Congratulations on the 520. I rode the one at the LBS and I thought it was a good bike. It's a good value in the U.S. market, too.

One advantage the Trek has compared to, say, the San Remo is that it's better suited for heavy touring right out of the shop. The front forks are solid, with heavy-duty threaded ports at both the end and mid points. It's got 36 spoke wheels, too.

The BLT's a good bike, and might be the thing to buy if you're attracted to 26" wheels. On the other hand, with all the hybrid bikes around today you can get 700C tires suitable for off-road touring without a lot of trouble. And, again, the Trek's cheaper. The BG racks are awesome, but others, like Jand's, are fine, too. You can outfit yourself with a suitable set for for the 520 for like $1C.

So, I guess the clincher for me would be the gearing. If the LBS would put a mountain crank on the 520 for free or for a nominal swapping fee I'd buy the 520.