Forgive me for being a Danny Downer here, but I just want to know what I'm missing.

It seems that, on many different forums (this one in particular), people talk about the Surly Cross-Check as if everyone who rides a bicycle should know that it's the absolute be-all and end-all of bikes - and that everyone who rides for fun, work, or sport should aspire to owning one.

I'm not much of a "gear-head" in any aspect of my life, but I look at photos and spec sheets on this bike and it looks like a bazillion other bicycles out there. This doesn't mean that there isn't something special about it, but I'm just kind of frustrated that I can't see a difference right off the bat.

Can anybody tell me what makes a Surly Cross-Check something so many people are drooling over?