Originally Posted by
Greg_R
I have the LHT and it is very comfortable on long rides. However, it is heavy so I'm not sure I'd want to do long rides with a lot of climbing (the same goes for the Trek 520). For flat rides or downhill the weight doesn't matter...
The gearing on the LHT and the 520 is designed for long rides, hauling a lot of stuff, and the potential for a lot of climbing. Touring bikes may not have the zippy front end handling that a racing or sport-touring bike has, but they are plenty comfortable for a long haul. Quite a few riders in my randonneuring club use touring bikes like the 520, LHT, Novara Randonee and Fuji Touring on very hilly rides of 300km or longer.