Touring - Surly LHT + What Shimano Group for Africa?

I've talked to a few people and gotten a few suggestions but I am looking for some input on this.

I am planing to leave in Jan of '09 for a year long trek through Africa and I'm starting the process of figuring out the equipment I want to bring.

I am not planning on doing tons of hardcore off road riding but I need my equipment to be capable of handling it occasionally. I was thinking about going with the 105 group or the Saint 135.

My main concerns are:
Durability
Easy to work on
Interchangable with lots of stuff in the event of a breakdown (though i will be bringing a bevy of spare parts)

Anyone have any thoughts? 10 speed? 9 speed? 7 speed maybe?

ps: i am reading:
bike for Africa - please help me!

(i did use the search :))

Also:
I won't be going alone.
My riding partner speaks fluent french, conversational spanish and is pretty great with languages in general.
I have not been on a lengthy bike tour as yet but I intend to go on a few shoter ones with my intended equipment beforehand.

8-speed Deore+friction shifting. Easy as all get out to work on. If you're really on a budget, don't discount the quality of a step or two lower than Deore, like Alivio, etc. Bomb-proof. High price does not automatically equal "reliable." Also, the Saint grouppo may be overkill for what you say you plan.

I'm not really on a tight budget at all. I thought the Saint group might be a bit much but I figured if you're going to do it... do it right? I will be building this bike 2x though so I guess cost might come into play. I'd rather have the right gear and spend more than save some pennies and break down.

I'm not really on a tight budget at all. I thought the Saint group might be a bit much but I figured if you're going to do it... do it right?

Well, it is made to take the real rough stuff. I think maybe the real question is how good a mechanic you are in the field, are you good at toeing-in index shifting? I've never tried Saint stuff, by the way. I'm definitely interested in your opinion of it if you do decide to get it, by the way, as well as hearing about your trip.

Anyhoo, I would stay away from road stuff in favor of mountain stuff, I love 105 and have never found a need to buy anything higher on a road bike, but mountain equipment is way less finicky.

BTW, my LHT is built to handle anything, and I run an 8-speed setup:

FD-Ultegra
RD-Alivio
Shifters-Rivendell Silver Bar Ends
Cassette-SRAM (can't remember)
Cranks-Sugino mountain
Pedals-Egg Beaters

Never had any problems with this setup, and even a 'tard like me can work on it.

Well, I haven't done much work on bikes in the past. I do have a fixed gear frankenstein that I built (my avatar) though.

I have done a fair bit of long distance motorcycle riding and I can handle basic repairs in that regard. Bikes seem pretty damned simple by comparison but I could be being foolish.

More info:

The riding partner is my girlfriend who I am amazed is willing to do this at all. I'm leaving it to her to determine the route (i don't really care i just want to hit the road for a year or so) but I think the requirements will remain the same regardless of where we go. This trip might end up taking place in south asia, south america, europe etc, i have no idea yet. It is up to her :)

I would suggest you go with as many compatible parts as possible, as it will help reduce the number of spare parts. On more specific items:

- 26" (ISO 559) wheels because it is a much more universal format. I would most likely compromise on relatively wide slicks (26x1.75 to 1.9 for example) so you would get a comfortable ride on rough roads and gravel, yet not a too slow one.

- Shifters that can be used in friction mode. Either bar-end shifters (my preference) or downtube shifters.

- For the same reason as above, compatible cranksets. Since you'll be very loaded, you won't ride fast, so a LX or XT crankset with 44-34-22 rings makes a lot of sense.

- Steel racks. in a trip like that, aluminium will most likely break far away from any repair place. For the rear wheel, the Tubus cargo and the Bruce Gordon (more expensive) are the best choice.
For the front, the Tubus are decent choices if you have holes going through the fork at midpoint, and the Bruce Gordon lowrider is the best steel rack all around. However, I would recommend a combo between the lowrider and "highrider" racks because:
- you may want to use the shelf for a few items;
- the lowrider portion will be better most of the time (better handling)
- the higher portion of the rack will be a better place to hang panniers when you ride singletrack, rough terrain...

I'll be doing 26" Velocity Cliffhangers custom built w/ good spokes (DT Swiss orWheelsmith) on a 36 hole hub (front and back) so i've got that covered.

