Jamis Aurora vs Surly Long Haul Trucker

[Catrin]

I have to ask this question...though I don't really want to :rolleyes:

How does the Jamis Aurora http://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/thebikes/road/aurora/10_aurora_spec.html compare with the Surly Long Haul Trucker http://surlybikes.com/bikes/long_haul_trucker_complete/?

I think that the components for the LHT might be closer to the Aurora Elite, but I could be mistaken - so am unsure if I am comparing apples to apples.

I don't see my mind changing on the LHT but I have to ask the question. It seems to have the same cassette, or at least range of gears, and of course the wheels/tires are different - and the Jamis doesn't have bar-end shifters. The top tube on the Jamis is technically too long for me, but it is closer to the 50cm than my Trek is and a touring geometry may make that difference negligible.

[tulip]

Test them out and see how they feel to ride. Each one is a great bike.

[Catrin]

Test them out and see how they feel to ride. Each one is a great bike.

I would love to do so, but sadly that isn't an option. Several LBS have both - but the sizes are way too large for me - I would need a ladder to climb on them :p

I KNOW the Surly would fit, am pretty sure the Jamis would - but I will at least consult with the fitting expert at the LBS when I go in to make my purchase.

[Kubla]

This question comes at a good time...I have a chance to buy a 2008 Aurora Elite at a good price and would be interested to hear any opinions on the Jamis Aurora models. (Not that I need another bike :rolleyes:)

That said, I have heard some very positive things from owners of the Surly LHT. I don't think you'd go wrong with either choice.

[Zen]

Jamis does indeed have a unique geometry. Mine fits like no other bike I own. Too bad you can't ride these bikes.

[PscyclePath]

Have been looking at the same for the past week, since the faithful old Cross-Check went to Bike Heaven last Sunday... Haven't had a chance to ride either one, but the Aurora has STI shifters rather than the bar-end shifters on the Surly, has the small auxiliary brake levers along the center stretch of the handlebars, and at least in the Elite version, has disc brakes.

Still pretty much thinking of a new Cross-Check, but won't make a decision until I've had a chance to ride an LHT and an Aurora...

Tom

[OakLeaf]

the faithful old Cross-Check went to Bike Heaven last Sunday...

Uh-oh, what did I miss??

[WindingRoad]

I like the idea of having 700 cc wheels personally that the Jamis has. They will be a little lighter and quicker overall. :)

[Catrin]

Jamis does indeed have a unique geometry. Mine fits like no other bike I own. Too bad you can't ride these bikes.

I have called every shop in driving distance that I can find, and no one has either bike in a size that I can test ride. The LBS I am working with, however, is a Jamis dealer - as well as dealing in Surleys and they have sold/fit quite a few Long Haul Truckers AND Auroras. I am hoping this means that they know the two bikes well enough that we can determine which is the better fit between the two. I don't know enough about the differences in touring geometry to be able to tell anything outside of the top tube length...

[moderncyclista]

The Aurora is a sport touring bike. The geometry is a mix between a cyclocross/touring bike. Chainstays will not be as long as on the LHT. (Longer chainstays prevent heel strike when doing loaded touring - esp. on smaller frames.) The Aurora has STI shifters which some people love (using barrel adjusters to make gear/shifting finetuning adjustments) The LHT has friction shifters (bar ends) that allow for greater adjustment of the front derailleur and fine tuning. The Aurora has canteliever brakes and so does the stock LHT. The crankset on the Aurora 50/39/30 - a mixed ratio for speed and some low gears for small hill climbs. The crankset on the LHT - 48/36/26 - a slightly lower gearing for touring and lots of hill climbing.

I own an 09 Aurora and while I enjoy it okay. I much prefer my 520. Touring bikes are about simplicity. Have you ever seen an exploded diagram of an STI shifter?? Sheesh. :) It's pretty daunting. I live somewhere hilly and the 520 handles hills like a frickin' champ. I dread hills on my Aurora - the gearing seems either to high or too low on steep hills but never just right. Both are good bikes. Only you can really make the decision on if it will ultimately fit you or work for you. We can only offer our humble opinions.

[violetpurl]

Uh-oh, what did I miss??

I hope Tom doesn't mind me posting this. He was hit from behind by a pickup on last Sunday's club ride. Here's a link where he describes what happened http://www.arkansasbicycleclub.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1897. I got to ride with him yesterday, and thoroughly enjoyed it. :D

Kandy

[PscyclePath]

I hope Tom doesn't mind me posting this. He was hit from behind by a pickup on last Sunday's club ride. Here's a link where he describes what happened http://www.arkansasbicycleclub.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1897. I got to ride with him yesterday, and thoroughly enjoyed it. :D

Kandy

Yep... had a little run-in with a drunk, hit & run driver last Sunday (2/28). Hit from behind while accelerating away from a traffic signal. I went flying like Superman, but managed to land okay, just a pulled muscle in my right leg. The bike, well, she didn't fare quite as well...

