Hey all,

I was riding a Kona Jake the Snake for a few months until it was stolen not long ago... The Kona was an old bike I'd found on Craigslist and hadn't been properly maintained by its previous owner, so in some ways I'm happy to be on the market for a new bike. But enough backstory...

I've narrowed my choices down to the Surly Cross-check and the Lemond Poprad. Reading through this forum I can't help but see people raving for the Surly. It seems to be incredibly popular and flexible. There doesn't seem to be nearly as much posted about the Lemond, though, so I thought I'd ask...

I tend to ride around the city quite a bit, commute to work (<1mi, so not really an issue), and get out on longer road/trail rides 2-3 times a week. I'm also looking at taking some short overnight trips. I doubt I'll be racing.

My girlfriend says the Surly is a Volvo and the Poprad is a Lexus. Not sure what I think of that.

What I like about the Lemond:
- Disc brakes (good for San Francisco hills)
- STI shifters
- Steel frame
- Bike feels fast/light

What I like about the Surly:
- Built to last (steel frame, again)
- Good touring cred
- Lots of good reviews :-)

Also, the components at the LBS are better for the Poprad than the Surly, and I've heard that disc brakes are the future.

It's a hard decision to make on a tight budget, and I'd appreciate any advice!

Thanks.