Not sure on the cranksets... or any of the components yet for that matter. Arggg, choices.

Racks... I will check those out for sure! I haven't done much research on that end yet.

I'll be doing 26" Velocity Cliffhangers custom built w/ good spokes (DT Swiss orWheelsmith) on a 36 hole hub (front and back) so i've got that covered.

Not sure on the cranksets... or any of the components yet for that matter. Arggg, choices.

Racks... I will check those out for sure! I haven't done much research on that end yet.

If money is no object, I would suggest going with a Rohloff 14 speed hub. It's very very pricy, but this is one tough high performance machinery. Relatively maintenance free. No worries bending your rear and breaking your front derailleur, because you don't need them. Just replace your chain once in awhile.. Best of all, the shifter mechanism is built into the hub itself. The grip shifter acts as an actuator.
Being a 14 speeder, the gearing is actually quite good.

Good luck on your trip.

I'd go Rohloff, got my hub before the price increase.

"- Shifters that can be used in friction mode. Either bar-end shifters (my preference) or downtube shifters."

Good advice, unless someone is going to use flat bars, then use MTB shifter. I'm being mister obvious here. I imagine from your avitar you are comfortable on drops.

With your question in mind, I would order the Sakkit information kit. It goes into details far greater than anywhere else I have seen , and spells it out component by component. The Package costs about 20 bucks, but is well worth it. I'm not suggesting buying a Sakkit bike, that is a whole other story.

One of the points Sakkit is strongest on is starting with the load, paniers and working back from there. It's like with boat design, you start with the service and load, and design back to the hull, while most buyers have a sense of what hull they might afford and work from there to wreak any possible design by jamming all their stuff into a predetermined outcome. Not quite so bad with bikes, but with a loaded bike you should at least as often run the tape backwards, starting with the kit, the bags that will hold it the way you want to, the racks, and so on. This is also a budget issue, for instance one spends as much time sleeping as in the saddle, so the practicality of your camping gear will weigh on you over time just as much as the bike. Any frustration about paniers that come off your racks or are difficult to access will be part of your every day. I bought simple and perfectly compatible (or should have been) paniers and racks, and could never get the front paniers to desist from popping off the front rack every now and then, until I built them a custom rack. It's a difficult task planing backwards, because nobody really knows what items they will find essential, and what items they wont until the experience sinks in.

Another maker worth reviewing the docs on in Thorn. Thorn has basically a similar bike frame approach Sakkit, but they are known for their integration of Rohloff parts into touring platforms. I would recomend one of their bikes for your trip, though.

Also look at http://www.robinmathercycles.co.uk/dh/dhindex.html. Nice bike porn, but also with custom builders you see some of the areas where the stock stuff is clunky and needs an extra tweak.

If you run drops and therefore road levers, you need to be very careful about your brake choice. Pick something that has specifically worked on that combo of lever, brake, and fork before. Check the manufacturers stock option.

Bike mech is not difficult, generally. You still have to know what there is to know. Bikes do try to get a lot more out of the parts than say motorcycles do (being fairly famililar with frame design and construction in either), as a result there are occasional subtleties that are not obvious. Angels on the head of a pin has nothing on the structural analysis of wheel forces, that nobody seems to agree on. I read some stuff recently that implied the spokes below the axle are actually supporting the wheel like tiny collumns rather than the wheel hanging from the spokes. Has to do with what you get when you pretention the spokes and then do an analysis of loads in the weighted wheel. I could care less, however it does go to show that at the very least, one needs to be careful about following instructions relative to some of the mechanics. Comon sense does not always cary the day.

I'd go with Deore derailers (frount and rear), 7 or 8 speed MTB cassettes and friction shifters.

MTB cranks with Phil Wood bottom brackets.

FSA sealed bearing headsets.

Good quality Cantilever or V style brakes (Avid or Shimano)

I'd also buy 2 complete drivetrains, extra headset bearings, hub cones and beaings, white lithum grease, spare cables and brake pads for each bike and ship the spare parts to somebody in route that you're going to stay with. It's hard to know if you're going to be able to get parts locally.

Also-- India might be the best 3rd world nation for bike touring as far as I've heard and read. There's lots of bikes already there and Engish is pretty common in lots of areas.

