Louis Le Tour

By the time I got the bike out of the shop the price tag had more than doubled!! However, I made the decision to make quality upgrades and start out with a bike that'd not have to be refitted after a bunch of cheap stuff broke or wore out in the first thousand miles. I'm look'n for feedback from others who ride the LHT with suggestions for what to do and not do on this bike.


https://vimeo.com/89279831 (updated link 3-18-14)

MinnMan

Welcome to the 50+ forum.

There are plenty of LHT fans on Bike Forums, I'm sure you'll receive lots of good input.

But of course, we all know what you should do on your new bike: ride and enjoy!

gif4445

What upgrades did you make? I have had my stock LHT for two years and 7000 miles. All that has been replaced are chain and tires. I've done a couple fall tours. Loop to the Black Hills and Mickelson (crushed limestone) and Oregon coast to Yellowstone(snow and such). I even did the Copper Triangle with it last August. It was in the minority there. Now I have a CF (Specialized Roubaix) and will probably put less miles on it this year. But for me, it has been a stable, comfortable ride.

Doug64

It is too late. I would have suggested not changing anything until it wore out, which could have been a long time!

I would have used the $$ to buy Tubus racks and a set Of Ortlieb panniers, bar bag and rackpack.

Post this on the Touring Forum and you will get a lot more input

BikeArkansas

My LHT is a 2009 model. I replaced the stock tires after quite a while and that is it. Otherwise, I have simply ridden it stock. Not sure what cheap parts will wear out.

fietsbob

IDK maybe this is a person using it like any other Bike , and using it for all purposes ...

I Have some Tig Welded steel bikes. That is a popular way to make Frames..



+1, Louise Le tour Might share with us what was changed ..

often some parts re not premium, because the market to sell that bike 2X as expensive is reduced.

ChargerDawg

I still don't understand how you ride with bar end shifters.

Go for the cross check or pacer, or another bike with brifters.

gif4445

I stayed with the bar end shifters on my LHT. To each his own, but after I shelled the shifter on my previous ride going up Loveland Pass, the simplicity of the bar end made sense. And even more sense on tours with big stretches of no service. Guess it depends on how you will use it. Honestly, I have the Shimano 105 Brifters on my Roubaix and I don't have a preference. But again, I ride each a little differently.

Latif

I felt the same way when I got my Salsa Vaya. It was a good sale price and I figured I could change to brifters at a big cost but still be way under what it would have cost to get a frame and build it up. It's been almost a year and I'm doing fine with them. I've got Ultegra 9sp which I love on my other bike and may in time try the Retroshift mod using my bar ends for the Salsa but am in no hurry. The Crosscheck and Pacer are different bikes than the LHT, not set up for touring and utility work.

MinnMan

What's the "D" in LHTD?

Zinger

I like the Surly bikes. If I were going to buy a brand new bike I'd certainly consider this carbon forked Pacer:

https://www.salvagetti.com/2011/11/04/surly-pacer-racer/

Also like the lugged Soma Stanyan frame:

https://www.somafab.com/archives/prod...anyan-frameset

A little heavier but a retro looker if you like a hardy chrome lugged frame at a decent price.

Null66

Well, you've customized it to your liking, so all that's left is to ride the wheels off...

leob1

Disk, as in disk brakes.

BluesDawg

Do like my two good friends who will leave St. Augustine, Florida for San Diego, California Saturday morning on their Disc Truckers. I helped them set the bikes up with Ortlieb panniers and SKS fenders. Great bikes for loaded touring.

Recycle

I have 11,000 mi on my 26" LHT. I love the bike and find it extremely comfortable and stable, regardless of the load. I have made a number of changes to the original equipment.

1) Replaced the drop bars with trekking bars. That required new brake levers and a new stem.
2) Installed a stem riser with the trekking bars, but am considering removing it this year. It wasn't really needed.
3) The bar end shifters were moved to the handle bars on Paul's Thumbies.
4) Put padded bar tape and hand grips on the trekking bars
5) Lowered the granny gear from 26 to 24 giving me a 24/36/48 and 11-32 cassette
6) Replaced the stock brake pads with Salmon Kool Stop pads
7) Replaced the stock 26x1.5 WTB Slickasarus tires with 26x1.76 Conti Travel Contacts (Road slicks with side knobs)
8) Installed a Topeak MTX Explorer Rear Rack and use aTopeak MTX Trunk Bag and a Axiom bar bag for local rides
9) Use an AC Low Rider front rack for trips. Forgot where I bought it. It was before Arkel took over marketing them.
10) Use Arkel GT 54 and GT 18 panniers

A rail snapped on the original WTB saddle at about 7,000 mi. It was replaced with a Specialized MTB saddle.
The original chain was replaced at about 7,200 mi with another SRAM PC-971. Wear was marginal. It probably would have lasted another 1,000 mi.
The Conti Travel Contacts have 10,000 miles on them and look good for at least another 500 mi.

BigAura

I think she's referring to a Long Haul Trucker Deluxe, the one with S&S couplers. That would be my guess.

BigAura

What to do: Load it up and go on a tour. LHTs can take pretty much anything you throw at them. BUT, don't expect it to be light and snappy like a sport bike.

Null66

You wouldn't happen to be in the Triangle?

I saw a new sweet LHTD to weeks ago on the American Tobacco Trail. If so I was the one on the Disc Trucker who asked if you needed anything, that was before I noticed the LHTD...

I guess I shouldn't presume... But never had a tourer say they needed anything.

Walter S

Welcome to the club! I love my LHTD. It is my main ride for work, shop, play, vacations. It feels solid and stable however much I load it.

https://www.walterstovall.com/my-bicycle/

Enjoy!

irwin7638

To each his own, I haven't found a use for indexed shifting at all, just more crap to break.

Marc

Zinger

Alright

There's a man singing my Luddite song.

NOS88

Welcome, and you need to know that picutres are needed!

Blues Frog

NOS is being polite. Rule number D2.2 " Photographs are always required for proof." Betcha didn't read that one? Eh?

rkokish

I bought my Surly in 2005 - the ugly (but distinctive) green one. Only the frame & fork came from Surly. Based on a custom fit, a local shop built it up with parts I picked one at a time. Gruppo is Shimano 105 with Mt. bike gearing, wheels are heavy duty hand built, brooks seat, etc. Cost me about $2200. LHT's came stock for under a grand at the time. I have 4 other bikes, 2 of which are suitable for touring (including a Cross Check built from scratch with Euro bars and twist shifters. The LHT was the most comfortable, stable and dependable touring bike I've ever owned until I got my Bike Friday Pocket Llama hand built for touring in 2011. Now the Llama and LHT are tied for first place. (Bless those Brooks seats. [except for the first 500 miles])

The LHT has about 15,000 miles on it. Nothing has ever broken in a way that inconvenienced me on a ride or a tour. Things wear out of course. I had the wheels rebuilt about 2 years ago. Cranks, pedals, brifters (minus brake pads, of course), even derailleurs are still original equipment and work just fine. If your shop fitted you correctly you will not be sorry you spent the extra $. If you feel the slightest discomfort, go back and have them change things around until the discomfort is gone. (I needed 10 cm off the stem to make things right.)

If you want it to last and run like new for a long time, be sure to clean and lube regularly.

Enjoy!

BigAura

The OP hasn't returned since posting. I'm assuming she's out riding and enjoying her bike.