I've owned a Crosscheck and a Karate Monkey. Mounted my Old Man Mountain racks on both of them for commuting and touring. The 52 cm Crosscheck was a little small in the front (very short head tube) to carry weight up front. It shimmied badly at speed when carrying front panniers. So, not a great choice for any but light touring, but it made a very nice commuter.

I actually like the Karate Monkey (very similar to the Surly Ogre) better as a commuter. I will never buy another bike without disc brakes. Stopping power is one of the biggest difference between the Crosscheck and the Monkey. I also find disc brakes easier than rim brakes to set up and adjust. It's the most comfortable bike I've ever owned and I notice the weight of baggage less on this bike than any other I've ridden. I run mine as a single-speed with comfy 40 mm tires and fenders. It's slow, but works well for me on my 25 mile round trip commute here in hilly Vermont. You could probably find any of these 3 Surlys on Craigslist for well under retail.

Good luck.