At some point, count on somebody stealing your bikes or gear. I'd stick to rebuilt old MTBs with super crappy paint (pink bikes are hardly ever get stolen) I've lost gear in both SE Asia and South America-- it's just part of the game.....

I would suggest you go with as many compatible parts as possible, as it will help reduce the number of spare parts. On more specific items:

- 26" (ISO 559) wheels because it is a much more universal format. I would most likely compromise on relatively wide slicks (26x1.75 to 1.9 for example) so you would get a comfortable ride on rough roads and gravel, yet not a too slow one.

- Shifters that can be used in friction mode. Either bar-end shifters (my preference) or downtube shifters.

- For the same reason as above, compatible cranksets. Since you'll be very loaded, you won't ride fast, so a LX or XT crankset with 44-34-22 rings makes a lot of sense.

- Steel racks. in a trip like that, aluminium will most likely break far away from any repair place. For the rear wheel, the Tubus cargo and the Bruce Gordon (more expensive) are the best choice.
For the front, the Tubus are decent choices if you have holes going through the fork at midpoint, and the Bruce Gordon lowrider is the best steel rack all around. However, I would recommend a combo between the lowrider and "highrider" racks because:
- you may want to use the shelf for a few items;
- the lowrider portion will be better most of the time (better handling)
- the higher portion of the rack will be a better place to hang panniers when you ride singletrack, rough terrain...

+1 - great advice. Stick to easy to maintain and easy to repair components. Being able to source parts en route will offer a lot of peace of mind.

With bar end shifters you'll be able to throw any 26" rear wheel [6spd, 7spd, 8spd, 9spd] and any rear dérailleur and get it to work in friction mode.

Sounds like a great trip have fun...:D

I too recommend using standard type equipment: 26" wheels, regular hubs, regular drive train (Rohloff hub, if it fails, could leave you waiting weeks for repair), bar-end shifters (so you have friction option), etc. The more common and simple the part, the more likely you can find a replacement part in larger African towns.

Hello Kazar, have a look at my post 'thorn sherpa', all the gear is top class and dependable. I've been assembling the bike these last couple of months, with work still to go and I'm looking forward to getting out on the road. ive only done two 50 mile spins to date, the bike is super smooth and i reckon bomb proof ,
best of luck on your tour.

I've been to africa twice, and the only country with anything near decent roads was Rwanda. 26" tires make a lot of sense. Don't expect to find ANYTHING in the way of spares, unless you can somehow use parts from the indian rod-brake cruisers that are common in much of east africa. I spent significant time in Accra and in Nairobi, and found no bike shops at all (like the ones that we would know).

Rohloff also makes a lot of sense.

Get someone back home to be your support partner, who can mail you things like rims and other un-carryables.

I met a bunch of euros when I was in Nairobi who were doing the Cairo->Cape Twon route. They were all on MTBs -- but then, euros never ride a bike with drop handlebars unless they are racing and wearing pink spandex. :D

Get thorn proof tubes and Mr. Tuffy tire liners. I rode 2,000 miles through Texas and the Southeast without a single flat with this setup.

Kazer.....I'm jealous! ;)

do not out fit yourself with saint componentry. It is a highly specialized group made for DH and freeride mountain biking. It will require you to use saint hubs, derailers, brakes, etc. Long story short, it is almost totally integrated, forcing you to use nearly the entire line up.

i would imagine that steel chainrings might be a good idea. And forget extra headset bearings -- get a king. will this be your first tour?

The top end FSA headsets are just as good a King.... it's the same type sealed bearings. These things do wear out-- all bike parts wear out. FSA is great company...it's possible to get part numbers to get new bearings 3rd party (way cheaper) I'd get spares before I left. I'd get spares of everything, in fact, and ship them in country to somebody I could trust.

Count on stuff breaking and getting pinched--- and don't let it ruin your trip.

Flexiablity is the key to travel.

Make sure you use an older style square taper bottom bracket as bearings for newer integrated BBs will be difficult, if not impossible, to find.

I think maybe the real question is how good a mechanic you are in the field, are you good at toeing-in index shifting?
I'm confused. What does toeing-in have to do with index shifting? I am familiar with the term being used regarding bike brake shoes and automotive wheel alignment, but can't imagine how it relates to index shifting.

