tpelle

+1 on the LHT as a do-all bike. I have a 60cm LHT that I bought just this summer to use as a pure road bike - I have no intention to do any touring on it, but I wanted an all-steel bike that was able to carry a load (I'm about 260 lbs), and had mountain-bike-like gearing (lots of steep hills where I ride). Also I'm pretty much of a retro-grouch, so I was seduced by the traditional-looking frame and bar-end shifters. My LBS built up my LHT with 700 x 28 high pressure tires. I absolutely LOVE that bike. It's perfect, and I have no desire to have any other bike - my other two bikes now just gather dust!

sykerocker 

The idea behind a Brooks (or any good leather saddle for that matter) is that it's going to break in and form itself to your bottom over time. Which is another way of saying you don't want to buy a Brooks four days before a three week tour. I've ridden both sprung and unsprung Brooks, and never saw any real advantage to the sprung version - unless you're talking setting on up on a Raleigh Sports or other like upright riding three speed roadster.

Biggest advantage to the unsprung version is that their usually on the narrower models, which are going to fit you on a long distance touring bike a lot better.

markw

The brooks is just an intermediate step towards a full on recumbent anyway.

Magnolia_Fan

I use my cross check as a tourer, it rocks. I just did a fully self-supported weekend trip in the rockies up near Vail and it did fine. The only complaint is the lack of eyelets for a front rack, but I can squeeze all my gear on the back rack fine.

markw

The lack of eyelets for the front rack can make a difference. although I think they have clamps available to attach to the fork. If you're just going to rec ride and commute, with the occasional tour, I'd go LHT hands down.

fixedup

Well for my size, the LHT would come with 26" wheels. I'm not sure how I feel about that, I was pretty set on some 700c, and the CC can fit pretty fat ones if need be. Maybe i'm just naive and need some light shed on me about this but would I feel much of a difference between riding the LHT with the 26" rims as appossed to the one with the 700c, or riding the CC?

markw

What's your PBH in mm? Use Rivendell's site to measure it.

https://www.rivbike.com/article/bike_..._to_measure_it

https://www.rivbike.com/article/bike_...g_a_frame_size

How is your bar to saddle relationship right now? Level, bars significantly lower? Really long stem?

You may be ok on a 56cm Surly, or maybe not. Not sure if you've gone through the magazine wedgie or not.

Bacciagalupe

I don't think you'd notice a huge difference.

Also FWIW, 26" is pretty common in some areas, e.g. Central America. It's my understanding that 700c tires & tubes are impossible to get down there...

HardyWeinberg

check out this highly portable CC:

Traveller's Check

Bacciagalupe

By the way -- anyone know what's involved in swapping out the stock double for a triple, and a recommended size for the granny gear? Seems like the crank will stay the same, but you'd need a wider bottom bracket and a different front derailleur.

NeezyDeezy

I WANT!

I just hope it has longer chainstays...

tpelle

I bought a Surly LHT back in June, and use it strictly as a road bike. It's a 60cm frame set up with 700 x 28 tires. I was looking for a steel roadie that was able to carry some weight - I weigh about 260 lbs. The LBS suggested a Cross Check, but I saw that it came stock with a double chainring, and I wanted a triple for the hills that I ride, so i settled on the LHT.

I saw, elsewhere on this forum, some pictures of the new version of the Cross Check that Surly had at Interbike. It is set up with S and S Couplers on the frame. I also notice in a previous post in this thread that someone has a Cross Check set up with a triple chainring. This gets me thinking.......I travel a lot for my job, usually two weeks at a stretch with every other weekend home. As a result my riding suffers, my diet suffers, my conditioning suffers....nothing to do in the evenings after work than sit in my hotel room and read and watch TV.

Next year (I already nuked my bike budget for this year) I might look into having my LBS build me one of those puppies with a triple chainring and mountain bike gearing. I figure it would break down and fit into an old Samsonite suitcase I have, so I could pack it on a plane with no hassles. How's that for a plan?

HardyWeinberg

I wonder if it wouldn't be... not easier, but maybe (?) cheaper to just get those couplers retrofitted onto your LHT?

tromper

If ya haven't picked something yet, I'd put in my two bits for the LHT, or the Trek 520. I've owned both, & currently have a blue LHT (I rather liked the green but ya can't get that anymore) The LHT has a softer gear setup which is nice for touring (Sugino XD600). The 520 has the more standard shimano road setup up crank which made it a bit nicer for my commute, I did a cc tour on that in the San Juans, no prob except for the @$#@$% rain never stopped. I switched due to frame Geometry (long story, happy ending). I do like the spoke holders on the LHT, both of 'em have the third water bottle braze on's. I haven't done a tour on the LHT yet, but can say that the 520 with front, & rear pans was extremely stable, & pleasant on some rather hairy (but fun) descents. I can't speak to the cross check.
- One more thought on the 520 - I had a 21" (2002) that I swapped for the current 56cm LHT. The 21" may well work for you vs. the 54cm Surly if you want to use 700c vs. 650c wheels.

grolby

I agree, this makes me CRAZY. People don't seem to get that "loaded touring bike," still means that it handles like a bike, not a Mack truck. It's a wonderful all-rounder bicycle that actually handles very nicely. I'll admit that mine is a bit slow, but that's because it's outfitted with just about any commuting accessory you can think of, has tank-like wheels (including one with a generator hub) with wiiiiide tires and two racks, with the bars just a smidgeon higher than the Brooks saddle. So mine isn't too speedy, but there's no requirement to build to my 33 lb, "aero is for wimps" standard. I will also confess that I have been seduced by the skinny-tire, high-geared speed and twitchy handling of my road bike, but the LHT gets all of my utility, cruising and trail hours. If I need a bike to do a job, I know which one I'm taking.

NoReg

"Well I haven't FULLY counted out the LHT. I am in fact "short enough" for the 26" wheel version ( 54cm is small enough i think ). I mean I still have time to think about it as I have to save some cash before the purchase, I just like the horizontal drops over the vertical, but the LHT is still right behind the CC."

If you can fit the 26 inch, it's a no-brainer, buy the LHT. It is probably faster and a better load carrier, stronger , more versatile, easier parts, more room in the frame, on and on.

The problem/great thing about Surly as a company is that they are really smart at figuring out all kinds of flavours of Kool Aid for people to obssess over. The downside to that is a lot of these fringe ideas really aren't that smart. 29 incher, not too sure. 700 C touring bike, bit of a throw back. But they know how to slice and dice the market. As a buyer, you just want to reach in and buy the best they actually make, regardless. That ought to be the 26/LHT, though it's too small for me to actually try.

rustycool7

The CC I bought in '01 was a double with holes to install a triple. I had no problem installing a small ring and only adjusted the front der to make it work.

SteevinHaze

How did you manage to get front panniers on the bike without braze-ons? I like the setup, I'm looking for a tourer/commuter and the crosscheck is an option I'm looking at.

Bacciagalupe

You can use p-clamps ($1.00 at a hardware store). Also, some racks (e.g. Old Man Mountain) attach at the brake bosses.

Johnny Vagabond

I'd only buy a Brooks saddle with a sprung suspension if you are planning on riding pretty upright. The suspension doesn't really kick in until you put some weight on it, obviously, which you won't be doing unless you're upright...