Surly Long Haul Trucker

I'm collecting opinions on it.

Anything to offer?

On Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:39:16 -0330, Rex Button wrote:

I'm collecting opinions on it.

Anything to offer?

What do you want to do with it?

terryc wrote:
On Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:39:16 -0330, Rex Button wrote:

I'm collecting opinions on it.

Anything to offer?

What do you want to do with it?

My extensive experience with long-haulers is that they're mostly
pretty nice guys. Tired, most often, but nice.


Bill


__o | Fear not the path of truth for the lack
_`\(,_ | of people walking on it.
(_)/ (_) | --Robert F. Kennedy

"terryc" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:39:16 -0330, Rex Button wrote:

I'm collecting opinions on it.

Anything to offer?

What do you want to do with it?

Briefly, light touring.
100 - 150 km per day (occasionally 200km) for a week or two straight.
No front bags; just two rear and maybe a bar bag up front.

Maybe even some brevets later; but it seems to me the LHT is a bit heavy for
that?
LHT is available with 26" or 700 CC wheels; I'm small enough to get away
with the 54cm frame, so 26" is an option, and i'm thinking the better one
for what I've got in mind.

In terms of terrain, we're talking eastern Newfoundland. Max altitude around
600 feet, but it's all up and down, with short grades often at 7% and
sometimes 10%.

On Sat, 24 Jan 2009 11:13:56 -0330, Rex Button wrote:

I do not own one, but {:-)

What do you want to do with it?

Briefly, light touring.
100 - 150 km per day (occasionally 200km) for a week or two straight.
No front bags; just two rear and maybe a bar bag up front.

Maybe even some brevets later; but it seems to me the LHT is a bit heavy for
that?

LHT is available with 26" or 700 CC wheels; I'm small enough to get away
with the 54cm frame, so 26" is an option, and i'm thinking the better one
for what I've got in mind.

That is the core of why I'd never buy one. That chain stays are far too
short for the touring I like to do. I like unsealed back roads and with
that comes the problem of mud. Some of our mud is exceedingly sticky and
can create problems on bicycles with close tolerances on the chain
stay. Dragging a loaded touring bicycle up and down hill because the mud
builds up on the chain stay area and jams the wheels takes a lot of fun
out of the trip.

If that isn't a problem for you, then.....


In terms of terrain, we're talking eastern Newfoundland. Max altitude around
600 feet, but it's all up and down, with short grades often at 7% and
sometimes 10%.

Other people have mentioned the weight. How much do the alternatives
weigh? Whether it is significant depends on your overall weight and how
many times you are going to drag it up and down hills each day.

"Rex Button" wrote in message
...
I'm collecting opinions on it.

Anything to offer?
It's an inexpensive and heavy frame. Mine is a particularly ugly shade of
avocado ('70s appliance) green and would not attract thieves. It doesn't
wobble when loaded for a tour and I am confident it will not break. It has
all of the braze-ons I needed. I don't ride it unless I am touring because
the weight and aerodynamics (fenders) make it difficult to keep up on a club
ride.

On Jan 22, 8:08*am, "news.suddenlink.net"
wrote:
"Rex Button" wrote in message

... I'm collecting opinions on it.

Anything to offer?

It's an inexpensive and heavy frame. *Mine is a particularly ugly shade of
avocado ('70s appliance) green and would not attract thieves. *It doesn't
wobble when loaded for a tour and I am confident it will not break. *It has
all of the braze-ons I needed. *I don't ride it unless I am touring because
the weight and aerodynamics (fenders) make it difficult to keep up on a club
ride.

What kinda tires ya got on it? I find that to be the major enslowning
factor on practical bikes. Weight, schmeight--usually--but if you go
from 800g wide tour tires, to 350-400g skinwall tour tires--you can
usually feel a palpable difference.

"news.suddenlink.net" wrote:

It's an inexpensive and heavy frame. Mine is a particularly ugly shade of
avocado ('70s appliance) green and would not attract thieves. It doesn't
wobble when loaded for a tour and I am confident it will not break. It has
all of the braze-ons I needed. I don't ride it unless I am touring because
the weight and aerodynamics (fenders) make it difficult to keep up on a club
ride.

The weight is what bothered me abt the Novara Randonee

Just felt heavy and slow

On Jan 22, 11:43*am, wrote:
"news.suddenlink.net" wrote:
It's an inexpensive and heavy frame. *Mine is a particularly ugly shade of
avocado ('70s appliance) green and would not attract thieves. *It doesn't
wobble when loaded for a tour and I am confident it will not break. *It has
all of the braze-ons I needed. *I don't ride it unless I am touring because
the weight and aerodynamics (fenders) make it difficult to keep up on a club
ride.

The weight is what bothered me abt the Novara Randonee

Just felt heavy and slow

You check the engine?

On Jan 21, 5:09*pm, "Rex Button" wrote:
I'm collecting opinions on it.

Anything to offer?

It's the best deal going spec wise if you want a trad touring bike on
a budget. Does that make it right for you? Who knows, except you.
There are plenty of other options if you want a practical and sturdy
bike, few of which you'll see on the sales floor of the average bike
shop. So give details. You might be more of a fit with the Surly Cross-
Check, which is a bit lighter and sportier, but incompatible with big
feet if ya wanna run panniers, or you might live in the PNW and be a
candidate for something with disc brakes. You could be a cheap *******
like me and discover the joys of riding an upgraded aluminum hybrid
with funky trekking bars like those right-pondians do.