Originally Posted by
BigBlueToe
Hey Dropbarfan, you know what you want and that's good. If it doesn't match the mainstream, so be it. I have preferences which are definitely not mainstream, but they're based on my personal druthers and years of touring experience. My druthers have changed over the years and yours may too, but they are what they are now.
However, I'd echo what others seem to be saying. The touring section of the biking market is small enough anyway. Companies hoping to turn a profit building tourers have to be pretty mainstream so that enough people will buy them to warrant production. I think the reason the Surly LHT has become such a good seller is partly due to the bike, and partly due to Surly's business model. They have a solid, "mainstream" tourer with the features tourers most commonly want. They sell them probably more via the internet and dealers' orders, rather than by having a bunch on showroom floors. I've never seen one in any of the bike shops I've been in.
Perhaps you should do what I've done. Buy a frame and build it up to your own specifications. You seem to like discs, so find a frame with disc mounts. Make sure it will handle a Rohloff hub, etc.
My LHT has cantilever brakes. I've gone down some pretty steep hills with a big load and I've always been able to stop. I keep my speed down, especially when it's wet, and make sure my rims aren't overheating. I'd prefer V-brakes but haven't gotten around to making the switch. My 29er will have mechanical discs, so I'll soon find out what those are like. Eventually I'll have to try hydraulics so I know what they're like too.
Good luck.
I borrowed a friend's low-end Trek mountain/city bike with V-brakes. I was impressed with the solid feel & seeming power but that was under easy conditions. Some folks complain about v-brake pads being thin & wearing quickly. However Thorn likes 'em & those guys, at least, seem to have put some thought into the issue. For road (non-touring bikes) my favorite brakes were Mafac Competition & Campy Records (olden 70's days of course). Mafacs were a bit spongy but the pads had a goodly amount of surface area. The Campy Record side-pulls were superb with excellent feel & power. I once tried a pair of Universal Campy-lookalike sidepulls but they sucked, required an inordinate amount of lever force. Ironically the Universal box had a picture of a racer heading into a crash due to his lack of Universal brakes.
DC area has a fair contingent of touring fans & here one can actually see LHTs in a few shops. But you're right in that a manufacturer can rely on knowledgeable folks buying thru the net. A few months ago I stopped by one of the better local shops & quizzed the salesguy as to why some commuter bikes had discs but the tourers didn't: really mean of me since I knew he wouldn't have a good answer!