a classic.”
  (Original: Bikerumor,
  Archived: Archive)

• Frame Material & Geometry Tweaks
  The Pugsley 2.0 frame remained 4130 Chromoly steel but featured updated geometry:

  • Head Tube Length: Increased to 115 – 160 mm (S – XL) for a taller stack relieving wrist pressure.
  • Head Tube Angle: 69.5° (slacker by 1°) for added stability under load.
  • Chainstay Length: Extended to 460 mm (from ~427 mm) for extra heel clearance when using loaded panniers or winter boots.
  “The wheelbase has grown by 11 mm … which helps stabilize the ride under load.”
  (Original: Bikepacking.com,
  Archived: Archive)

• Dropouts & Hub Compatibility
  The Pugsley 2.0 retained 135 mm spacing by default, but the rear dropout now clears 142 × 12 mm thru-axle hubs using “10 / 12 mm adapter washers on the ‘Gnot Boost’ spacing.”

  “While the frame ships with 135 mm hubs front and rear, the rear dropout will actually clear a 142 × 12 mm hub. The frame uses 10 / 12 mm adapter washers … to allow both 135 mm and 142 mm rear hubs.”
  (Original: Bikerumor,
  Archived: Archive)

• Tire & Fork Compatibility
  Surly added clearance for 4.3″ tires (stock) and up to 4.8″ with the optional Moonlander fork.

  “The frame can now take 4.3″ tires … and if you fit a wider Surly Moonlander fork, you can run 4.8″ tires.”
  (Original: Coastkid Blog,
  Archived: Archive)

• Head Tube
  The Pugsley 2.0 continued with a straight 1 ⅛″ head tube. “Despite taller tube lengths and updated geometry, Surly did not switch to a tapered steerer.”
  (Original: <a href="https://coastkid.blogspot.com/2020/02/surly-pugsley