I just ordered my LHT, Surly racks (F & R), shoes, pedals, etc... Tomorrow I'll call in the order for all the Ortlieb panniers (F, R & Handlebar).

I'm quite excited to get my new baby & all her new gear!

My LHT will be here Friday! What Ortlieb panniers are you getting?

You can't go wrong with a LHT IMO. I would't part with mine for love nor money. Congrats!

Long Haul Truckers rule!!!

Ordering the matched set #3 (Bike Packer Plus, Sport Packer Plus & U5 handlebar bag) from https://www.thetouringstore.com/ORTLIEB/Ort%20MATCHED%20SETS/MATCHED%20SETS%20PAGE.htm

If this forum is any barometer, Surly must be doing very well; it seems that the vast majority of posters have LHT's (I've got one too!) There are other great tourers, some probably better, but the combination of quality, good design, and good price have made the LHT a winner. Have a bunch of great tours!

Sounds like an awesome setup!

Is the new disk brake LHT available yet?

Congrats on the new bikes. I would like a Trucker, but my Vaya doubles fairly well as a touring bike....then again, one can never have too many bikes!

Got a set from Wayne (sans bar bag) this spring. I give them mixed reviews. The top mounting system is great. Not thrilled with the bottom "arm." It's too flexible. The bags are also hard to cinch down tight unless they are completely full. The rears more so than the front, but both have problems in that area. The outside pocket flap can be particularly stubborn depending on how the bags are packed.

But they look good:

Oh, interesting. I haven't called in yet. Would the roller+ set (#9) be a better option then? I trust all the great reviews of the classics however I like the idea of the +'s with the slightly softer material and I don't expect to be doing any river crossings anytime soon

If I am not mistaken, the classic models use the older mounting system (the QL1), which I hear is not as good. The roller model seems even more involved to open and close. But if you use a handlebar bag (I don't), that might not be an issue.

Perhaps I gave mistakenly gave the impression that I wish I hadn't bought them. That's not the case. I am a little spoiled sinne my first set of panniers were Beckmans with hard sides, 3 horrizontal compression straps on each side of each pannier and an option for vertical compression straps so I was used to being able to snug everything down.

Wayne will certainly give you great service no matter what you end up buying. When I was having trouble adjusting the mounting system to work well with my racks, I sent him some photos and we talked on the phone. His suggestions were extremely helpful.

I'd have one if that top tube wasn't so long. Been told I look like a circus bear on the 56cm and I feel too stretched out on the 58cm.

THERE'S a visual for ya

While I am sure the LHT is a great bike, and you will love it, why this time of year, towards the end of touring season? I did the same and it killed me to stare at my rig and not being able to take it out for a tour!

Well, I guess you DO have a few weeks of good weather left....

I'm in FL. I have LOTS of good weather left
I'll be riding to Key West in Nov. Then planning more trips for March. Probably a little more in-state riding over the winter.

I understand how you must feel with the LHT on order, because I a waiting on a Surly Cross Check with S&S couplers and a travel pack from Belinky Cycle Works. Good luck! I am in Alabama, so I can ride almost all year.

I could not get a Surly LHT in China, though there are dealers who stock their fixie frames. I was going on holiday to Malaysia last summer, and tried to find a dealer in KL, but no luck.

I did eventually find a dealer in Singapore, I booked flights from KL to Singapore and back to KL, and got the Singapore bike shop to order me a complete bike.

I got to the shop in Singapore and saw the bike in a box, and cast my eye over a complete one made up on display. The shop guy was great when I explained that I might have to put it together at the airport back in China and ride it home if it didnt fit in a taxi. He threw in some pedals and hex keys After a couple of days looking around Singapore (nice city but a little clean and boriing for my taste) I got a small bus taxi and picked the bike up on the way to the airport.

I flew back to KL with it, and left it in the luggage storage in the airport overnight, then flew back to China with it. I lined up for a taxi and when it was my turn the taxi driver was trying to tell me it wouldnt fit, but I ignored him, opened the rear door, slid it in, closed the door and there was a few cm to spare

As soon as I got home I pulled it out and started putting it together!!! It was so much fun!! I have been on three short tours so far, and it is a great bike. Most of the complete bike is still there, though I have changed the brakes, handlebars, and seat. I just got some Schwalbe Marathon XR tyres. My plan is to ride from here to Turkey in about 9 months. It should take 3 to 4 months, via the northern Stans

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You do know that you can get a shoter stem or one with more rise.

@azesty

Great story. Enjoy your bike!

If you drove past Bilenky you would probably never stop in. It's at the end of a dead end street right up against the railroad tracks and next to a junkyard in a neighborhood that has seen better days. There are bars on the door of the building, which looks somewhat like a small old power substation. The one time I went up there to have some bolt holes of my rear rack drilled out I thought I was in the wrong place. A couple of other shops refused to do the work because they were worried about liability if the rack were to later fail under load. The guy I spoke with said "We'll drill holes in anything--as long as it's not ours." He then proceeded to do the job in two minutes, offer me some snacks and gave me a tour of the shop. He intially refused to take money, but after much insistence on my part, he said "Give me $9." Turns out that was all I had in my wallet.

Great bunch of guys and gals who do great work.

Yes I do. The one I sat on had a 100mm stem with some rise. Wouldn't want to go shorter than 90mm but I'm not sure that would do it. Haven't given up though.

Well done! I got my LHT in May and have put many miles on her. Got the nice racks too, bulky but strong. I changed out the seat post and handlebar stem too. I love it.

Pure Beauty and Reliability! Congrats on the LHT.

Here's mine's :-)

Here's a picture of my baby, we are going to ride the Blue Ridge Parkway next spring.

I bought a 52cm [26in] 2011 LHT in May but just started riding it recently. I didn't want to ride it in the rain and in west-central florida it rains daily and you never know when it is going to rain.

I don't have any big tours planned but I love riding it to work and back. I feel like the king of the road when I'm cruising on this thang.

I put surly nice racks and some fenders on it and switched out the tires to schwalbe marathon supremes 2.0.

Since I started riding the LHT all of my other bikes feel like junk.