I want a general purpose, do it all kind of bike. Mostly fitness riding, club rides, charity centurys, commuting, and some touring.

I also want to get S&S couplers installed for easier airplane travel.

It seems to me that these 2 bike are very similar in the capabilities. Which would you reccomend? And Why?

anyone? I have done a search and read some great post but still wanting all the info I can get

Unless you plan to do full-on, self-supported loaded touring go for the Cross Check. It'll handle just about anything you throw at it and will give you a snappier ride since it has a shorter wheelbase.

If touring is your true desire the LHT has some advantages; a lower bottom bracket for a lower center of gravity, longer chainstays for more heel clearance, spoke holders.

These bikes have been discussed here extensively, hence the lack of interest in your thread. Both would be a fun build. Are you planning to start your project soon?

if youll be doing alot of club riding and generally non loaded miles the cc is the way to go imho. Id really like to have a LHT but I'd be unlikely to trade my cc for one.

I ride a single speed surly crosscheck, prob my favorite bike to date and I have had owned and ridden extensively on probably 10 bikes. Everything from Giant MTBs to Cannondale cyclocross and touring bikes to a Litespeed pure road machine. But the crosscheck is just versatile and fun to ride.

I own and ride a Surly Cross Check and a Trek 520. The Trek 520 is a great touring bike when fully loaded.

My Surly is setup as a fixed-gear and it's a wonderful bike to ride. I haven't toured on it yet unfortunately.

When riding the Trek 520 unloaded after riding the Surly the Trek feels like the tires are flat, steering is sluggish and is in general not so much fun to ride. Having said that the Trek 520 also seems to feel different when loaded up almost like it needs to be loaded to feel complete.

I don't know how well the Surly will handle weight. It is a fun bike to ride, works well on and offroad and has a charm that calls out to you and seduces you into riding it all the time.

I haven't ridden a Steamroller yet. I imagine that it shares some characteristics with the Trek 520 since they are both designed for similar purposes.

For everything but loaded touring I can easily recommend the Surly Cross Check. I haven't tried loaded touring with it yet so I can't comment on that aspect beyond what I've already said. I am concerned that the frame might be twitchier under load and if you are touring long distances on a daily basis this might take more of your energy then you would like.

~Jamie N
www.bicycletouring101.com

Thanks just the kinds of information I need.

On the Surly website it says they expect to have more LHT frames available in AUGUST. Sheesh, I don't want to wait until August to build one. I guess I'll look for an older touring bike and upgrade it instead.

Mike, you should wait. The LHT ride is that sweet.

I believe where you say steamroller, you mean long haul trucker. The steamroller is the track/fixie frame, the trucker is the touring frame.

I had a nice Atlantis. I doubt it's any sweeter than that.

I'm not willing to wait. I am looking at alternatives now, thanks.

How much of a difference does 1.4" in chain stay actualy make?

I am looking at the geometry of the 58cm frames for the LHT and the CC and that would seem to be one of the key differences.

You are absolutely right! I got thinking about that last night when I was out riding my Trek and thinking about that post.

I came here to update it to find that you had rightfully corrected me.

When I said SteamRoller in my post I meant Long Haul Trucker.

Thanks!

~Jamie N

What's wrong with this thread???
I see posts disappearing!

Last night, there was a post here in reply to Bolo Grubb's post about 1.4" chain stay difference, and now that reply is gone.
And the whole thread was up to, at least, two pages a while back. Now it's not even one full page...

WHAT is going on???
Forum/server problem?

The trail is 1mm different on the forks as well. Otherwise I think you're correct - the bikes are pretty darn similar. LHT has more braze-ons too.


CdCf- there is a similar thread in the Mechanics forum, are you thinking of that one?

Oh boy! Am I blushing now...

(Although, it's in the Commuting forum... I think...)