The lurid story is here:
http://jbarcycling.blogspot.com/2010/02/local-cycling-safety-instructor-struck.html

http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/2010/03/cyclists_its_dangerous_out_the.aspx


Tom

[OakLeaf]

Wow, glad you're (mostly) okay!

[Catrin]

The Aurora is a sport touring bike. The geometry is a mix between a cyclocross/touring bike. Chainstays will not be as long as on the LHT. (Longer chainstays prevent heel strike when doing loaded touring - esp. on smaller frames.) The Aurora has STI shifters which some people love (using barrel adjusters to make gear/shifting finetuning adjustments) The LHT has friction shifters (bar ends) that allow for greater adjustment of the front derailleur and fine tuning. The Aurora has canteliever brakes and so does the stock LHT. The crankset on the Aurora 50/39/30 - a mixed ratio for speed and some low gears for small hill climbs. The crankset on the LHT - 48/36/26 - a slightly lower gearing for touring and lots of hill climbing.

I own an 09 Aurora and while I enjoy it okay. I much prefer my 520. Touring bikes are about simplicity. Have you ever seen an exploded diagram of an STI shifter?? Sheesh. :) It's pretty daunting. I live somewhere hilly and the 520 handles hills like a frickin' champ. I dread hills on my Aurora - the gearing seems either to high or too low on steep hills but never just right. Both are good bikes. Only you can really make the decision on if it will ultimately fit you or work for you. We can only offer our humble opinions.

Thanks for this information, Moderncyclista. I am 99% certain that I will go with the LHT - but I have a tendency to sometimes not look at other options once I make my mind up which was the reason for my 3 week enforced waiting period :) There is also a lot of fun imagining what different bikes would be like.

I will admit that the bar end shifters have me a little nervous, I still can't take my hands off of the bars to, say, get a drink. However I do have the use of a trainer on which I can practice :) The shifters is the only thing that I am nervous about with the LHT. Of course, I would have no idea how to use the STI shifters either - so either way there will be a learning curve.

It is invaluable information to know that you have issues with the right gearing for hills with the Aurora. One of the purposes for this bike is to take it home and play in the mountains - so I thank you :)

I keep coming back to the Surly - so that should tell me something. Thanks to everyone who have weighed in and been so patient with this novice cyclist!

[OakLeaf]

It is invaluable information to know that you have issues with the right gearing for hills with the Aurora. One of the purposes for this bike is to take it home and play in the mountains - so I thank you :)

As moderncyclista said, gearing is pretty personal. The Aurora in stock trim is geared taller than the LHT, but they both have triple cranks, mountain derailleurs and 9-speed cassettes, so it would be very simple to change the gearing on either one to suit your personal preferences once you decide what those are.

Example: I'm not happy without a 16T rear cog. I missed it on my 6-speed 13-21 with a 53/42 standard double, and I miss it on my 10-speed 11-25 with a 50/39/30 triple. There are very many people in this world who live happy and productive lives without ever shifting a rear derailleur onto a 16T cog. I just don't happen to be one of them. :p:cool: You will learn your gearing preferences as you ride more. Don't let it be the reason you choose one bike over another.

[Zen]

I will admit that the bar end shifters have me a little nervous, I still can't take my hands off of the bars to, say, get a drink.

I know.
You can still hold on to the handlebars a little bit with the barcon shifters.
Or someone could weigh in on whether these (http://www.velo-orange.com/fafrthsh.html) will work.

[lunacycles]

Jamis does indeed have a unique geometry. Mine fits like no other bike I own. Too bad you can't ride these bikes.

What is unique about it? Curious? Geometry listed somewhere?


I like the idea of having 700 cc wheels personally that the Jamis has. They will be a little lighter and quicker overall.

Sorry for curmudgeony post, but this is a big old myth. What makes a larger wheel be lighter? What makes it "quicker?"

[SLash]

Both Surly LHT and Jamis Aurora are good bikes. I just recently bought the Aurora Elite 2010. In 2010 Jamis changed the gearing making it more of a true touring bike. Rear cassette is Deore 11-34, with 50,39, 30 in the front. It also has disc brakes (good for loaded touring), Mavic rims, as you noted STI shifters, which was a plus for me. Yeah, I know they are more complicated and can't be repaired on the fly like bar-ends if you're in the middle of nowhere but that's not going to be me. I could have adjusted to bar-ends but prefer to use STI. My personal preference.

The frame on the Aurora Elite is Reynolds 631 tubing, the Aurora is 520, both very nice frames. The LHT is definitely a nice frame too. As someone pointed out the Aurora has 700c wheels.

Either way you can't go wrong, but I understand your concern. It is so hard to buy a bike, to decide on which bike to buy, especially when you can't ride them! I wasn't able to ride the Jamis before ordering it nor the Crosscheck or LHT. It makes an already difficult (but fun :)) decision that much more difficult.

