I had the Kibosh put on selling the LHT and getting a Rove as I was unable to obtain clearance from the tower! So I am left to try and make the LHT work for me. My first piece is replace the Sugino crank with 172.5mm arms,

with a Deore with 175mm arms. Found one on ebay for <$100. Next will be change out the stem. The current stem goes almost straight up.

I am thinking a flatter rise, and even a little longer to get me down a little flatter. Stay tuned for the results as I make the changes as I HAVE GOT to make this bike work! Any other suggestions to help me out with making this bike a better ride would be appreciated.

It might help if you tell us what you don't like about the bike. Otherwise you'll just get suggestions like:

Replace all the parts first and then replace the frame.

That's Nice .. Wife wont let you burn through more $$?

"Make the LHT work for me"

positive reinforcement

Best use of the first $100 might have been to get a bike fit...

When you say all, which parts do you mean?

This bike feels like I have to work too hard to make it move, so I want to make it more efficient and feel more like what I am used to. That is why the crank with longer arms. The cockpit has me a little more cramped and upright than I like, so a longer stem with less rise. Those seemed like two logical changes to start with. I have all winter to work on this so it will keep me occupied, too.

What do you mean "have to work too hard to make it move"?

You aren't giving us much to work with here.

So far my thoughts have been in no particular order:

1. Get rid of the tower.

2. Improve your fitness and strength.

3. Reduce the weight of the load you are attempting to carry on the bike.

4. Get some advice on your fit -- even posting a picture of you on the bike might be a start.

Most Deore cranks are designed to use on MTN bikes with 50 mm chainline. Your Sugino is designed for 45-46 mm chainline. Unless it is a Deore 443 trekking crank. Just something to look at. If you are looking for speed from LHT you might be dissapointed.

I really doubt that you will notice the difference in crank arm length. Take a look at Peter Whites website , and see what he says about crank length.
https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm

And get rid of the tower if it continues to be an obstacle to your plans.

Too many years invested in the tower, a bike will always come in second to the tower!

Good thinking!

You may want to consider the tires you are riding as well.

Tires can make a huge difference...

... And keeping the PSI topped up helps too..


BTW changing threadless Fork stems are easy, ++ for touring bags on the handlebars
it is also practical to have a separate bar for the widgets, and the bag mount ,

that 2 stacked stems can offer .. for your handlebars
a new stem longer and horizontal extension.

and flip the one you have and put it underneath, , like a clamp-on spacer..


looks like you have enough steerer tube ...

Tires. Lighter tires. 25 mm tires. Turn it into a go-fast bike. Load it up and head out. The tires will be fine.

I'd like to know what all of this tower crap is about. I'm thinking the op should abstain from controlled substances when posting.

I have Vittoria Randonneur Pro 700 x 35, a very good tire. When these wear I'll go to a 32. I was thinking lighter wheels, but these are Salsa Cross laced to XT hubs. Do I really want lighter on a touring bike? I am nearly 200# and carry 30#+ of gear.

No tower in our home, a partnership.
however it does sound like you need a good bike fitting.
Ps, only a few demo rides on a LHT, nice bike - they all felt sluggish.

Keep your wheels. Go with 25's. Ok, maybe 28's. Anyway, don't dismiss the idea 'til you've tried it. 25's on my DF tourer. Love 'em. Used to run 38's.

Sound like primo wheels, what's with this " it's hard to make it move" crap, it's a touring bike, loaded up it accelerates slowly and IS hard to move. Get the fit right, pump up the tires and go.

I agree with a number of comments above. Really doubt you'll even notice the minimal change (1/10") in crank length going from 172.5 to 175mm. My bikes range from 165mm to 175mm and I barely notice the difference there - and can't really say which length I prefer. But the difference between the 35mm tires on my touring bike and the 23mm tires on my other bike is very clear. Keep the 35mm tires around for when you want to take a tour on some rough roads or trails, but put some 25mm tires on the bike for when you want it to feel more sporty and lively. You'll need new tires eventually anyway so it wouldn't really cost any more to have both sizes around.

I'd also check with some bike shops to see if one might let you borrow an adjustable stem for awhile so you could experiment with different handlebar positions before buying a stem of the correct size from them. And try moving your saddle forward and backward a bit to see which position you prefer.

Eloquently put!

I just bought a Rove frame on Ebay and built it up, you can do the same and swap the Surly drivetrain. I got a feeling no-matter what you swap out will not help the feel of that bike, this from many hours of research. For 200-400 you can buy a nice used cross frame, I bought mine for 350. The LHT is a big hefty touring bike, a tank to conquer all aspects of touring.

Yeah, flip the current stem. Plus, stems are cheap on craigslist, just get anything in the 80-100mm range, you have a lot of flexibility with that gigantic steerer tube.

And don't put two stems on that is just weird.