Talk me out of buying a LHT
07-20-08, 11:52 AM
#26
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Marysville WA
Posts: 440
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
If you have an REI store nearby, go check out the Novara Randonee. It is an excellent bike. That's the touring/commuting bike I settled on and I have no regrets. In the end it all comes down to what bike makes you smile when you look at it. That's the one you will want to ride, even after a few years have gone by. All the bikes mentioned in this thread have been well proven over the years. You can't really screw up buying any of them. Go look at all of them, then get what makes you happy.
07-21-08, 11:48 PM
#29
bragi
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: seattle, WA
Posts: 2,911
Bikes: LHT
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
Why I DID NOT buy a Surley.
10. No local bike to test ride
9. Fuji Touring bike complete for two hundred dollars more than Shirley LHT Frame only.
8. Everybody doin it (herd affect)
7 As the former fed chairman would say "over exuberance without an underlying connection with reality)
6. My size frame is (54cm) has 26" wheels, and I wanted 700c.
5. Frame geometry similar to "many" similar priced bikes.
4. Frame construction is nothing to write home about neither is my Fuji, (aka Windsor clone). The LHT Windsor and Fuji are all 4130 dbl butted cro mo. Let me start a rumor, The Windsor and LHT are made in the same factory in Tiawan.
3. I gave away all my "trukin" songs on 8 track in 1979. (six days on the road and I'm gonna see my baby tonite.
2. Who wants to buy a bike with the name Shirley uh I mean Surley.
AND the number one reason U should not buy a Long Haul Trucker (besides not driving an eighteen wheeler for a living).
1.Color choices booger green, mold green or robins egg (aka baby powder blue) (what is with these people?).
10. No local bike to test ride
9. Fuji Touring bike complete for two hundred dollars more than Shirley LHT Frame only.
8. Everybody doin it (herd affect)
7 As the former fed chairman would say "over exuberance without an underlying connection with reality)
6. My size frame is (54cm) has 26" wheels, and I wanted 700c.
5. Frame geometry similar to "many" similar priced bikes.
4. Frame construction is nothing to write home about neither is my Fuji, (aka Windsor clone). The LHT Windsor and Fuji are all 4130 dbl butted cro mo. Let me start a rumor, The Windsor and LHT are made in the same factory in Tiawan.
3. I gave away all my "trukin" songs on 8 track in 1979. (six days on the road and I'm gonna see my baby tonite.
2. Who wants to buy a bike with the name Shirley uh I mean Surley.
AND the number one reason U should not buy a Long Haul Trucker (besides not driving an eighteen wheeler for a living).
1.Color choices booger green, mold green or robins egg (aka baby powder blue) (what is with these people?).
Your observation that the Fuji, Windsor and LHT might all be made in the same factory is worth looking into, though. For what's it's worth, the LHT has a good, solid frame, but what really makes the complete bike so nice are the components.
07-22-08, 02:44 AM
#30
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: PaGrove
Posts: 88
Bikes: '07 Giant Talon, '08 Bike Friday Pocket Rocket 16
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
although this thread makes it sound like you'll see one on every street corner, touring bikes are still woefully unpopular compared to the plethora of mtn bikes or racer wannabes on the road. i've only seen one other LHT "in the wild." i got the blue one, and i wasn't a huge fan of the color, but it actually looks a lot better in person, IMO. it should look really good soon when i've got the honey brooks saddle and shellac'd tan cork bar tape on.
the bar end shifters grew on me, but it still annoyed me that they frequently got bumped when i lean the bike against a wall at work or am walking by railings on the ferry. i switched to downtube shifters.
the bar end shifters grew on me, but it still annoyed me that they frequently got bumped when i lean the bike against a wall at work or am walking by railings on the ferry. i switched to downtube shifters.
02-13-09, 06:54 PM
#31
new to touring
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Asheville, NC
Posts: 14
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I spoke to a mechanic who told me it is easy to switch out the 26" wheels for 700c wheels on the smaller frames.
02-13-09, 07:25 PM
#32
hello
02-13-09, 08:29 PM
#33
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Orting Wa.
Posts: 527
Bikes: Rivendell Atlantis, Rivendell Rambouillet, Co Motion Big A,l Klein Adroit
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I must say, building up and riding my LHT was a pleasure. The bike rode just as smooth as the $3500 Rivendell Atlantis I now ride. The only reason I sold the LHT was because the 62cm frame was a bit small for me. Buy the LHT, you will not have any regrets.
