Touring - Long Haul build: Component selection?

Howdy!

I've been doing some light touring on my carbon road bike by forcing my buddy to schlep all my gear on their bike. As much fun as it is to blaze ahead and have time to eat a hamburger before she arrives in town, I think it's about time I get my own touring bike...

I've pretty much fallen in love with the Surly LHT, but I don't care for the way the stock bikes look. I'm both shallow and know my way around a wrench, so I figured I'd build a bike. And hey, it should be fun, right?

Problem is, I need help with components. I started tossing stuff into shopping carts, and got to over a grand before I even got to wheels. Now, my gear selection thus far has been from reading things on the internet of all places, so I'm reaching out to you guys to suggest quality substitutes to get this thing down in price! And if the item has an option for black, I want that! The bike should meld with nothingness ;)

Here's where I'm sitting:

Surly Black Frameset - $430 (ouch ouch ouch)
Cane Creek SCR-5 Levers - $31
Cane Creek SCX-5 Cantilever Brakes - $58
Shimano Deore XT rear - $72
Shimano XT front - $39
Shimano Deore XT Cassette - $75
Chain - $30
Shimano Deore XT Crankset s/ BB - $218
Dura-Ace Bar Ends - $91
Brooks B17 - $90

And as far as wheels go, I have no clue... Suggestions on that front (I'm 6'5" and 220 lbs...). And stems, posts, etc.... Oh, and suggestions on racks you like most?

Realize this is lots to ask, so thanks to anyone that throws in their two cents :)

A similar thread gets started about every other day in the FG forum.... The stock smart answer over there is similar version of this: Buy the stock LHT, and swap out the parts that offend you the most. You will be able to sell the parts you don't use and should keep the price a lot lower than building from the ground up. You can still find black 2010 LHTs for $1095. You may want to consider not making your bike entirely black. (I'm assuming all your panniers will also be stealth colored?). Blending to nothingness is cool for playing "hide-and-go-sleep", but not so much when you're still on the road.

My $.02

Howdy!

I've been doing some light touring on my carbon road bike by forcing my buddy to schlep all my gear on their bike. As much fun as it is to blaze ahead and have time to eat a hamburger before she arrives in town, I think it's about time I get my own touring bike...

I've pretty much fallen in love with the Surly LHT, but I don't care for the way the stock bikes look. I'm both shallow and know my way around a wrench, so I figured I'd build a bike. And hey, it should be fun, right?

Problem is, I need help with components. I started tossing stuff into shopping carts, and got to over a grand before I even got to wheels. Now, my gear selection thus far has been from reading things on the internet of all places, so I'm reaching out to you guys to suggest quality substitutes to get this thing down in price! And if the item has an option for black, I want that! The bike should meld with nothingness ;)

Here's where I'm sitting:

Surly Black Frameset - $430 (ouch ouch ouch)
Cane Creek SCR-5 Levers - $31
Cane Creek SCX-5 Cantilever Brakes - $58
Shimano Deore XT rear - $72
Shimano XT front - $39
Shimano Deore XT Cassette - $75
Chain - $30
Shimano Deore XT Crankset s/ BB - $218
Dura-Ace Bar Ends - $91
Brooks B17 - $90

And as far as wheels go, I have no clue... Suggestions on that front (I'm 6'5" and 220 lbs...). And stems, posts, etc.... Oh, and suggestions on racks you like most?

Realize this is lots to ask, so thanks to anyone that throws in their two cents :)

Fleabay for some parts. Search around for others.

For the frame go with the 26" wheel version to get a stronger wheel. Your gearing will be slightly lower but not significantly. If you want the least expensive wheels that best fit your needs, build them! It's slightly more expensive if someone builds them for you but the key there is 'fits your needs'. I'd suggest finding an older version of XT or XTR (M950 or later) in a 36 hole hub. You can even substitute SLX or LX for less cost. Get Velocity Aerohead rims (OCR for the rear) and DT Alpine III spokes. You'll have the strongest wheels you can get.

If you don't want the 26" wheels, I'd still suggest the above wheels in 700C. They'll still be strong, just not quite as strong as the 26".

You can save a lot of money by stepping down one level on crankset. An LX crank is $70 to $110 and only slightly heavier. Go a step down on the front derailer too. High level derailers aren't all that great. The lower level ones have some design differences that make them work better with a wider range of gears. A Tiagra front derailer, for example, is far superior to a 105 or Ultegra. An LX or SLX is actually a better derailer for mountain bikes than the XT and XTR.

