Touring - Light touring bike/daily rider with disc brakes

Alright, I'm in the market for another bike this upcoming spring. I've decided as much as I love my beater blue bike, it's too small for me to ride it long distance, not enough clearance for winter tires and it's not worth throwing money at. I'm really liking the Surly Cross Check or BG BLT fame, but I really would rather have disc brakes than V brakes (they don't like me too much).

I have a Surly Troll, big heavy touring bike that I love but isn't always the nicest thing to carry up flights of stairs daily.

Requirements:
- Needs to be able to haul small amounts of groceries/gear (less than 10 kg), rack mountable
- Fairly lightweight
- Disc brakes
- 2.00" min clearance for installing winter tires with fenders
- Steel or Aluminum frame
- $1500 budget max....

I'm not picky to tire size, brand, handlebar style etc.

Thanks!

2" Tires + fenders. Are you hoping to achieve this in a 700c drop bar touring cyclocross style frame? If you're talking about a flat bar/mountain bike type frame, then disregard my post...

My advice, whether you're looking for a mountain bike or drop bar bike, don't wait until spring...buy last years closeouts or used bikes during the winter off season, much more bang for your buck! I buy most of my bikes/parts used and do my work myself so $1500 could get me A LOT of bike.

SOMA Double Cross Disc.

Requirements:
- Needs to be able to haul small amounts of groceries/gear (less than 10 kg), rack mountable Check
- Fairly lightweight Check
- Disc brakes Check
- 2.00" min clearance for installing winter tires with fenders Ehh probably can't quite do 2" + fenders, but not sure many road/cross/touring frames can
- Steel or Aluminum frame Check - Tange Prestige tubing is much nicer than Surly 4130
- $1500 budget max.... Should be possible, especially if you buy used or last year's model

Here is mine :)

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww335/telepciaka/Soma%20Double%20Cross/100_1160.jpg

Are you interested in a ready to ride bike or build it yourself. You can certainly get the frame you desire any number of places. I bought a Kinesis Decade Tripster on sale from ProBikeKit in the late summer and built it up with a mix of mountain bike and road components. Disc brakes figured into the plan as did 26" wheels and 1-3/4" tires. I have a pic and breakdown of the cost here (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/851906-Replacing-my-All-Round-Bike-A-Build-Thread?p=14888540&highlight=#post14888540).

Surly Double Cross Disc.

Soma makes the Double Cross DC (http://www.somafab.com/archives/product/double-cross-dc), not Surly. If a bike that uses 700c wheels is a consideration, I'd also look at the Jamis Aurora Elite, Salsa Vaya 3, or maybe the Salsa Fargo 3. There's also the Surly Disc Trucker. And a wealth of hybrid, mountain, and cyclocross bikes that could work.

Soma makes the Double Cross DC (http://www.somafab.com/archives/product/double-cross-dc), not Surly. If a bike that uses 700c wheels is a consideration, I'd also look at the Jamis Aurora Elite, Salsa Vaya 3, or maybe the Salsa Fargo 3. There's also the Surly Disc Trucker. And a wealth of hybrid, mountain, and cyclocross bikes that could work.

Whoops, I meant Soma. I should know, I ride one EVERY day...and posted a picture of one :)

SOMA... Interesting. Will check it out.

Yes, I'd like to be building the bike before spring hits. Would likely just build the bike up from the frame up anyhow; I'm a rather picky person when it comes to certain things :)

Bruce will build a bike to meet your needs.
the BLT is contracted out, to get a frame competitively priced like the other brands,
that also get them made in Asia.

but Bruce also Makes his Own Stuff , and will meet customers needs
in his Rock and Road line. and full custom, Lugged if you wish..

May be Frame and fork for $1,5K IDK,
racks are the product of his I've had for a Long time.
None Better.

I like my Salsa Vaya. It meets your requirements.

In regard to your budget, $1,500 for the entire bike or just the frameset?

Rodriguez UTB (http://www.rodbikes.com/catalog/utb/utb-main.html) (frameset under $1,500 w/ disc brake mounts):

CHECK - Needs to be able to haul small amounts of groceries/gear (less than 10 kg), rack mountable
CHECK - Fairly lightweight - Superlight frame even w/ the extra S&S couplers - But the overall weight will depend greatly on how you build it. When I'm not touring, I use mine for long-distance rides with small front rack/bag and saddlebag and it's AWESOME.
CHECK - Disc brakes - Beware of frames with disc forks that are too light and skinny regardless of material. Disc brakes transmit very high forces and generally need a beefier fork. Don't settle for just any disc brakes - Avid BB7 is the way to go.
CHECK - 2.00" min clearance for installing winter tires with fenders - Mine was built to fit 26"x2.1" tires w/ fenders (shown below w/ 1.75" tires and fenders.) Winter tires, no problem. People have taken theirs to Russia as shown here (http://www.rodbikes.com/letters/brian_and_olga/brian_and_olga.html).
CHECK - Steel or Aluminum frame - Reynolds 725 steel frame w/ premium True Temper OX Platinum seatstays and tandem quality fork.

The guys at R&E Cycles will work with you to make minor adjustments/changes to the frame geometry that you might need. For example, I wanted mine with 460mm chainstays instead of the standard (more sporty) 442mm.

Here is mine:

http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/1398/sam0884w.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/692/sam0884w.jpg/)

http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/2189/sam1186a.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/840/sam1186a.jpg/)

$1500 for the full bike, minus racks/bags/lighting.

$1500 for the full bike, minus racks/bags/lighting.

Surly Trucker - Needs to be built from the frame up around 26" wheels. There are more winter tires available in 26", *I think*.
Raleigh Sojourn - Not satisfied w/ a few components and features, but it definitely comes w/ a lot of bells and whistles for less than $1500.

Surly Trucker - Needs to be built from the frame up around 26" wheels.

I believe the Disc Trucker is available as a complete bike in both 26" and 700c.

I built up a Nashbar mountain bike frame and fork with disks.I use it for everyday riding and it's my main touring bike also.....couldn't be happier.Frame and fork were $150,complete bike about $700.

I like my Salsa Vaya. It meets your requirements.

I will second this and add that my Salsa Vaya is a blast to ride.

Red Line is also in the game.. Conquest classic. Disc, tig steel.

go test ride bikes,..

It's probably worth checking out Bikes Direct (http://bikesdirect.com), too...

If you can fix your own bike already.

you are left on your own once the box arrives.

Another vote for Salsa's Vaya. Many thousands of happy miles on mine. Here's a link to my one-year review:

http://www.gravelbike.com/?p=952

Pick the frame you like...if it can't handle a rear disc, no worries, you can just get a disc fork and equip it with a front disc brake, which is really all you need. I retrofitted my Fuji World for a front disc.

http://www.chipcom.net/bikes/fuji.jpg

More of a commuter bike but does include disc brakes : Redline Metro Classic with steel frame
http://www.redlinebicycles.com/bikes/ccommute
More know for their cyclocross and BMX lines

Forgot about my own thread again!

Basically thinking about picking up a Surly KM, Ogre or Nashbar/bikes direct frame and work from there. I like the suggestion about picking a frame/complete bike and adding a front disc fork to it. Might do that.