Hi all,

I looked up some threads on the cross check for touring before asking, but most were quite old. I am looking at getting a new bike for my townie/touring bike. I live in Fort Collins, CO and do a lot of riding around town and commuting, but am thinking about getting into some touring. As of now, I don't plan to do any cross country touring, but stuff in the 200-800 mile range. I have read that the cross check is great for light touring, and a great option as it also works very well for a town/commuting bike. I am also considering the Trek 520, which will be $300-$400 more expensive, but is definitely built for the touring load.

I have read that the 520 is also a decent bike for town riding, but seems like it would be quite heavy and cumbersome riding it around the streets and bike paths. I wanted to get some opinions on what will likely suit my needs better. I usually ride around 15-20 miles a day, sometimes up to 40 mile rides on weekends, and plan to go on the occassional week or two long tour in the range I list above. These tours will likely be partial camping tours as well, so I would need a tent and a bit of gear. These bikes are both available for order near me, but no shops appear to currently carry them.

I'm currently not leaning towards either. I like the idea of the 520 as it seems like a great tour bike, but is a bit more expensive and I'm worried about it's ability to work as a town bike. The cross-check seems like a great option, and is much cheaper, but not sure it can handle the touring load.

Any opinions or thoughts are appreciated. Thanks!

Last May, I built my dream touring/century bike on a Cross Check frame. Due to problems with my road and commuter bikes, most of my 4000 miles since then have been on that bike. I built it from the frame up with my LBS handling the headset and wheel build. Here are the high points....

- SRAM Rival drivetrain in WiFLi configuration (12-32).
- AVID Shorty 4 brakes
- Velocity Deep V rims with DT Swiss hubs and spokes
- Ritchey seatpost, stem, handlebar
- Tubs Vega & Tara racks
- Ortlieb Front and Back rollers, plus Ultimate 5.

I've done a few S24O trips on it and it performs well. (I had an issue with a B.O.B. trailer that ended up in a broken derailleur, but that had nothing to do with the bike. That was operator error; inexperience with the handling characteristics of the B.O.B.)

The frame itself is very comfortable. My road bike is aluminum with 23mm tires and I experience contact point numbness above 60-70 miles. This steel frame with 28mm tires is much less harsh and I get no numbness up to century distances. The only tradeoff is a bit of bounce in dips, but I'll take that.

The only thing I've been dissapointed in has been the brakes, but once I replaced the factory pads with Kool Stop pads my dissapointment has eased. (My commuter bike has hydraulic disc and if there was an option to combine hydraulic disc with brifters, I'd rethink.)

If you're asking about the suitability of the frame, you should have no worry. I think the CC and LHT frames differ only by geometry. If you asking about the factory build out, that's more personal. It seems to have a slightly lower gearing than I've got currently, but most people would not consider that adequate and would look for a triple. If I ever face a tour with serious climbs, I'll probably switch out the drivetrain.

I have no experience with the Trek so I cannot speak to that.

mvallejo, Either bike will work for what you intend, with my nod to the 520. I used to think that a CX bike could be the best Jack-of-all-trades bike, but after a couple of years experience with a tourer, I think it's even better suited to multi roles. The CX bike will usually be livelier WRT handling and the tourer able to cope with heavier loads.

Brad

Maybe someone can describe the difference between a Cross Check and LHT ride, I can only tell you that, in my experience, a LHT with 26" wheels has to be right up there as an all purpose bike.

ANY bike loaded down is heavy and cumbersome. The 520 is better for heavier loads. The CrossCheck can take wider tires and will need a few changes for lower gears. It kind of depends on your weight as well. The size and pressure in the tires along with the weight of all the stuff on your bike will be a bigger factor than whether it's a 520 or CrossCheck. If you're closer to 250lbs than 150lbs I'd go for the 520.

"Not sure if it can handle the touring load"- that depends entirely on the size of your touring load and how it's distributed. For me and my middle aged weight (220lbs) the CrossCheck cannot handle a 25lb load sitting entirely on the rear rack. At least according to how I like a bike to handle. But if I move half that weight onto the front wheel it's great.

For heavy loads or heavy rear wheel loaded weight I much rather ride a 26" wheeled LHT.

The top tube of the LHT is larger diameter, between that and the geometry the rear load carrying capabilities of the LHT is a night and day difference to the CrossCheck

LHT with 26" wheels is closer in handling to the CrossCheck than it is to the LHT with 700c wheels. For me the CrossCheck feels like a comfortable riding road bike, not a road racing bike. The 700c LHT at least the 56cm one I had likes to go straight and like the 26" version can carry a lot of rear load weight without making the front end whippy. I didn't particularly like the 700c low speed handling with or without load.

Thank you Lee, this is all very helpful. To clarify a bit....

I am 5'8 and weight 145 lbs. I plan to do tours probably averaging around 500. I do not plan on doing credit card tours, and plan to bring a small tent, a few pieces of clothing, some light cooking gear, tools, and a little bit of food (i will have some money to buy food to cook or eat occasionally). I was originally looking at the LHT when I went to the bike shop, but the fact that it is not offered in my size (52 or 54) with 700c wheels turned me off. I plan to use it also as a commuter and regular town bike, so I'd really like the 700c wheels. The rep at the shop told me the cross-check can work for touring as well, so I decided to do my research and ask about it.

