Originally Posted by kateonmars
Basically, I'm looking for a steel frame touring bike suitable for carrying a heavy load over rough terrain (ranging from paved roads to gravel, and lots of steep climbs and descents) for an extended period of time.
then you´ve come to the right place, these guys are great.
here´s my 2 cents, surly LHT would be a nice investment, the frame is $348 on
spicercycles.com, with that frame you can get a decent tourer cheaper than the trek 520. the following is my preferred setup,
XT rear derailleur
Ultegra triple front derailleur
Sugino XD 24-36-46
UN-72, 107mm BB
SRAM 7 speed cassette 12-32
SRAM chain
XT hubs 36 hole
Rhyno Lite 36 hole
cantis
downtube shifters (friction)