I have a Bullitt and I love it. Riding around town with Vic on it is great fun. After going on a camping trip with him though I’ve started back on the idea that maybe a longtail - specifically a Surly Big Dummy - would be a more useful bike. With Vic on the platform on the Bullitt there’s not much space left for stuff, so I’ll have to fit panniers on the back to go camping. I think the BD would be a better offroad camping bike. Yeah, I’ve taken the Bullitt down the Yarra Trails, but I’ve also bottomed out and gone OTBs while doing it. With the BD, Vic would be in a Yepp Maxi on the back until he’s old enough to just sit on the platform. The camping gear would load underneath him, plus/minus front panniers. It’ll be easier to carry an extra kid when/if it comes along, but not in a capsule like on the Bullitt. I’ve ridden BDs and they’re totally great. Maybe not quite as fun as zooming along on the Bullitt - that’s a pretty special feeling - but they’re way easier to ride. Lauren would ride it. She can ride the Bullitt but not confidently, so she doesn’t.
Basically I’m just trying to justify getting a BD. Talk me out of it if you think it’s silly.
Yup. Someone’s buying the Bullitt, but I’m keeping the Rohloff and the front wheel. Gunna have to build up a new front wheel, and reckon I’ll rebuild the rear with a wider rim. Just got in on the next Surly order too. Still a 4-6wk wait though, but that’s OK cos I should be doing assignments