I am really leaning towards the cross check, and I'd think my smaller stature would allow the bike to carry more, I just wanted to get some thoughts first and make sure it can still handle the job. I was also really considering the 520, but the additional $ spent really makes me want to get the CrossCheck to work for me.

Thanks again.

mvallejo, I had the same thoughts when it came to me purchasing my surly... In the end I opted for the cross check. The ability to set it up however you want is too tempting.. not to mention that when it comes to touring I can still roll with front and rear panniers or a bob/extrawheel trailer!

If you're looking for a versatile back that will handle (pretty much) anything you can throw at it, go with the cross check. If you're wanting a dedicated tourer/road bike go with the LHT. I'm not too familiar with the trek's or how they ride/handle different set up's but i'm sure they're sweet. But speaking from experience with my cross check (now set up at the moment as a flat bar single speed urban commuter) its a great bike and I cant wait to put a touring gears & either get a trailer behind me or some panniers! Either way I'm sure it'll handle just fine!

If you're looking at buying the complete bike, pay careful attention to the gearing and whether it will work for you. With the Cross Check, most would probably convert it from a double to a triple for touring, which one LBS told me would add $100 at least to the price.

This is true, But the LHT complete is about 150-200 more than the cross check complete, so this kinda makes up for that. Look at how many different set up options you have with the CC after you're done touring and back home planning you're next trip!

That was very attractive for me as well. I keep the Cross Check outfitted for general riding most of the time meaning no racks, no panniers, and may or may not have the handlebar bag on. Today, I rode it to work and will join a local cycle club ride after work. When I get ready to take it out, the Tubus racks go on within 10 mins.

Where's the LHT 26" v 700c thread :-)

The LHT has braze ons for everything

5'8 145..........I hate you

Concur on a triple for the type of touring you describe. Chainstay length is something to consider too. Heelstrike issues look to be quite annoying and not something easily fixed. A LHT has 460mm chainstays vs 425mm for the CC and 450mm for the 520.

My LHT is my favorite bike but I have a couple lighter bikes to ride when I am not carrying loads.

Heel strike is a massive concern for me also, But from what I'm reading it seems to be less of a problem than most people would first assume. I guess foot size & pannier would make all the different

First the OP is 5'8" so heel strike is not likely an issue with the Crosscheck, especially as I mentioned in the other ongoing thread that several racks now allow for more rearward placement of panniers which solve that problem. Also, I doubt that there is a lot of difference in weight between a stripped down 520 and a Crosscheck and so the Crosscheck can be made to weigh more or less than the 520 depending on how it's built up. Both excellent bikes, but generally the Trek will come with a nicer paint job and be sure to consider any warranty.

Warranty is a great point. Do the Surly bikes usually not come with a warranty? Also, another great point is the cost for changing to a triple chainring.... that cuts the cost benefit of the Crosscheck to around $200 instead of $300. A lot of great stuff here, I appreciate it. Although a lot of great detail on the crosscheck, any more info on how the 520 will work as a town bike? 15 mile rides on nice sunny sundays =)

It's been done, believe me..

Trek has a lifetime 1st owner warrantee on the frame and fork.

Surly,/QBP, OTOH, It's limited to 3 years after purchase.

BTW, if you strip off the Touring gear between Tours ,
a bare touring frame is not that much heavier ..

So here is what I am looking at. Placed calls to the bike shops while the snowstorm is hollering outside and I am trapped at my computer.

Trek 520 - $1479 + tax. Lifetime warranty

Surly CX - $1250 + tax. Lifetime warranty. Quoted me about $225 to upgrade to a triple ring instead of 2x9.

The bikes are no literally the same price. This is getting tougher and tougher for me. Lol.

Surly? lifetime? get that in writing !
Trek does include a rear rack and may have chosen a different build kit.
and do a column A , column B run down of all the components fitted..
price out each.
that 200, is likely in the build kit picks.

Trek Dealer out here , Also a QBP account , Being a Touring Location , inventory is for the locals .

more than the passers through..

Consider buying the Cross Check frame for a little less than 500 bucks and now you've got a $1000 to build it the way you like and that will get you a really nice bunch of components.

^^^^

Totally agree with you on that one!

CrossCheck. You weigh the same as I did when I did ultralight touring on light road bikes. The stock wheels are fine and you can modify gearing as your preferences develop. Seriously with your weight and fat tires you've got a killer off road bike and with road tires pretty with multiple configurations of racks and bags will carry more weight than you will want to pedal around. If you make it a stripped down road bike the motor is the only limit to speed.

Something I really should consider, however I am not sure I am knowledgable enough to put together an entire bike. I am decent at making repairs and adjustments, but really not sure how to do the cabling, set up derailers exactly right, etc.

Don't change to a triple yet. There are cheaper ways to get low gears. Just as you are gathering info on bikes you can gather info on gear mods. Brb