Once you get your setup all locked in, I would practice a lot of repairs at home. I would want to be able to tear the thing down to parts and reassemble it almost in my sleep. Make sure you can deal with replacing a spoke, truing the wheel in the fork, replacing cables, adjusting the derailleurs, fix a busted chain, etc. Speaking of chains, I would make sure to have a small stock of quick links in the tool kit.

Have fun, it sounds like a hell of a trip.

Get someone back home to be your support partner, who can mail you things like rims and other un-carryables.
So just out of curiosity, how long does it usually take to get something sent to you, and at what cost?

And what service would you typically use? Or will that vary depending on where you are?

So just out of curiosity, how long does it usually take to get something sent to you, and at what cost?

And what service would you typically use? Or will that vary depending on where you are?

it totally varies country-to-country. some places like ghana are reliable and efficient, wereas you cn forget about getting anything in Lagos. Capital cities will generally have DHL, but forget bout that kind of thing in second-tier cities. basically you need to be really self-sufficient.

if you haven't been to Africa before, you are in for a ****ing trip. its unlke anywhere else. also, keep in mind that eastern/southern africa is prettier, but the people are jerks. west africa is uglier, but the food is good, music is good, and people are nice. central africa would be my recommendation, but DR Congo is just emerging from insanity, and Rwanda is too small for a bike tour.

I posted this in the mechanic section a few days ago but I think I have arrived at what I'll be building twice, one for me and one for my girlfriend. When I say I'm not too concerned about price I do mean it but Phil Wood stuff seems a tad ridiculous pricewise.

It is looking like we'll be headed to southeast asia rather than africa and i don't expect we'll be doing very much off road riding but i want to make sure the bikes are able to handle it if there is a need.

Frame: Surly LHT
Fork: Surly LHT
Headset: Cane Creek S-3 (1 1/8”) or Chris King NoThreadSet
Build/Spokes: DT Swiss or Wheelsmith w/ brass nipples
Tires: Specalized Nimbus Armadillos
Rims: Velocity Cliffhanger 36 Hole

Rear Hub: Shimano Deore LX FH-M580 36 Hole (maybe something higher end? is it really needed?)
Front Hub: Shimano Deore LX HB-M580 36 Hole (maybe something higher end? is it really needed?)

Brake Levers/Shifters: Shimano 105 ST5500
Front Break: Shimano BR550 or Avid Shorty 6
Rear Brake: Shimano BR550 Rear or Avid Shorty 6 Rear

Front Derailleur: Shimano 105 FD-5600 (needs 28.6mm clamp)
Rear Derailluer: Shimano Deore LX RD-M580-GS

Crankset: Shimano 105 FC-5500 (50/39)
Bottom Bracket: Shimano 105 BB6500 English Thread
Cassette: Shimano Deore LX CS-M580 (11-34)
Chain: SRAM PC-991

Seatpost: Unknown
Bars: Unknown
Saddle: Unknown
Stem: Unknown
Pedals: Unknown
Panniers: Unknown
Rack: Unknown

Consider rethinking your drivetrain, IMO.

First, a 105 derailleur isn't going to handle a 34t cassette well. IThe crank is also Octalink. It is getting harder to find spare BBs for those. Square taper would probably be easier to deal with if you needed to find parts. I don't think your BB and crank match, either. I would also think about ditching the STI.

The rear derailleur isn't from the 105 group and I'm not too concerned about a BB failure. Maybe this is foolish, I don't know.

I will be bringing a good selection of spare parts, maybe a BB should be included, we'll see.

The BB6500 or BB5500 are both compatible with that crankset, the 6500 is just a few grams lighter. I'd be happy with either.

I hear you on the STI shifters though, I am semi undecided on that front.

The rear derailleur isn't from the 105 group and I'm not too concerned about a BB failure. Maybe this is foolish, I don't know.

I will be bringing a good selection of spare parts, maybe a BB should be included, we'll see.

The BB6500 or BB5500 are both compatible with that crankset, the 6500 is just a few grams lighter. I'd be happy with either.

I hear you on the STI shifters though, I am semi undecided on that front.

