Bicycle Mechanics - Surly LHT vs. Cross Check

I need a new commuter that will normally have a rear rack and one pannier, but is capable of front panniers for touring/grocery getting (I eat a lot okay!!) I currently ride an older (down tube shifters) Specialized in great mechanical condition, but uncomfortably small and carry a backpack and drive to the grocery store. My thought was I swap my parts on the too-small Specialized to the Surly.
BUT
It doesn’t appear that I can put a front rack/pannier on the Cross Check and the Long Haul Trucker only runs 26” wheels on the 50cm frame?
Maybe I should get the Cross Check and run a trailer to the grocery store? Maybe you have an idea that can help me out.

SURLY SAYS “
you CAN put a front rack on the Cross-check, it's just not
drilled with the mid-blade mounts that the LHT has, nor is the
Cross-check specifically built to handle the loads that the LHT can.
Still, you can put a front rack on there, just don't load it up with the
kitchen sink.”
Okay, but
Does anyone know if I can throw all the parts on my old specialized downshifter allez including drive train, brakes and wheels onto the Surly?

I need a new commuter that will normally have a rear rack and one pannier, but is capable of front panniers for touring/grocery getting (I eat a lot okay!!) I currently ride an older (down tube shifters) Specialized in great mechanical condition, but uncomfortably small and carry a backpack and drive to the grocery store. My thought was I swap my parts on the too-small Specialized to the Surly.
BUT
It doesn’t appear that I can put a front rack/pannier on the Cross Check and the Long Haul Trucker only runs 26” wheels on the 50cm frame?

If you are short enough to fit a 50 cm frame, you're better off with 559 mm (26 inch) wheels.



Maybe I should get the Cross Check and run a trailer to the grocery store? Maybe you have an idea that can help me out.

Trailers are a Good Thing for serious grocery shopping.



SURLY SAYS “
you CAN put a front rack on the Cross-check, it's just not
drilled with the mid-blade mounts that the LHT has, nor is the
Cross-check specifically built to handle the loads that the LHT can.
Still, you can put a front rack on there, just don't load it up with the
kitchen sink.”
Okay, but
Does anyone know if I can throw all the parts on my old specialized downshifter allez including drive train, brakes and wheels onto the Surly?

Which Surly?

Anyway, the answer is: no.

Neither of these frames will work with your brake calipers, they're made for cantilevers.

Your wheels would fit the Cross Check, but not the LHT.

Your (yuck!) down tube shifters would fit the LHT, but not the Cross Check. (Small loss anyway, controls belong on the handlebars.)

Your present seatpost, headset and handlebar stem won't fit either of them.

The LHT would definitely be better at load carrying, and would be my recommendation, but it does mean buying new wheels or at least new rims and spokes.

Everything else should fit OK.

Sheldon "http://harriscyclery.com/surly" Brown

+--------------------------------------------------------+
| Have you seen the Gettysburg Powerpoint Presentation? |
| http://www.norvig.com/Gettysburg/ |
+--------------------------------------------------------+

Your (yuck!) down tube shifters would fit the LHT, but not the Cross Check. (Small loss anyway, controls belong on the handlebars.)


Sheldon speaks the truth on my things........

...........but.............

depending on what color Cross-Check you get, you may wind up with down-tube bosses for those shifters. This years purchase (green) CC had the bosses, last years black one didn't.

I hemmed and hawed over the LHT vs CC choice for my latest build. Finally went with the CC.

And barcon shifters, so those damn bosses came in handy for my cable stops / adjusters.

is there no reason why you cant buy a cross check frame with a long haul trucker fork?

A few years back there was a thread on building up a Nashbar touring frame. You might want to check it out.
At about half the price of the LHT, it would give you some dough for any new comps you might need.
Top

"Why cant you buy a cross check frame with a long haul trucker fork?" I wondered that myself???Sheldon...a little more help on this one?

Dobber...for the CC the "Sage Green" is no longer available, only "Workman Blue"...later this summer "Black Cherry"

I agree that downtube shifter are not the best, but I am still paying of my new CF ride, so plunking down $1500+ to outfit the Cross Check does not sound great. If I can buy the frame/fork combo then upgrade I would be able to get the bike sooner.

