guitarinchris

Howdy!

So after months of paying off debt I'm rewarding myself with a tourer. I have to order in pretty much anything I want as our LBS focuses just on MTB and Road Bikes. I've been pretty dead set on a Surly LHT from everything I've read over the Winter (thanks Bike Forums!), but just want to make sure I'm making the right choice before I dive in.

I'm not sure of my size yet. I'll sort that at the shop. I'll be ordering the complete model in black, non-disk model. It'll run about 1450 plus tax.

I'd briefly considered the Trek 520, which was another hundred bucks here. The LBS guy told me he owned an LHT and wouldn't consider anything else.

For tours, I'll just be doing three short ones this year (each around 300 km) along with plenty of weekend trips, commuting to work, etc. Fully loaded for most of the trips. The plan is to make the bicycle my vehicle (I'm 26 without a car and plan to keep it that way). Next year I hope to take longer trips, but don't forsee any tours longer than 2 weeks until at least 2014.

I'll still have to sort pedals, and have plans on acquiring racks, bags, and a Brooks saddle. Is there anything else I should be considering in this price range before ordering it in? Is it possible I'm buying "too much bike" for what I plan on doing with it?

Thanks!

(Edit: In case anyone's curious, I do presently own a bike. One of those 100.00 Canadian Tire box bikes. Just enough to hold me over for commuting until a "real bike" comes around, haha)

10 Wheels

Good Choice.

valygrl

Good choice if it fits you. Worth extra $ to get a professional fit if the shop doesn't do that, before buying. A real fit will adjust at LEAST saddle height, saddle fore-aft, saddle angle, stem height and stem length. If you know you are going to get clipless pedals, get them & the shoes before the fit, use them for the fit, and the shop should adjust your cleat position as well. Be wearing what you're going to wear to ride in - bike shorts - for the fit.

Fit is so important that evaluating whether a bike fits you is the FIRST step in deciding to buy it, so be careful you haven't gone about this backwards. It may very well fit you, but if it doesn't, keep trying to find something that does.

And as an aside, you don't have to have a brooks saddle on a tour bike, make sure you get one that works for you, they might be able to help you find one that works for you in that bike fit. Personally i think brooks is mostly a fashion thing / gimmick, and they are very heavy.

indyfabz

That's what I do with my LHT. In fact, I am heading out for a short trip on Friday. Riding to a campground then taking a day ride Saturday to scout part of a route that I will be using for a club road ride. Riding back to the start on Sunday.

NCbiker

I recently went through the process of choosing a touring bike. I was fortunate enough to be able to test ride the Surly LHT, Jamis Aurora Elite and the Trek 520. All three are very nice bikes and I can't see how any of them would be disappointing. I did however choose the LHT. I've just started building it up with racks and bags, so I can't yet tell you how it rides fully loaded, but for a commuting, errand running and just cruising around, it's great. It's a little on the heavy side, but I'm not out to win any races. I just recently did a 54 mile day tour around the area I live, check it out:
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...a-Lot-of-Water

Standalone 

my only advice is to wait until you have the cash saved up in the bank or on your dresser-- *then* buy a touring bike!

My credit card is in a block of ice in the freezer. One of the best things I've ever done.

indyfabz

My R.E.I, dividend was $214 this year. Most of that was earned by using my R.E.I. Visa at places other than R.E.I., and I pay the bill in full every month. The responsible use of credit has its place.

NCBiker: If you load it properly, it should ride great. Mine does.

OldZephyr

Fit is key, absolutely, and a very good point about wearing your bike shorts, shoes, etc. when getting fitted. But it's a bit of a chicken and egg thing if you live where there aren't any touring bikes in stock. If you already have a bike that fits you, then you know important measurements such as top tube length and standover and can make a good guess. The Surly does come in a lot of sizes (42, 46, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62), and for the most part the increment between sizes is less than the Trek 520 (48, 51, 54, 57, 60), and because the fork is uncut on the Surly, I think it's fair to say that you're more likely to find a good fit with the LHT.

I guessed ahead of time what size of LHT would fit my wife and our son based on their existing bikes, and both times it was correct, and I am just a newbie when it comes to this. The key measurement was top tube length, with standover to a lesser extent.