Oops. I looked at the wrong derailleur! Perhaps I have developed a bit of dyslexia. I could have sworn it said BB5600 which is an eternal cup bb.

Also think about a tire from the Schawlbe Marathon line, they are the toughest around.

Kazer.....I'm jealous! ;)

Don't be jealous! Do it! I have to finish my basement and find a property management company to rent my house out (or sell it if need be) in the next 6-8 months to make this happen, you could too! :)

Also think about a tire from the Schawlbe Marathon line, they are the toughest around.

I will definitely check them out. Maybe I have been brainwashed by reading the road forum that Gatorskins and Armadillos are the end all be all of puncture resistant tires!

I am really curious to hear what people think about the Deore hubs in terms of reliability. I know everyone here loves Phill Wood but I think the prices are ridiculous. I'd be happy to spend more, but not that much more.

DO NOT bring STI shifters. one of their most common fail modes is when the pawls and springs get gunked up. this WILL HAPPEN in Africa, as dust storms followed by rainstorms give you internal mud. NOS suntour barcons FTW.

I posted this in the mechanic section a few days ago but I think I have arrived at what I'll be building twice, one for me and one for my girlfriend. When I say I'm not too concerned about price I do mean it but Phil Wood stuff seems a tad ridiculous pricewise.

It is looking like we'll be headed to southeast asia rather than africa and i don't expect we'll be doing very much off road riding but i want to make sure the bikes are able to handle it if there is a need.

Frame: Surly LHT
Fork: Surly LHT
Headset: Cane Creek S-3 (1 1/8”) or Chris King NoThreadSet
Build/Spokes: DT Swiss or Wheelsmith w/ brass nipples
Tires: Specalized Nimbus Armadillos
Rims: Velocity Cliffhanger 36 Hole

Rear Hub: Shimano Deore LX FH-M580 36 Hole (maybe something higher end? is it really needed?)
Front Hub: Shimano Deore LX HB-M580 36 Hole (maybe something higher end? is it really needed?)

Brake Levers/Shifters: Shimano 105 ST5500
Front Break: Shimano BR550 or Avid Shorty 6
Rear Brake: Shimano BR550 Rear or Avid Shorty 6 Rear

Front Derailleur: Shimano 105 FD-5600 (needs 28.6mm clamp)
Rear Derailluer: Shimano Deore LX RD-M580-GS

Crankset: Shimano 105 FC-5500 (50/39)
Bottom Bracket: Shimano 105 BB6500 English Thread
Cassette: Shimano Deore LX CS-M580 (11-34)
Chain: SRAM PC-991

Seatpost: Unknown
Bars: Unknown
Saddle: Unknown
Stem: Unknown
Pedals: Unknown
Panniers: Unknown
Rack: Unknown

Hi Kazer,

Having experienced touring in a wide variety of terrain and country, what you really need is mountain bike equipment. Forget about the road stuff. Deore and LX are good to go. I've never toured with anything fancy either, but met people who did. I mentioned the Rohloff awhile back? I actually met a world tourer sponsored by this company. He got a Rohloff at the back and a Schmidt Dyno Hub at the front. That's the extent of the technology. Everything else is cheap Deore or better yet LX. He demanded it, where the bike company wants the bike to be everything else XTR! You know for publicity sakes!

I've also met people riding with nothing more than Deore or lower! The lower end the stuff, the heavier they are and the durable they will be over long treks.
I personally think Chris King and or Phil Wood are overly priced for what they are. And they are great products no question about it. But eventually like any bike parts, they are going to wear out. Just not as often as less expensive parts. Best cartridge bottom bracket to tour with is undoubtedly the square taper type. Pretty easy to replace and they are pretty reliable. You can carry a couple if you want, but internet being so prevalent in SE Asia also, what's stopping you from ordering parts from Nashbar or Performance!?!?!? In fact, that's what a lot of tourers do, including myself. DHL, Fedex and UPS can reach pretty much every little corner of the earth in as little as 72 hours or in a few days.
So standardize yourself with the easiest and cheapest part you can get and stick with it.