Dobber...for the CC the "Sage Green" is no longer available, only "Workman Blue"...later this summer "Black Cherry"

Your mixing your frames and colors :)

CC - Cross Check: Available in Pearl Green or Black

Sheldon...or anyone else...Why are the 26 inch wheels "better" than the 700 size for the "vertically challenged" (I'm 5'6") like me? I have 700s on my road bike and was thinking of upgrading wheels at some point and putting my old raodie 700s on my new Cross Check. Should I not?

Your mixing your frames and colors :)

CC - Cross Check: Available in Pearl Green or Black


According to their website, the seperately-sold forks are all gloss black.

HALFBIKED..
Where are you finding the CC avail in Pearl Green and Black? The website only lists Workman Blue????

is there no reason why you cant buy a cross check frame with a long haul trucker fork?

This could theoretically work, there's only one mm difference in the fork rake. The LHT would still be my preference though, mainly because of the much more generous chainstay length and slightly shorter top tube.

If you don't want to wait for the slooooooow, flash laden Surly site, you can see the respective geometry charts at:

http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/surly-cross-check.html

http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/surly-lht.html

Sheldon "Simple HTML Is Best" Brown

+----------------------------------------------------+
| I admit that reason is a small and feeble flame, |
| a flickering torch by stumblers carried in the |
| star-less night, -- blown and flared by passion's |
| storm, -- and yet, it is the only light. |
| Extinguish that, and nought remains. |
| -- Robert Green Ingersoll |
+----------------------------------------------------+

According to their website, the seperately-sold forks are all gloss black.

Frames...........I said frames dagnammit


Where are you finding the CC avail in Pearl Green and Black? The website only lists Workman Blue????

CC - Cross Check: Green or Black
LHT - Long Haul Trucker: Blue or Cherry

why not Soma double cross? http://www.somafab.com/frames.html

Good point. The Soma fork does have rack mounts, and the OP could keep using the wheels s/he already has.

I thought about getting a Double Cross until I found out about the LHT. I decided that I wanted the 46cm chainstays for more clearance for my size 48 feet.

nice! I have size 47, I have a 1984 nishiki international, it's my favorite bike and I ride it every day, though I don't have the front rack bosses I will use clamps when I go on tour. My friend (6'5") has a double cross, road it from vancouver to San Fran last fall.

"why not Soma double cross?"
I considered the Double Cross... but I can't get over the way the cable is mounted/routed on the TOP of the top tube..... it gives the bike an unfinished look to me. I know a commuter isn't SUPPOSED to be "pretty". but...
Also, does anyone know why it is "better" for the short guy to ride 26 inch wheel rather than 700 size as Sheldon suggested?
I think I have the color choices sorted out on the differnet web sites now. Thanks
Lastly, I won't ever need the bike for off road and only need it for a commuter(30 miles round trip)/grocery getter. Given the distance I want something reasonably light weight..Is the Cross Check/LHT even the best choice for me?

According to their website, the seperately-sold forks are all gloss black.
Frames...........I said frames dagnammit


You did. And I said seperately-sold forks. Click on the forks on their website. Available in gloss black. So if he wants a cross-check frame & LHT fork, both come in black.

does anyone know why it is "better" for the short guy to ride 26 inch wheel rather than 700 size as Sheldon suggested?

Ideally wheel size should be proportional to rider size. As a practical matter, however, we only have a few different wheel sizes available.

If the wheels are disproportionally large, it messes up the geometry of the bike. Issues of toe/wheel overlap necessitate using a too-long top tube, or a too-steep seat tube.

Also, on some smaller frames with large wheels, the head tube becomes inconveniently short. This increases stress on the headset. The short steerer limits stem height adjustability if the bike uses a traditional stem (not an issue on the bikes under discussion.)

Sheldon "Proportionality" Brown

+----------------------------------------------------+
| I reckon there's more things told than are true, |
| And more things true than are told. |
| --Rudyard Kipling |
+----------------------------------------------------+