I also gave a lot of thought (can you say neurotic/ocd when it comes to bikes) about what to get so I feel for you.

Take your time, weigh the pros and cons and then take comfort in whether you buy the Aurora/A Elite or the LHT you are getting a very good bike.

Good luck!

Susan

[Catrin]

I know.
You can still hold on to the handlebars a little bit with the barcon shifters.
Or someone could weigh in on whether these (http://www.velo-orange.com/fafrthsh.html) will work.

I know that the bars for the small LHT are supposed to be compact, smaller than on the larger sizes so I am hoping that I can just move my hand down the bar to get to the shifters without having to actually let go :o

I have also heard about Pauls Thumbies? Something like that, someone posted a picture a while back in another thread on this forum. It looked like another solution - similar to your link at velo-orange.

Slash, thanks for your kind words - and you nailed it in one :) I can go LOOK at much larger versions of all three bikes (and I have) but that isn't the same as being able to test ride something. Then again, I know a lot of people are in this position and it is just my, ummm, detailed approach to it all that has turned this into my Touring Bike Epic :)

[Zen]

Thumbies are kinda spendy.

[Bike Chick]

Catrin,

I can certainly understand your dilemma. I've been looking for an errand/trail/commuter bike for almost a year now and I think we both have the same issues regarding size. I've considered both of these and researched many others on the list at have never had an opportunity to ride anything because of the size.

The upside to this is that I have ended up ordering a Luna Eclipse for the road and have learned a lot about bicycles in the whole process.

The downside is that I still don't have my errand/trail/commuter bike because I can't make a decision and commit to it. It seems the more I research, the deeper I get in choices:rolleyes: and don't make a choice at all.

Shopping for your new bike is half the fun, Catrin. I don't think you will go wrong with either one. Have you tried the ole line down the paper with pros vs. cons method?

[Catrin]

...

Shopping for your new bike is half the fun, Catrin. I don't think you will go wrong with either one. Have you tried the ole line down the paper with pros vs. cons method?

Yep - and the Surly wins every time I do that :) So perhaps I've already answered my own question? I can always talk to the bike store about how expensive it would be to move those bar-end shifters...I sure don't have the skills/tools/bravery to do it..

[withm]

I know you are really wanting to buy the touring bike next week, but since you are so new to the sport, I really think you'll be happier with a bike that you bought after you got a few hundred miles in on the bike you have.

Once you start riding more frequently, meeting other riders, and seeing what others like and dislike about their bikes will really help you to decide what you need. As soon as your are more confident and skillful on your own bike, your new friends will be more likely to let you try their bikes so you can learn the subtle differences between one bike and another. After all, they went through the same agony of trying to find bikes in their sizes. That way you will have a much better idea of the features you will want, or not.

I would really fear that if you bought your touring bike now, you will be selling it in a year to get the bike you really want. I sort of look at as though you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you meet the handsome prince. The only problem is that the bike specs on paper just can't translate into how the bike actually fits and rides.

And finally if the local shops don't have a bike in your size to try, make them bring one in for you. I know they may try to tell you that you have to buy it but get real. I know this economy has been hard on bike shops, and it's hard on the customers too. But in most cases it's just crazy to spend $$$ on a bike if you haven't ridden it first. And if the shop absolutely refuses, then I'd take my business to another shop.

My two cents. And I hope you meet the handsome prince.

[KnottedYet]

Withm makes some very good points.

[Bike Chick]

Withm makes some very good points.

Yes, they are good points. Been there.

BTW I checked into changing out the bar end shifters and it would've cost $200 at my LBS.

[Catrin]

Yes, they are good points. Been there.

BTW I checked into changing out the bar end shifters and it would've cost $200 at my LBS.

I was planning on checking into that today...thanks! It will be interesting to see what they would charge for this. Indeed, good points. I need a bike that I can take home this spring, and my Trek can't handle the mountains. I've certainly already considered the points that have been raised...thankfully my LBS guarantees the fit which is quite a comfort. We will see what happens in the next week :rolleyes:

[Cataboo]

Well, your trek could handle the mountains - you can't necessarily handle the mountains on your trek.

You can look into putting a mountain bike rear cassette on your trek as a cheaper solution.

[Catrin]

Well, your trek could handle the mountains - you can't necessarily handle the mountains on your trek.

You can look into putting a mountain bike rear cassette on your trek as a cheaper solution.

That is true, which means I need to start practicing on hills :D I have looked into a different cassette. Certainly food for thought, though likely won't change my timing. Even with a different cassette, I can't take the Trek on certain non-technical trails that I can with the Surly - and it doesn't have clearance for cyclo-cross tires. However I will certainly take another look around and consider all of my options. That is the reason for enforced waiting periods - to make sure that I am comfortable with whatever decision I make.

I know that I can test-ride a Trek 520 in a matter of days - a local dealer will order it without obligation. Perhaps my LBS might be willing to do this with the LHT.