Originally Posted by
CliftonGK1
The problem with the Travel Contact isn't the width; it's that the Travel Contact is a multi-surface tire so they gave it a smooth center and huge cornering lugs. Unless you're cornering on loamy grass or loose dirt/gravel, those lugs are nothing more than a means of reducing your contact patch and making cornering a sketchy issue.
Normally I'm not one to promote Vittoria tires of any type, especially over a Continental tire; but in this case it's warranted. Surly should have put a City Contact or even a Town Ride on there instead of the Travel Contact. Heck, if they're going to promote the LHT as a touring bike, just use the Conti Touring Plus (Conti's version of the Marathon Plus).
The LHT Complete (700 wheel size) comes with the Continental Contact, not the Continental Travel Contact. No big lugs to worry about. That said, I replaced the tires on my LHT with wider (700x40c) Schwalbe Marathons.
I'm not familiar with the 26" tires Surly puts on the LHT.