I will be buying my first bike since I was in 4th grade (I'm in college now), and I am torn between the Surly Long Haul Trucker and the 2011 Salsa Casseroll. I am only interested in these two, no others (I was in the Vaya, but concluded it was overkill for me at the moment). This will mainly be used to commute to school and joy ride on the weekends. We've got a few hills where I live but it will mostly be paved floors.
I am interested in the complete versions of these bikes because I know nearly nothing about how to build up a bike and in trying to differentiate between components, I just end up having more questions than answers.
between the two complete bikes, which one provides the better value in terms of included components? they are pretty much the same price.
Some will say that the Surly is good for loads and touring, etc. And even thought I won't really be touring (yet, maybe in years to come) or carrying heavy loads, aside from a few things, I am a pretty big guy: 218lbs and only 5' 8" with a weight-lifters frame, so I wanted something sturdy that would hold my weight. I'm definitely not looking for speed, so i figured these two would be good.

any advice would be appreciated!

They're 2 brands imported by the same Importer-distribuitor, QBP.
so the bottom line is just different product manager's choices in the build contract.

Get the Trucker if you like to follow the trend.

Get the Casseroll if you like to buck the trend.

Have you ridden either one or are you just basing your decision upon the spec sheet and consensus from strangers on the interwebz? Ride them both- go with the one that puts either the biggest grin or smallest frown on your face.

I think the LHT is overkill for most people's needs. If you like it, however, then it is the bike for you.

I'd vote for the Casseroll. I think it would be a more fun ride. Mind you, I'm going off of specs and things people have written. The only thing about the Cass that sort of bugs me is the shortish chainstays. You may have to be careful about which rack/pannier combo you get, if you go that route, to prevent heel strike. Still, it can be done, and is done daily by many.

These are different bikes. The closest comparison will be the Surly Cross Check or the Casseroll.

The LHT will ride more plush (think Cadillac), The Casseroll/Cross Check will be more sporty (think German sedan). If you're going to do any serious touring or loading up, the LHT is the obvious choice. If you're going to just carry loads every now and then, then the Casseroll/Cross Check is a better choice, since it's more fun to ride unloaded. If you're going to do any single track or offroading, the Cross Check is a better option (more tire clearance). The best of all of these, plus disc brakes and flashy paint would be the Salsa Vaya, but it extends the budget a bit.

If you are capable of building your own (or have a friendly LBS), I'd give a good look at the Soma Double Cross Disc as well.

^^Didn't read the OP, huh?

They are very equivalent bikes. The Salsa does come with the shifting brake levers which cost several hundred dollars while the Surly uses bar end shifters which are cheap. Based on that you could say the Salsa is a better value. Really either one is a great bike and you should buy the one you like riding.

Nope, I usually reply first and hope for the best Looks like I was way off!

Thanks for the response guys. I actually can't test ride either of these, none are in stock anywhere near me in my size, and the only one i DID manage to find was a trucker that was several sizes too big. I am indifferent between the barends and the integrated shifters because, as I mentioned, this will be the first time in several years I have ridden a bike, so I shall test one out then buy a budget version of the other and see which feels best. But as it is, these two do seem very close.

With the Cass being mostly Tiagra with some Sugino, and the trucker having XT and an Andel crankset, what is the difference between these, if any?

Don't buy a bike you haven't ridden. That's generally good advice, but it's particularly true of a new rider. You may well discover you want something else entirely. You don't want t oend up with a bike you don't like, because you won't ride it.

While the two bikes are similar in many ways, they are two different animals. No1mad and dscheidt are right; you need to test ride these bikes. FWIW I think you're selling yourself short by putting all of your focus on these two bikes. Although both are fine machines, and highly touted on these forums, time spent visiting the local bike shops in your area and test riding all kinds of bikes is the best way to find the right ride for you.

And then, I've never, not once, ridden a bike before purchasing it. If I limited myself in that way I'd never be able to purchase anything. I rarely see a bike in my size in a shop. Then again, I almost never buy new either.

A test ride on a bike is a nice idea, but in practice it may tell you very little. Most of what makes a bike right or not-right for any individual is proper size frame (sometimes a range), properly fit to its rider. Rarely will you have the opportunity to fully set up a bike for a test ride so that it properly fits you, there are just too many variables. In practice I select the bike that has the geometry and specs that I'm looking for, and I buy that bike. Then I set about getting the bike properly fit for me. I may need to swap out a seatpost or a stem, but if the frame is close to being the right size, I can get it to work really well. IMO, you are thinking correctly in concentrating on the components and comparative value if in fact you have determined that these two bikes are what you need.

^I have, good to have some support! Now hopefully someone can chime in on those difference so I can finally understand them!

In this case, it's hard to define "better value" because these bikes are different enough that any comparison would be like apples and oranges.

They're both great bikes. For what you get for the money spent, they're both great values. But, one is a full on touring bike and the other is more like a comfort road bike or sport tourer. Many of the drivetrain components on the LHT are mountain, which on the Casseroll they're road...again, there's not a 1-to-1 comparison to be made.

I've extensively test-ridden, and came within a gnat's fart of buying, both of these bikes. The LHT is a comfy ride that feels like you're driving around a plush tank. The Casseroll is a lighter and more "fun"/sporty ride. Both can be used for commuting pretty easily. The LHT will take heavy loads easier. The Casseroll lends itself a little more easily to fast riding.

Based on what you said originally, I'd go with the Casseroll. But that's just me. If you're going to make a purchase without test riding either, then make a careful decision about what qualities are most important to you and then pick the bike that most aligns with that. But as far as "value" goes, you can't really go wrong with either of these.