Originally Posted by
cyccommute
I don't think that the LHT is overkill for commuting but it's not the proper tool for what Eugene_B wants to do in his commuting. While he could ride a rigid bike over that terrain...I did much worse for 10+ years during the bad old days of mountain biking...he would find a hardtail mountain bike with a front suspension would handle the job much easier with less headache. If he wants to travel with it, it would do that job too. In fact he might find places to go where the charms of the mountain bike would shine and take him on adventures that an LHT would not.
The OP originally lists four purposes for needing a bike. They were 1) Commuting..2) Grocery shopping..3) Trekking and exploring the local rural area...and 4) Long distance touring using Amtrak/Greyhound services.
True. With the HT MTB, the first three are covered in style. You just need your rack, panniers, and fenders. Then you're all set. However, when you get to #4, you can't efficiently do long distance touring with a MTB. Therefore, the LHT is a reasonable compromise reconciling the four purposes. That said, I happen to agree with your previous statement, that the OP really needs two bikes.
Namaste
- Slim