You also need to do yourself a favor and learn how to competently overhaul a bike. I mean, being able to remove cranks, bottom bracket, fix a flat, fix a wheel, true a wheel etc... Volunteer as a junior mechanic in a community style bike shop over the weekend for a few months. Lessons you learn in the shop will thank you for it and carry only the tools which you know how to use to fix bike problems..

Too many times, I had seen people carry lots of tools, spare parts and a bike repair book only to end up learning how to fix their bikes on the get go. That's never good.

The rear derailleur isn't from the 105 group and I'm not too concerned about a BB failure. Maybe this is foolish, I don't know.

I will be bringing a good selection of spare parts, maybe a BB should be included, we'll see.

The BB6500 or BB5500 are both compatible with that crankset, the 6500 is just a few grams lighter. I'd be happy with either.

I hear you on the STI shifters though, I am semi undecided on that front.

Again, keep it simple. Modern barcon shifters, like the Ultegra kind can shifts in index mode (nice firm solid clicks) or in friction mode. STI shifters are reliable as long as you baby them well. I've met so people who toured with STIs and never had any gumming problems and these guys travel all over the world. My RSX STI shifter did gum up during a pretty bad dusty rain storm and never worked again. I had toured with barcon, but recently I'm back with Shimano STI mountain bike trigger shifter (8 speed kind). They're like $20 for a pair, including brake levers and can be ordered via Performance no problem. So, that's what I have and after so many miles through rain and snow, they are still clicking away.
Shifters is a preference thing. Always choose a shifter that you're most comfortable with first.
Square taper BB is easy and cheap to get. UN-72 is good quality and UN-53 isn't bad either. You can then either mate it with the Sugino XD300 for road gearing or Shimano Deore or Alivio for mountain gearing. Both cranks can be had for less than $100! Again, the key is easily accessible and cheap to get.

Mountain equipment is easy to sort out. And UN-53 is available either in a 68mm BB shell (mostly road frame) or 73mm BB (mostly mountain frame).

I posted this in the mechanic section a few days ago but I think I have arrived at what I'll be building twice, one for me and one for my girlfriend...

Kazer,
I built up my LHT spec'd for a (future) trip from Bueno Aires to Ushuia and then back up through Chile. I am lucky enough to fit either a 56 or 54cm and chose the 54 cm so as to get the 26" wheels. Also, I went for down tube shifters for simplicity and reliability although I love brifters on my other bikes. Below I copied your spec's and made the slight changes*** to reflect my actual build.

Frame: Surly LHT 54 cm
Fork: Surly LHT
Headset: Cane Creek S-8***
Build/Spokes: DT brass nipples, DT Competition 2.0/1.8 spokes ***
Tires: Continental Travel Contact 26 x 1.75. Decent in gravel. Also, consider Schwalbe Marathon Plus***
Rims: 36 hole, 26", Velocity Aeroheat rims with rim tape ***
Rear Hub: XT, 36 hole ***
Front Hub: XT, 36 hole ***

Brake Levers/Shifters: Dia Compe 287-V ***
Front Break: Avid Single Digit Ultimate (Linear Pull, must get compatible brake lever as above) ***
Rear Brake: Avid Single Digit Ultimate (Linear Pull, must get compatible brake lever as above) ***

Front Derailleur: Shimano LX bottom pull ***
Rear Derailluer: Shimano XT long pull ***

Crankset/BB: Race Face Atlas (26-36-46), 175 mm ***
Cassette: Shimano XT (11-32)
Chain: Whipperman 9 speed ***

Seatpost: Salsa, The Shaft ***
Bars: Salsa, Bell Lap, 44 x 31.8 ***
Saddle: Brooks B-17 ***
Stem: Salsa, SUV, Size to fit ***
Pedals: Shimano A520 ***
Panniers: Ortlieb, Packer Plus and medium Ultimate 5 Handlebar Bag ***
Rack: Tubus, Cargo on rear, Tara on the front ***

Fenders: SKS *** (Especially in SE Asia)

My LBS built this for me for $1800 US including bottle cages but not racks, panniers or pumps etc.

Most tourers will think that you need a triple crank with a low (about 20") granny gear.

Some will complain about linear pull (v) brakes but I have had no issue with them. They are very powerful and stop smoothly loaded or not, wet or not. Have almost the same smooth performance as the Avid Juicy 7 hydraulic discs on my mountain bike. However, not sure if they will fit on the 700c versions of the LHT.