02-14-09, 12:30 AM
#35
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Orting Wa.
Posts: 527
Bikes: Rivendell Atlantis, Rivendell Rambouillet, Co Motion Big A,l Klein Adroit
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Thank You. It was a beautiful bike.
02-14-09, 05:33 AM
#36
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 60
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Here's a sweet deal for a non-LHT bike: https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=220360219153
Brand new Surly Cross Check for 960 bucks!
Brand new Surly Cross Check for 960 bucks!
02-14-09, 06:23 AM
#37
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Illinois (near St. Louis)
Posts: 852
Bikes: Specialized Expedition Sport, Surly LHT
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I love mine- main reasons I bought it:
1. Tire clearance
2. Small tubes- I just don't like the looks of the fat tubed bikes.
3. Specs- I built up a list of components/features I wanted on a bike, and took it to my shop. Asked them to tell me what would be the best bike to get and swap out parts on to get to this list, or if it would be better to do a build from a frameset. They called back and said other than the brakes, I had spec'ed the LHT.
4. Couldn't (actually wouldn't) afford an Atlantis.
1. Tire clearance
2. Small tubes- I just don't like the looks of the fat tubed bikes.
3. Specs- I built up a list of components/features I wanted on a bike, and took it to my shop. Asked them to tell me what would be the best bike to get and swap out parts on to get to this list, or if it would be better to do a build from a frameset. They called back and said other than the brakes, I had spec'ed the LHT.
4. Couldn't (actually wouldn't) afford an Atlantis.
02-14-09, 07:58 AM
#38
Senior Member
02-14-09, 08:08 AM
#39
Guest
Posts: n/a
Mentioned: Post(s)
Tagged: Thread(s)
Quoted: Post(s)
I've seen many pretty bikes, but never a prettier photograph of one. Thanks for sharing this beautiful scene.
02-14-09, 08:47 AM
#40
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: The Land of Pleasant Living
Posts: 772
Bikes: Trek 630 • Jamis Quest • Bilenky Tourlite and various others
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Hmmm, for my own part I wouldn't buy an LHT for the following reasons:
1. I dislike the "Surley" name and logo.
2. I dislike the Surley website/mindset they have.
3. The bikes are ridiculously heavy for a modern bicycle.
4. Bar-end shifters—there's no reason for 'em. This is 2009.
5. They're butt-ugly. Again, their corporate mind-set.
6. They're common as dirt.
7. They have a mindless, cult following.
Just being the devil's advocate. Really, I don't care. Plenty of folks think they're the Katz PJ's (obviously) and I saw quite a few on the road and their riders loved them.
The only thing(s) that really would prevent me from buying one is the company image they try and project. It offends me, but, I'm in advertising/design so I'm sensitive like that. It's not a reasonable consumer's stance (advertising has prevented me from buying a product far more often than it has compelled me to buy). That and I think there are too many other, better (meaning: lighter, STI equipped, nicer paint) offerings out there. It's all in how you look at things—if it's work 'in for ya—I'd say go for it. Truly, I never met a bike I didn't like.
Just amusing myself here. But, I do have to say the bike pictured above is a good looker. Well done.
Hey! He said try and talk him out of it!
1. I dislike the "Surley" name and logo.
2. I dislike the Surley website/mindset they have.
3. The bikes are ridiculously heavy for a modern bicycle.
4. Bar-end shifters—there's no reason for 'em. This is 2009.
5. They're butt-ugly. Again, their corporate mind-set.
6. They're common as dirt.
7. They have a mindless, cult following.
Just being the devil's advocate. Really, I don't care. Plenty of folks think they're the Katz PJ's (obviously) and I saw quite a few on the road and their riders loved them.
The only thing(s) that really would prevent me from buying one is the company image they try and project. It offends me, but, I'm in advertising/design so I'm sensitive like that. It's not a reasonable consumer's stance (advertising has prevented me from buying a product far more often than it has compelled me to buy). That and I think there are too many other, better (meaning: lighter, STI equipped, nicer paint) offerings out there. It's all in how you look at things—if it's work 'in for ya—I'd say go for it. Truly, I never met a bike I didn't like.
Just amusing myself here. But, I do have to say the bike pictured above is a good looker. Well done.
Hey! He said try and talk him out of it!
Last edited by foamy; 02-14-09 at 08:55 AM.