Cheap cassettes function the same as expensive ones and are only marginally heavier. A Shimano HG50 or Sram PG950 cost around $30.

I am currently working out a LHT build myself. Here is what I have gone with.
LHT with 26" wheels
LX hubs
Salsa Gordo rims
Deore Rear Derailleur
Deore Front Derailleur
Deore Shifter (may upgrade later to Dura-Ace, with Paul thumbies adaptors)
Deore Cranks
Jones Loop H-Bar
XT cassette 11-34
Pro M11 headset
XT brakes
Avid Brake levers
Schwalbe tires, just not sure which model

FWIW, 9 speed bar end shifters are 'dura ace', the 8 speed were 'ultegra'

A 36 4 cross rear ,, 32 3 cross front
though a 36 front 40 rear is sturdy stuff, you can modify one of
Shimano's tandem hubs and fit it in a 135 wide frame. have cassette, and all that.

Howdy!

I've been doing some light touring on my carbon road bike by forcing my buddy to schlep all my gear on their bike. As much fun as it is to blaze ahead and have time to eat a hamburger before she arrives in town, I think it's about time I get my own touring bike...

I've pretty much fallen in love with the Surly LHT, but I don't care for the way the stock bikes look. I'm both shallow and know my way around a wrench, so I figured I'd build a bike. And hey, it should be fun, right?

Problem is, I need help with components. I started tossing stuff into shopping carts, and got to over a grand before I even got to wheels. Now, my gear selection thus far has been from reading things on the internet of all places, so I'm reaching out to you guys to suggest quality substitutes to get this thing down in price! And if the item has an option for black, I want that! The bike should meld with nothingness ;)

Here's where I'm sitting:

Surly Black Frameset - $430 (ouch ouch ouch)
Cane Creek SCR-5 Levers - $31
Cane Creek SCX-5 Cantilever Brakes - $58
Shimano Deore XT rear - $72
Shimano XT front - $39
Shimano Deore XT Cassette - $75
Chain - $30
Shimano Deore XT Crankset s/ BB - $218
Dura-Ace Bar Ends - $91
Brooks B17 - $90

And as far as wheels go, I have no clue... Suggestions on that front (I'm 6'5" and 220 lbs...). And stems, posts, etc.... Oh, and suggestions on racks you like most?

Realize this is lots to ask, so thanks to anyone that throws in their two cents :)Very nice picks of parts to use.For the rear I like Deore XT M770 Mavic XM719 36h.And the have it for the front wheel too.This is what I am getting for my LHT ASAP.They are good wheels I have the Mavic A719 700c on my Nashbar build they are great.I run 700 x 28 on this bicycle.But my LHT I like 26x1.75.My 2 cents.

I bought a used 105 triple crankset (with BB cups in excellent condition) for only $50 on Craigslist once. It's chainrings were worn, but I had some spares in the parts bin. There are some great deals out there if you're willing to look for them. You don't need to spend $75 on an XT cassette. Get a cheaper LX one.

A similar thread gets started about every other day in the FG forum.... The stock smart answer over there is similar version of this: Buy the stock LHT, and swap out the parts that offend you the most. You will be able to sell the parts you don't use and should keep the price a lot lower than building from the ground up. You can still find black 2010 LHTs for $1095. You may want to consider not making your bike entirely black. (I'm assuming all your panniers will also be stealth colored?). Blending to nothingness is cool for playing "hide-and-go-sleep", but not so much when you're still on the road.

My $.02

Sadly, you may be right. Before wheels, I can't get this to under a grand...

LHT Frame 387
Brooks Sadle 80
Seatpost and Collar 50
Deore XT Rear 72
Deore SLX Front 25
Deore HG50 Cassette 35
Chain 25
Deore Crank w/ BB 90
Dura-Ace Bar Ends 92
Stem 30
SCR-5 Levers 40
SCX-5 Breaks 60
Handle Bar + Tape 70
Headset 40

TOTAL: 1,096

Any suggestions for cheap yet sturdy 700c wheels? Or to cheapen this build up?

Or better yet, anyone know of someone who will ship a 2010 in 62CM for 1,100? I'm starting to see this is an impossible prospect....

respectfully, this is nuts. What you are building will look no different than the stock bike except for saddle. What exactly don't you like about the appearance of the stock bike?

If you are hurting from the price of a frameset just think of the hurt with each little part.

Trying to assemble a bike from new parts that are at least as good as the stock parts isn't much different than buying the stock bike then lighting four $100 bills with a match.

Any suggestions for cheap yet sturdy 700c wheels?
.

