The owner of this bike, Scott Bernstein wrote the following:
"Just thought I'd write to tell you how much I like your product. Stephen Bilenky did an an absolutely amazing job retro-fitting my steel Surly CrossCheck cyclocross bike with your S&S Couplers. He is truly an artist! I originally intended on using the bike just when traveling, but I like it so much I find myself riding it even on fast training/group rides at home. I've made several domestic trips with it and one international trip and the bike/case are holding up nicely - and of course no fees when checking in! I
live in a small apartment in New York City and the couplers have a another benefit for us city dwellers. I simply do not have the storage space for a full-size bike box, nor does a "regular" bike box fit in the back a taxi for the drive to the airport... With your system, I can keep the case in my closet (and with the bike inside when I have guests) and I have no problem catching a cab to airport. Once I even took it on the subway!
I've ridden nearly 5,000 miles on the bike so far (including about 10 miles on gravel roads) and taken one high-speed spill;
the couplers have exceeded my expectations - they are solid and well-designed. I cannot think of any reason to ride a bike without the couplers. I am contemplating the purchase of a new titanium frame and I will no doubt send it off to Bilenky - probably even before I ride it!"
When S&S asked Scott for permission to use his comment, he responded with:
"That would be fine. I can't give enough compliments to your product or to Stephen Bilenky! For those non-believers, well they're just missing out! And I'll remind you that the bikes don't just ride "well" or "fine" they ride perfect - totally seamless..."
This is a comment
from Scott to Bilenky Cycle Works that was forwarded to S and S. "Two things. First, the red Surly Crosscheck that you retro-fitted with couplers last year is still going very strong. I've made several more trips with it and the bike is working just great - still looks and feels like new. My friends whom I travel with couldn't believe the whole thing fit into such a small case! I also noticed that
it took them just as long to assemble their non-coupled bikes out of the regular size cases than it takes me to assemble my coupled
bike. Secondly, I have a friend who is very interested in either retro-fitting an old touring frame or buying a new coupled frame. Naturally, I recommended you. Anyway, just wanted to let you know how things were going with the bike."
Scott Bernstein, Cyclist, New York, NY (Surly CrossCheck cyclocross retrofit by Bilenky
Cycle Works)
Steve, I've had
my retro-fitted Surly Cross Check (by Bilenky
Cycle Works) for about three years now and I still love it. The
couplers continue to work absolutely perfectly after thousands of miles and
many, many plane trips. But you see I had a problem... As great as the Surly is,
it's still a steel cyclocross bike and all my friends have fancy, uber-light
non-coupled carbon or titantium road racing bikes. I always beat them out of the
airport, but they always beat me to the top of the hill. So I did the only
reasonable thing I could: buy a new bike!
I just recieved
my new titanium
frame from Dean Bikes in Colorado. It was an extremely long wait but in the end
it was worth it. The bike is completely custom and fits me like a glove. It
rides amazing and is so light! Of course the couplers are the icing on the cake
- they are even prettier than they are on the Surly. The couplers seem to just
belong there and melt right into the unpainted Ti frame. As I expected from
riding the Cross Check for the past three years, you absolutely cannot tell this
is a coupled bike while riding it, unless you look down. The builder told me
they were going to make it stiff and they were not fooling around! The Surly
still rides great, but this bike is whole different animal. So stiff when
sprinting or climbing yet it seems to absorb all the small stuff. And the
handling? Do you remember that old movie with Clint Eastwood, Firefox, where he
flies the fighter plane with just his thoughts...? I just don't have enough
superlatives to describe how good this bike is. I think now I will save money
while traveling AND beat my friends up hills... Since I have steel and titanium,
I may just have to get a carbon coupled bike! And I think I know who to call...
Scott Bernstein, New York, New York
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