First released nearly a decade ago, Surly’s Midnight Special helped kick off the early wave of “gravel” riding. Eight years later, it marks another milestone for the brand as the first complete Surly to feature carbon components, including a carbon fork with internal dynamo routing and a carbon wheelset. With no major changes to its geometry or tire clearance, the 2026 Midnight Special stays true to its endurance road / road-plus roots.
The lively Midnight Special frame is built from Surly’s signature 4130 Natch steel tubing and features a relatively tight wheelbase for a responsive ride feel. Both the steel frame and carbon fork clear up to 2.35" (60 mm) tires when running 650b wheels. This complete build comes equipped with 700c wheels and fits tires up to 42 mm without fenders.
True to Surly form, the Midnight Special is ready to carry gear. The frame includes three bottle mounts (two in the main triangle and one under the downtube) while the fork features triple-pack mounts on each side and all the usual mounting options for racks and fenders.
This build is finished with a 2×12-speed Shimano 105 drivetrain, hydraulic flat-mount disc brakes, front and rear thru-axles, and DT Swiss hubs.