How about sturdy enough and not expensive? Basic Handspun brand wheels with straight gauge spokes similar to the stock LHT wheels will still set you back $350 once you add in tubes, tires and cassette.

Once you start looking for "cheap" you will make compromises in durability.

I managed to build a LHT for under $800, complete with racks. Maybe I'm the king of finding deals, or maybe I'm just not picky about having top-shelf components, but you can certainly build one for less than a complete bike new if you use inexpensive/used MTB parts. I have Tiagra/Sora derailers, cheap Shimano Alivio cranks, simple MTB v-brakes, cheaper saddle, inexpensive tires, etc. etc. No single part on that bike cost more than $40. Not even the front dyno hub. Most were $20 or less.

If you're going to put $1000 in it, you might as well buy it new and modify it. If you're trying to build it cheaper than new, you're going to have to lower your expectations, or find ridiculous deals on Ebay. I went with downtube shifters and a 7-speed cassette strictly for price, and you know what? It works fine.

Sadly, you may be right. Before wheels, I can't get this to under a grand...

LHT Frame 387
Brooks Sadle 80
Seatpost and Collar 50
Deore XT Rear 72
Deore SLX Front 25
Deore HG50 Cassette 35
Chain 25
Deore Crank w/ BB 90
Dura-Ace Bar Ends 92
Stem 30
SCR-5 Levers 40
SCX-5 Breaks 60
Handle Bar + Tape 70
Headset 40

TOTAL: 1,096

Any suggestions for cheap yet sturdy 700c wheels? Or to cheapen this build up?

Or better yet, anyone know of someone who will ship a 2010 in 62CM for 1,100? I'm starting to see this is an impossible prospect....

Sun CR-18 rims. At your weight I'd go w/36h rear, at least. Any decent sealed hub would suffice. Shimano, Sram, etc. Phil Wood or Peter White hubs would be much better, but way more pricey as well. The ones w/t spoke hole grommets are stronger. DT Alpine 3 spokes.

respectfully, this is nuts. What you are building will look no different than the stock bike except for saddle. What exactly don't you like about the appearance of the stock bike?

If you are hurting from the price of a frameset just think of the hurt with each little part.

Trying to assemble a bike from new parts that are at least as good as the stock parts isn't much different than buying the stock bike then lighting four $100 bills with a match.

I'm starting to see that whole "nuts" thing. I just had a thought that I could build a comparable bike for about the same cost, mostly because I thought it would be fun to build it up as I had never attempted such a thing.

I'm starting to see that whole "nuts" thing. I just had a thought that I could build a comparable bike for about the same cost, mostly because I thought it would be fun to build it up as I had never attempted such a thing.

Same quality, no... you can't source parts cheaper than Surly. If you're willing to make some sacrifices, and have a few parts laying around, then yes, it's doable. But not to the level that the complete bike comes with.

DR, I built up a Cross-Check using wheels from a 700C LHT and other parts I already had but the total cost was still greater than a complete Cross-Check. It adds up. Absolutely nothing wrong with building up a frame but unless you have the means to install headsets, bottom brackets and have a pile of used parts there's no way you're going to build a similar construction for less money.

I'm starting to see that whole "nuts" thing. I just had a thought that I could build a comparable bike for about the same cost, mostly because I thought it would be fun to build it up as I had never attempted such a thing.

there is the difference in buying at retail each piece, Vs the OEM buying
direct from the manufacturers pallets of cases of the parts,
shipped from one part of the Island to another ,
given so much of Manufacturing for the bike industry is on Taiwan,

having them assembled and boxed, then shipped to the US warehouses, then resold at dealers ..

You would be advised to change some parts on the built bike ,
and perhaps doing a tear down and rebuild, to satisfy your desire
+ there is an opportunity to re install parts with sufficient grease
that may have been carefully minimized to make the quantity
the assembly plant buys, stretch as far as possible, over hundreds of bikes built..

You would be advised to change some parts on the built bike ,
and perhaps doing a tear down and rebuild, to satisfy your desire
+ there is an opportunity to re install parts with sufficient grease
that may have been carefully minimized to make the quantity
the assembly plant buys, stretch as far as possible, over hundreds of bikes built..

I've been surprised by how difficult it was to adjust the bearings on shimano XT770 rear hubs.

I've had to remove rubber seals on the hubs, we have on bikes,
to do the wheel axle cone adjustments. to get a feel for the adjustment.
then put them back on..

Anyone know a dealer who will sell and ship one for 1,095?

Ebikestop.com has them for $1095 before shipping... that's the best price I've seen so far. Have you checked Amazon?