Touring - My new 2010 Surly LHT!

Got it yesterday from the friendly staff at Recycled Cycles..thanks guys!:thumb: Just put the first 25miles on it today and I have to say, this is by far one the funnest bikes I've owned in a long, long time!!:love:
Good ole, "4130" steel frame with a decent build kit- XT derailieur, XT hubs, Ultegra barends. Rides like a comfortable sport bike or a tough, hardtail mtb hauler on the gravel paths and over street curbs..bunny hops well!
This is deffinitley a keeper folks and I can't wait to outfit her the essentials for an upcoming bike camping trip.

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e302/corseben/IMG_4658.jpg

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Nice bike. Why is the bike two size too small?

Nice bike. Why is the bike two size too small?

??Maybe its the road bike frame rolling on 26" mtb wheels. It reminds me of a truck

Your bike looks great...just needs racks and fenders...:thumb:

Something does seem amiss...a lot of seatpost and a real short stem. Flexibility issues? First time on a bike in a real long time? Short torso?

The pic is of the bike, fresh off my bike stand after reassembly which explains the raised seat post.

Front Surly rack is in route but I haven't decided on a rear rack quite yet cause now I'm thinking about the Xtracycle rig with those, large bag carriers. Not quite a Big Dummy but at least I could go back and fourth between the two style bikes.

welcome to the Surly world

Your bike looks great...just needs racks and fenders...:thumb:

Thanks! Which fenders would you recommend for my 26" LHT? I really like what you've done with all your bikes. The orange fixie Tikit is to die for, man!

any kind, SKS, Planet Bike.

Thanks! Which fenders would you recommend for my 26" LHT?

I recommend the SKS P55s. They are large, have good coverage, and are radiused for 26" tires. They fit nearly perfect between the forks, seat stays and chain stays with no need for bending or taking a dremel to them. I can fit Continental Top Contact 50s in there with plenty of clearance. Any larger tire, and you'll have a hard time getting them on and off anyway.

I recommend the SKS P55s. They are large, have good coverage, and are radiused for 26" tires. They fit nearly perfect between the forks, seat stays and chain stays with no need for bending or taking a dremel to them. I can fit Continental Top Contact 50s in there with plenty of clearance. Any larger tire, and you'll have a hard time getting them on and off anyway.

Thanks, I'll see if my LBS can get them.

Here is how the SKS P55s fit on my 50cm LHT:

http://i923.photobucket.com/albums/ad75/aggiegrads/IMG_0301.jpg
At the seat stay. Just fits - any bigger and you would have to bend or trim.

http://i923.photobucket.com/albums/ad75/aggiegrads/IMG_0302.jpg
Here's a shot from the left side at the chain stay. Again, it just fits with no need to bend or trim. Note: presta nuts make perfect spacers to help get a clean fender line.

http://i923.photobucket.com/albums/ad75/aggiegrads/IMG_0303.jpg
From Drive side

http://i923.photobucket.com/albums/ad75/aggiegrads/IMG_0304.jpg

Overall shot. Clean lines (at least in my opinion.)

Consider the Planet Bike Freddy Cascadia MTB (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeanmontambeault/4617777957/in/set-72157623961512567/) also. Great fenders with great mud flaps out of the box.

You will love your bike. It is very comfortable, very stable at all but the slowest speeds. Stable also when loaded, maybe even more, except if you use a heavy handlebar bag but it is the same with most, if not all the modern touring bikes with very few exceptions like most Kogswell. It's a just compromise for touring.

Congrats. :)

What size is the frame? How tall are you? Can you take another picture once you have the fit dialed in a bit more?

What wheel do you have on the rear I see it does not have QR. It looks like a bolt on wheel.Maybe my eyes are going.But other than the rear wheel it looks clean.

Thanks! Which fenders would you recommend for my 26" LHT? I really like what you've done with all your bikes. The orange fixie Tikit is to die for, man! I have the planet bike cascadias on my 56 cm 26 in. With your color scheme any of these would look great http://www.velo-orange.com/fenders.html as long as they fit your wheel/tire..obviously.

