in my situation, i will have an extra 500 dollars to spend on upgrading components. from what i have read, the rear rim is a weak point. i would also like to put on some snazzy touring tires. the trek also comes with shimano 520 clipless pedals, which is another 50 bucks.
truth is, i have ridden both, and i liked the surly better. plus, surly seems to have quite the vibe around it right now. not only for the "coolness" factor, but because it is a kickass bike. also, when a company is as popular as trek, it seems they don't put the heart into their regular old production line bikes, unless you want to spend 3000 dollars or have it custom made. i don't know **** about bikes, but i have a gut feeling that it might be the case.
also, i might like wider rims. the stock 700x32 seems like a pencil. i like the idea of at least a 35 and touring tires. i want room for fenders too. can anyone give me their take on thin vs. wider tires for long distance touring?