Having put together a couple of builds I would advise you to ride them at least 1000 miles before you leave...I always find something which needs modification in the first few miles. That's why, for example, there is rim tape on rims that otherwise take velo-plugs and shouldn't need it.

... Below I copied your spec's and made the slight changes*** to reflect my actual build.

Brake Levers/Shifters: Dia Compe 287-V ***
Front and rear Brake: Avid Single Digit Ultimate (Linear Pull, must get compatible brake lever as above) ***
Crankset/BB: Race Face Atlas (26-36-46), 175 mm ***
Cassette: Shimano XT (11-32)
Chain: Whipperman 9 speed ***




So here are my comments on the Kazer build and on the Smokester build.

Brakes and levers
Both proposals work well and I have v-brakes and 287-V on my Trek 520, but if I were starting from scratch, I would rather go with cantis. They work with standard brake levers, and the current ones with threaded pads are fairly easy to adjust. Besides, the 287-V levers are a bit finicky in that you need to have true wheels within 2 mm. So I'd prefer your original suggestion of Shimano levers and either Avid brakes or Tektro canti brakes. BTW, I think I read more than once that Avid single digits are squeaking a lot.

BTW, v-brakes and cantis can both be fitted on 26" and 700c LHTs. Providing you have the compatible levers, of course. The canti setup is cheaper.

Crankset
Definitely go with low, low, low.
The Raceface Atlas suggested above or anything with 110/74 mm 5-arm would work well. I would pay extra if necessary to swap the 26 by a 24. BTW, the LHT Complete already comes with a 110/74 crankset and 26-36-48 rings if I'm not mistaken, so you would just have to change the small ring.
Another option, which I actually prefer, is to use a mountain crankset with 44-34-22 rings. These are standard MTB 4-arm rings which also are fairly easy to find here.

Shift Levers
I concur, no STI over there, unless you want to double them up with an extra set of downtube levers. Bar-end work fine and for best looks and no handlebar bag interference, you can conceal the cables in the handlebar tape.

Hubs
I think Shimano LX or XT are as good as Phil Wood hubs. Phil Wood are field-serviceable, which is good, but they need more maintenance along the way. So it's basically your choice: either you go with LX or XT which are very well sealed and probably don't think about maintenance during the entire trip (but in the unlikely case they break, find something else), or go with Phil Wood and get ready to overhaul them 1-2 times on the road.

Lights
Being a generator guy, I would likely go with a Schmidt dynohub, headlight and taillight. That way you won't ever look at batteries. You might not plan for too many nighttime riding, but beware that sunlight is always 12 hours per day at Equator level.

So here are my comments on the Kazer build and on the Smokester build.

Brakes and levers
Both proposals work well and I have v-brakes and 287-V on my Trek 520, but if I were starting from scratch, I would rather go with cantis. They work with standard brake levers, and the current ones with threaded pads are fairly easy to adjust. Besides, the 287-V levers are a bit finicky in that you need to have true wheels within 2 mm. So I'd prefer your original suggestion of Shimano levers and either Avid brakes or Tektro canti brakes. BTW, I think I read more than once that Avid single digits are squeaking a lot...

Michel Gagnon is possibly right about these brakes. While they are wonderful to use--very strong stopping power--I have heard many times that they have less clearance than canti's and so can be undone by an out-of-true wheel or lots of mud. Mine don't squeal and I haven't knocked a wheel out yet but... The weight of evidence seems to bear out that V-brakes are too refined for heavy expeditions. Sorry if I mislead you but it is always a trade off...It's just what I got and I've never had canti's so can't compare.

We're going to be on road or at least decent intermediate roads for 99% of the trip so I am pretty comfortable with the crankset I've picked out. I do have some second thoughts about using an octalink over square taper but I was able to get two new FC-5500s (52/39) for $60 apiece; I think we're just going to roll with em. The larger range mountain cassette should cover us for a pretty decent spread of gear ratios.

After even more research this is the current proposed setup. Sooner or later I'll stop juggling this crap around and just start buying it (already have the crankset tho).