There's also a Surly users group that has an ongoing thread about frame sizing. Bottom line is that you can make a pretty good educated guess if you can't try out the bike ahead of time.

I don't want to turn this into a Brooks saddle thread, but I've been using Brooks saddles for around 40 years, and it's not because of fashion, it's because they work for me. They work for a lot of touring cyclists. They don't work for others, and some people hate them so they certainly aren't some universal solution, and yes, they are heavy. But if you get one from Wallingford Bikes, they have a 6 month return policy so you can pretty much tell within that time whether it will work. So there's little risk in trying them. [Edit: I like to patronize my local bike shop, buying from Wallingford is one of the few times that buying via mail order is worth it to me because of the return policy -- most bike shops won't accept returns on saddles]

I'm sure some Brooks saddles are sold on the basis of fashion. I doubt that's the case with touring cyclists. If a saddle hurts you and you're in the saddle 6 hours a day, fashion won't keep you on the saddle for an extended period!

Standalone 

ok, just wanted to pipe up with a friendly reality check.... I'm just jealous since I have to build my touring bike by hand, piece by cheaply bought used piece...

valygrl

Hey Zeph - yep, I know Brooks works for some people and i'm not against them, but I was just speaking to the OP's comment about getting a brooks as an automatic addition like getting racks & bags. Sorry about the way I phrased it originally, I *do* feel they are over-sold in the touring crowd and can be a fashion statement, but yes there is a place for them - but they aren't automatically what works for everyone, and why not go lighter if your butt is ok with it.

</brooks hijack>

positron

Awesome news,

Why is is a few hundred dollars too expensive before tax?

Online they (black, 26 or 700c, complete) are about 1275 bucks... the difference is the price of your Brooks and a tubus rack.

LeeG

not at all. If this is your vehicle then secure it. Get a U-lock for maximum security. 99% of the time I use a 6' cable lock but I'll use a small U-lock when I'm in a place where it's the most attractive bike to take wire cutters to the cable.

Only thing I'd put out for consideration is 26" wheels if you're looking at 56cm-64cm LHT. I had a 700c 56cm LHT for a year before swapping everything over to the 26" wheel LHT. With fenders I was hitting the front fender struts way too often in city riding, getting on/off, starting, tight quarters maneuvering. My intention was to get the 26" version as my main utility bike but once I got it built up I ended up liking the riding manner more than the 700c version so I sold the frame. No idea if the larger 700c LHT handle like the 56cm version. For a straight line bus like ride the 700c 56cm version was great but it's handling wasn't to my preferences for city riding. The 700c LHT felt like a tour bus, the 26" LHT rides like a nimble truck. They both can carry a lot.

Tourist in MSN

I assume you are considering fenders.

If you do not know your way around minor repairs and adjustments, you should ask the shop for some instruction. They are more likely to be helpful before they have your money than after. If you may be doing only minor adjustments yourself, a small multi-tool with allen wrench fittings, phillips and sloted screwdriver may be enough. If you anticipate doing more repair work yourself, I am quite happy with the Alien Two multi-tool. Look at old threads on this forum for pump discussions, the Road Morph G and Lezyne Miro Floor Drive both have happy owners. Insist on a discount of at least 20 percent for extra tubes, patch kit, pump, multi-tool, water bottle cages, etc. when you buy these with the bike.

There may be some useful comments on old threads at this link, but this group does not have as many posts as it used to get:
https://groups.google.com/group/surlylht

irwin7638

Great choice. You can do anything you want with that bike!

Marc

guitarinchris

Thanks for all the advice, everyone!

guitarinchris

Time for an update!

I took the bit about bike fit to heart (thanks Valygrl!) and actually settled on a Specialized Tricross Comp, 49cm (I'm a short guy), which fits like a glove. Specs can be viewed here: https://www.specialized.com/ca/en/bc/...01&scname=Road

But the skinny:
-Shimano 105 components.
-Triple (though lowest is 30)
-Braze ons for both racks and fender mounts
-700c tires
-Brifters (I was trying to avoid them because I thought bar ends were the way to go for touring, but I like this bike enough to deal, haha)
-Extra brake levers on the top bar

Funny how your mind can change at the last minute. Thanks for all of the help, once again!

