hi there, im shopping around for a commuting/touring frame. i want this to be a basic all arounder, albatross bars higher than the seat comfy bike that i can commute on and take on long (40 mile+) rides.

frames im looking at and my thoughts-

riv hillborne (expensive)
soma saga (like it)
custom by geekhouse (expensive but may consider if soma or surly do not work out)
surly long haul trucker (good value)

wondering what others think. and in particular if anyone rides a soma or LHT daily. thanks.

I've been commuting on a Soma Saga for about three months and I'm loving it. I'm on a 54 (26" wheels) with a 3 x 10 drivetrain and drop bars. I was on a Volpe for the last 3 years and the improvements I'm seeing for commuting include:

1. More upright riding position.

2. Lower bottom bracket makes it easier to stay on the seat and balance on a tiptoe at red lights.

3. I'm loving the vertical dropouts. Much easier to get the rear wheel in and out and I can use hex skewers instead of QR skewers for a bit of security.

4 The Saga is my first bike equipped with cantilever brakes which have never made any noise. What a pleasure not having to p1ss about with toe-in, brake boosters, etc.

I've been commuting and touring on my Surly Long Haul Trucker for 2.5 years now and I love it. It's my only bike, so I've used it for my 36-miles-per-day commute, several centuries, STP in one day (204 miles), the Cannonball (275 miles in one day), and a couple of 10-day, 700-mile solo tours. I've got over 16,000 miles on it now and it's still going strong.