Frame/Fork: Surly LHT
Headset: Chris King NoThreadSet

Build/Spokes: Wheelsmith w/ brass nipples
Tires: Specalized Nimbus Armadillos
Rims: Velocity Cliffhanger 36 Hole

Front Hub: Shimano Deore LX HB-M580 (36/h)
Rear Hub: Shimano Deore LX FH-M580 (36/h)

Brake Levers: Shimano BL-R600
Shifters: Shimano Dura Ace SL-BS77
Front Break: Shimano Deore LX BR-M580
Rear Brake: Shimano Deore LX BR-M580 Rear

Front Derailleur: Shimano 105 FD-5603 (needs 28.6mm clamp)
Rear Derailluer: Shimano Deore LX RD-M581-SGS

Crankset: Shimano 105 FC-5503 52/42/30
Bottom Bracket: Shimano 105 BB-5500 118.5mm English Thread
Cassette: Shimano Deore LX CS-M580 (11-34)
Chain: SRAM PC-991

Seatpost: Unknown
Bars: Unknown
Saddle: Unknown
Stem: Unknown
Pedals: Unknown
Panniers: Unknown
Rack: Unknown

I will definitely check them out. Maybe I have been brainwashed by reading the road forum that Gatorskins and Armadillos are the end all be all of puncture resistant tires!

I am really curious to hear what people think about the Deore hubs in terms of reliability. I know everyone here loves Phill Wood but I think the prices are ridiculous. I'd be happy to spend more, but not that much more.

Check out the touring forum, Schwalbe Marathon Plus or Marathon XR are the be all and end all of flat resistant tires! :)

http://www.schwalbetires.com/node/1320

Whatever bike you pick, Kazer, are you 100% perpared to leave it unattended somewhere in SE Asia? I've been to most of the countries there and I wouldn't chain a nice bike to pole there and go see a temple or market, save for Singapore.

Whatever bike you pick, Kazer, are you 100% perpared to leave it unattended somewhere in SE Asia? I've been to most of the countries there and I wouldn't chain a nice bike to pole there and go see a temple or market, save for Singapore.

he's going to africa. if somebody steals something in west africa, all you do is shout "thief!" they will be mobbed and dismembered by angry market women...


(its actually a serious problem)

We're not actually going to Africa (if you read the thread i explain that the destination and route is up to my girlfriend and the technical details are up to me). That said, I'm not going to skip going somewhere for fear my things will be stolen!

Talked to my LBS and they are going to let me volunteer this spring. Tire changing ***** here I come!

We're going to be on road or at least decent intermediate roads for 99% of the trip so I am pretty comfortable with the crankset I've picked out. I do have some second thoughts about using an octalink over square taper but I was able to get two new FC-5500s (52/39) for $60 apiece; I think we're just going to roll with em. The larger range mountain cassette should cover us for a pretty decent spread of gear ratios.

Kazer,

I don't know how much are you guys playing on hauling on the bike, but if you're travelling in SE Asia, you are probably going to be carry more provisions than you would normally do in North America. Water can be a scarce commodity in some parts of SE Asia. I certainly would carry a MSR water filter along with it with a couple of jugs of Nalgene (as long as it's not the number 7 kind!), but you might need to carry extra jugs just in case you guys are stranded in the middle of nowhere. In order to cook anything hot or warm, you will need clean water. And if you carry lots of clean water, it's going to get very heavy.

A lot of folks who suggest low low low gearing have a good point. It's not only to get you guys up the hills easy, but also to drag a lot of crap with you. And what kind of top gear are you striving for?
I mean with a 26" nominal sized wheels and 44/32/22 crankset mated with a 11/34 cassette, you'll have a gear range from 17" to about 103". And with panniers sticking out front and back, you aren't going to be as aerodynamic as say riding with regular road bikes, so really big gear inches aren't going to be a big concern as much as small gear inches do.

Hope this helps.

pacific--

you're absolutely right! (see my revised build a few posts above)

i picked up some 105 triples last night for $75 apiece and returned the doubles.

i also ordered the first frame/fork today! the second it arrives i'm sending it off to my painter to get rid of that ugly blue!

.....also, keep in mind that eastern/southern africa is prettier, but the people are jerks

Jerks? Really? I mean all of them? Spent 18 months there myself and can't say I met many jerks.