BigAura

I think you made a good choice, since you're not doing any long, heavy loaded tours (for the next couple of years). The quicker and more nimble Tricross will pop you around town and handle two week tours. Pack light and you'll have a grand time.

bostongarden

Good choice. But, as a mostly-33 poster who has been recently lurking in Touring (hello valygrl -- good to see you here) for good information, my son and I have fallen for the LHT and are locked in for it. We've test ridden them on short rides (as well as a cross check, a 520, and some other bikes), and I gotta tell ya -- and mind you, I'm a crit racer -- the LHT feels so good, comfy and right. (The bar-end shifters were not foreign to me as I used to race on, and still have, a Bridgestone RB-1 with them.) Now, this purchase is for him. But, who knows what the future holds for me. (Although, to save a few dollars, I would probably convert either my MB-2 or MB-3 for touring -- or put front racks on the LHT and load him down, ha ha.)

staehpj1

+1 except that I will add that there is no reason you can't do long tours on it as well. I know that I tend to pack the same stuff regardless of trip length. My touring has all been in the continental US though, so if thinking third world touring things may be different.

FWIW, bar ends would be pretty much my last choice, well behind brifters and down tube shifters.

The extra brake levers are something I personally would remove.

I hope the bike works out great for you and think it probably will.

guitarinchris

Now I'm curious - would it be to gather more real estate on the handlebars for accessories?

djb

as mentioned, while the Tricross is not a full on tourer, I love my 2010, which Ive ridden with two full rear panniers often and it rides very nicely. It is indeed a fun mix of a bike, I have 28 slicks on it and it is fairly fast, but as mentioned, can take a reasonable load and still handle fine. I have yet to put a front rack and bags on it, but if not overloaded, Im sure it will be fine. (the fork on mine is diff than the current models)

My 54cm frame is alright for heel strike with panniers, you will have to see how the 49cm version is.

re: top bar cross brake levers, oddly enough I have come to like them a lot. On rough surfaces, especially rough steep downhills, they are great. I did however change my brake pads to those salmon coloured softer ones by Kool Stop, and they made the braking so much better, and made the top bar levers much more useable (original pads made using these levers rather hard, but braking power increased greatly with koolstops, completely worth it if you notice lack of stopping power)

re:30 tooth granny, you can go down to a 26 tooth with that crankset (if its the same as mine, probably is) if ever you want lower gearing (and if your RD has the limit of the stock cassette of 28 teeth, mine has a longer cage RD and a cassette that goes to 32 teeth)

ps, re real estate, yes they take up some room, and I have yet to mount a handlebar bag on it, but probably one would have to angle them down more to make room for a bar bag. My mtn bike is set up with the levers angled down more, and a handlebar bag fits fine on that bike.

staehpj1

That wouldn't be my reason since I don't need much space for accessories there. It could be a valid reason for some though.

I just don't find the interupter levers useful. I seldom use that hand position and the very rare times I do it is the least likely time for me to be braking. If you like to ride with your hands in the center section of the bar they may be a big plus.

LeeG

Good choice, tri-cross is one of the more comfortable bikes around especially if you're not riding with loaded panniers all the time. What I discovered with my CrossCheck is that it needed some of the load moved forward when the rear load got too heavy. Not sure if that's the case with the TriCross. You may find putting 15lbs in front low riders with 10lbs on rear rack a better ride than piling 25lbs+ on the rear rack. Cross bikes can be good touring bikes they just weren't designed for heavy rear loads as the front end gets too light.

valygrl

Congrats, guitarchris! Glad to have been helpful. That tricross looks sweet, I wish you thousands of miles of happy touring on it.

Hi bostongarden. I think getting your son to carry the bulk of the gear is an excellent strategy!

chasm54

This is a really interesting point. I'm a roadie, too, but have toured all my life, and when I get on my tourer (it isn't an LHT, but no matter) I am always surprised anew by just how relaxed, chilled-out, laid-back and all the other clichés it is. I love the road bikes, I've even taken up crit racing at a ludicrously advanced age, but a well-fitting touring bike just puts one in a completely different frame of mind. And of course, I climb off it after sixty or seventy miles just as comfortable as I got on it that morning.

I'm fortunate to be able to have a number of bikes. But if I was told I had to keep only one of them, it would have to be the tourer.

OP, I think you made a good selection. A cross bike offers a really good compromise, you can enjoy it in almost all riding styles.