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Joining the LHT Crew....

Old 04-11-06, 03:37 PM
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Joining the LHT Crew....

Well, I've put the money down and the frame should be in my LBS on Friday. A LHT in Black Cherry color. I'm going to put the Cannondale T-800 out to pasture. I've stripped the 'dale down, and all the parts are going over to the LHT. Component list will be LX Rear DR, LX HollowTech II Crank, Tiagria Front DR, Tiagra Brifters, CODA V-Brakes, Rims are Mavic 719s (I think... it's their older touring rim) laced 36 3x to Coda Hubs. Handlebar will be the CODA off the 'dale. Only expenses I'm looking at beside the frame will be a headset, some cables, bar tape, usual stuff. I'll post pics if you want of the build.

Just never felt right on that 'dale. The frame was too big, and I ended up with a tiny short stumpy stem on it that made it twitchy. The LHT is 56 cm, and since the most comfortable, best extended riding bike I have is my Bianchi at 55 CM, it should be perfect. I compared the TT lengths and this should work out just fine. Very much going for the "French Fit", or the 'Rivendell' style fit. I'm stoked. If all goes well, (and we know just what the chances of that are ) I should be riding it saturday.

Nobody at the LBS was familiar with that frame, although one of the wrenches / sales guys is an experenced tourer. When they started looking at it in the QBP Catalog everyone was impressed with it. I may even end up with a couple of pounds less weight, that c-dale frame was 10#, headshoks are heavy, not that it is really a factor in it.

Just thought I'd share....

Steve W.
Who is waiting for his last student to leave so he can go home and jump on a bike for a ride.... beautiful day today.
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Old 04-11-06, 06:12 PM
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Welcome to the LHT club, Mentor58. I went from a Giant OCR tour that didnt fit quite right either. My LHT is a 60cm and is like night and day compared to the giant. I'm sure you will be quite happy with your selection! Just make sure you use a framesaver before assembly (easier to apply).
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Old 04-11-06, 06:57 PM
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welcome to the family, Mentor58. Speaking of the spoke holders, a few weeks after I got my LHT rollin', one of the wenches at my LBS said he'd cut me 2 spokes and had been waiting for me to come back in after the first time bringing it in. Mine was the first LHT the guys at my LBS got to see. they love it, as do I
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Old 04-13-06, 10:48 PM
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Well, it came in today and I picked it up. I Like the color, not as dark a shade as I had thought, but I like it. It's funny, Sam the LBS owner said that when he first saw it he said "Steve isn't going to like that color" and Charlie his sales / wrench guy said "Nah, that color will work for him. Wait till he sees it" They were impressed with the frame, especially the little touches like spoke holders and a pump peg. Here are my initial observations.

I like the extended head tube. My goal was to emulate the "Rivendell Approach" as much as possible so I went with the largest size that I could still fit on. Using the fit calculator over at at competitivecyclist.com (Think that was where it was) was invaluable. By using the spec for the 'French Fit' I'm knew what I was getting into, but it gave me the confidence to pull the trigger on on that size.I'm 5'8 and put myself on the 56 frame. I've got a about 1 inch of stand over (and that is lifting and pulling the bike up.). Only looking at about 2 inches of seat tube sticking out. 3/4 inch of spacers puts the center of the bar level with the seat, and the reach with a 90mm stem seems about perfect. Going to the hoods gives me a nice little bend in the arms and the bar is right in line with the hub (I know, the roadie's will beat me up for using that old rule of thumb for positioning, but I know that it works well for me). First impression was that I am right at the upper limit of a frame that will fit me for touring, but I find a lot of things that make sense over at the Rivendell site regarding fitting and size, so I'm pretty confident that it will be good.

Going to have to flip back over to the LBS tomorow for a couple of odds and ends. Need a couple of the bits to convert the downtube shifter bosses on the frame to act as anchors for the cables, and a shim for the FD to fit it to the seat tube. I've got a box of them sitting on my desk at work (don't ask ) but really don't want to make a 90 mile round trip just for that. Hopefully there will be some in the old parts drawer at the shop. If not... well I guess I won't be riding it this weekend.

Pics and ride report to follow when it gets done.

Steve W.
Who is just as happy as a clam at high tide.
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Old 04-14-06, 08:21 AM
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Originally Posted by Mentor58
By using the spec for the 'French Fit' I'm knew what I was getting into, but it gave me the confidence to pull the trigger on on that size.I'm 5'8 and put myself on the 56 frame. I've got a about 1 inch of stand over (and that is lifting and pulling the bike up
That's a pretty big frame for your size. I'm 5'8 and I estimate, a 50 or 52 size frame would be in order because the top tube would be out of reach at 56 cm leaving me streched out. How did you manage to fit your hands comfortably on the hoods with such a long frame? Are you using a small stem?
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Old 04-14-06, 06:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Dahon.Steve
That's a pretty big frame for your size. I'm 5'8 and I estimate, a 50 or 52 size frame would be in order because the top tube would be out of reach at 56 cm leaving me streched out. How did you manage to fit your hands comfortably on the hoods with such a long frame? Are you using a small stem?
I'm actually quite comfortable on it, I've got a 90 mm stem, bars level with seat, Hands on the hoods I have a nice bend in the elbow and I can take my hands off and not feel like I'm pitching forward. I still haven't had a chance to dial in the angle on the bar and the brake location, but it's about 90% right now.
Something to remember, with that extended head tube and the the fact that I've got the bars level with the seat, that effectively shortens the effective length of the top tube somewhat. I don't think that I could ride it if I flipped the stem flat, pulled out the 1 inch or so of spacers and ran it like a fast racing bike. That would get me too stretched out. A much more detailed explanation of the theory behind it can be found at competitivecyclist.com and Rivendell Bikes. I've always liked a more 'traditional' position, better suited for me, my riding style, and my comfort level. Evem my fast bike (Motobecane) is not as extreme of a position as many I see. The fit on that is much like how the pros were fitted back in the day of Greg Lemond. The classic "Fist full of seatpost" showing. Not that they are wrong and I'm alway right, but for me I know what I like, and more important, what works for me.

As for the build, except for not having anykind of a shim for the FD to make it fit... everything went just fine. I tried to put a strip of rubber inside, but the whole assembly just flexes too much with that and I'm not going to spend hours tuning a temporary fix. I guess a run to work tomorrow may be required...

Steve W.
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Old 04-14-06, 08:54 PM
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Old 04-15-06, 08:58 AM
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Originally Posted by Dahon.Steve
That's a pretty big frame for your size. I'm 5'8 and I estimate, a 50 or 52 size frame would be in order because the top tube would be out of reach at 56 cm leaving me streched out. How did you manage to fit your hands comfortably on the hoods with such a long frame? Are you using a small stem?
Ummm... I'm 5'4" and I ride a 56 LHT frame. Fits perfectly...
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Old 04-15-06, 01:39 PM
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I guess every body is different.
I'm 5'7" with average proportions and ride a 52 LHT with just a fist full of seat post exposed. I could have gone with a 54 but the top tube would have been a bit on the longish side for me, requiring me to use a very short 60 or 70 mm stem at saddle height....but that would have worked as well, either way....

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Old 04-15-06, 10:13 PM
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Originally Posted by Mentor58
Well, I've put the money down and the frame should be in my LBS on Friday. A LHT in Black Cherry color.
Welcome to the LHT club! I'm sure you're going to like it very much. Consider joining us a the Surly LHT Owners Group, the URL is in my tag line below. Got questions about your LHT build? We could help you out with your build there. Again, congrats on the new LHT!
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