Originally Posted by
noglider
It shouldn't be a big decision. I don't think vintage or modern would make or break your enjoyment of a tour. The new stuff has a few advantages which you wouldn't want to give up, and you now have them in the Surly. I just fixed up my Super Course, and it feels so solid that I realized it would be good for a tour. But it's what I have. If I had a LHT, I would take that.
agree noglider. in the end it is mostly the condition of your equipment and how it is treated. i use old and new, but knowing the complexity of brifters internally doesn't give overwhelming confidence. in the end, it is to go in with the 'army you have'. when i buy a used bike, generally it stays with whatever the manufacturer happened to throw on the bike. currently my preference is for DT over brifters for reliability, but i doubt any newer used bikes or riders would have them or know what they were.
my wish for bike manufacturers would be to get away from electronics and complexity and back to simple bicycles for Every Man. bicycling for me is not about mechanics even though i can overhaul most of my bikes...it really is about bicycling. LOL.