I like my SkS P55s. I run 1.75 tires for reference.

Thanks! Which fenders would you recommend for my 26" LHT? I really like what you've done with all your bikes. The orange fixie Tikit is to die for, man!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3274/2822345433_aae70cb23c.jpg

Thanks - I run SKS fenders on my LHT, but would probably go for Planet Bike Cascadias next time as I had to fab up my own mudflap. They both are nice products so not much to choose from except for the PBs have a mudflap. I put stainless Berthoud fenders on my friend's bike and they looked sharp - pic above.

Front Surly rack is in route but I haven't decided on a rear rack quite yet cause now I'm thinking about the Xtracycle rig with those, large bag carriers. Not quite a Big Dummy but at least I could go back and fourth between the two style bikes.

I really don't like the Surly racks - I have one in my parts bin that gathers dust as I use Old Man Mountain racks. The Xtracycle add on is cool, but keep in mind installing is quite a process and not something you'll swap in and out easily. If you want to run the Xtra most of the time and maybe once every couple years pull it off for a tour that involves air travel no problem. If you want to take it off and on several times a year I think you'll give up pretty quick.

What wheel do you have on the rear I see it does not have QR. It looks like a bolt on wheel.Maybe my eyes are going.But other than the rear wheel it looks clean.
I have the stock wheels but I replaced the QR with anti-theft skewers from Velo Orange (http://www.velo-orange.com/voansk.html). Not as secure as Pitlocks (http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/pitlock.asp), but fine for where I park and a fraction of the cost.

Here is how the SKS P55s fit on my 50cm LHT:

http://i923.photobucket.com/albums/ad75/aggiegrads/IMG_0301.jpg
At the seat stay. Just fits - any bigger and you would have to bend or trim.

http://i923.photobucket.com/albums/ad75/aggiegrads/IMG_0302.jpg
Here's a shot from the left side at the chain stay. Again, it just fits with no need to bend or trim. Note: presta nuts make perfect spacers to help get a clean fender line.

http://i923.photobucket.com/albums/ad75/aggiegrads/IMG_0303.jpg
From Drive side

http://i923.photobucket.com/albums/ad75/aggiegrads/IMG_0304.jpg

Overall shot. Clean lines (at least in my opinion.)

I'm riding a 50cm frame aswell, so the pics really helped. LBS ordered up a set, should have them on by the end of the week. Thanks for posting the pics!

I really don't like the Surly racks - I have one in my parts bin that gathers dust as I use Old Man Mountain racks. The Xtracycle add on is cool, but keep in mind installing is quite a process and not something you'll swap in and out easily. If you want to run the Xtra most of the time and maybe once every couple years pull it off for a tour that involves air travel no problem. If you want to take it off and on several times a year I think you'll give up pretty quick.

Yeah, I decided to go with Tubus after some more thought. BTW, the metal fenders on your buddies bike look fantastic!

I had lower rails brazed on a Tubus Cargo, looks cool.

Nice bike. Why is the bike two size too small?

Just thinking the same thing. Lots of spacers on the head tube and a lot of seat post.

Update on my 2010 LHT build...at this point, its a rebuild

Replaced the WTB saddle with a Brook B17
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Planet Bike Cascadia fenders for up to 60mm tires. They fit perfectly between the fork and seat stay, just barely touching.
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I splurged on a new CK headset. The stock Ritchy is perfectly fine but I just couldn't help myself, lol!
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100mm stem to improve the cramped ergos. I'm a short leg, long torso kinda guy and this made an already fun machine even more enjoyable.
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So far, I have on order, Pit Locks for seat, head and wheels, Marathon Supremes in 26x2.00, Tubus Ergo and logo racks, Pauls canti brakes with Kool stops, Ortlieb roller classics and some other stuff I can't quite recall at the moment..this is getting expensive

Hope it all arrives before the end of the month, I'm chompin at the bits to get back on the road!