Gearing depends on the build. Since Surlys are frequently sold as framesets, you will find all sorts of different setups.

My CrossCheck came from a racer, so it came with a full-size road crank (52/42/30). This is a bit to tall from commuting and way to tall for loaded touring. On the other hand, most "stock" CrossChecks come with 48/39 chain rings, which is more like what you want for commuting/touring service.

Don't over generalize: look at each bike and see what sort of gear ratios it has available.