New Surly LHT for Tour

[Savra]

Hello. I am not exactly new. I posted a long time ago when I got my first road bike but am rather shy and so don't post much. But I wanted to share my new purchase. :) This last week the Easter Bunny brought me a beautiful blue Surly LHT to ride the upcoming fully supported Erie Canal Bike Tour this summer. I've wanted to do the Erie Canal ride for some time and finally found I could fit it in! Of course, that meant a brand new Surly! I've only ridden her twice now with only one long ride. She desperately needs a new saddle. I'm thinking the pre-aged Brooks Flyer S. Next I am looking into panniers so I can commute to work and have bags for the tour.
:)

[kmehrzad]

Congrats on your Easter gift, Savra. I also have a Surly LHT (black) and I really love the bike. Last yr. I rode the LHT 3 days, 185 mi. on the C&O Canal Towpath and the bike was a pleasure to ride. I hope you enjoy your Surly on the Erie Canal tour this summer.

[Savra]

Thank you! Has any one one here done the Erie Canal Bike Tour? Any suggestions? Thoughts? Was it fun? I would love to hear from people who have done it before.

[Tri Girl]

woo wee- that's SOOO gorgeous!!! Congrats!!!! :D:D

[redrhodie]

Man, all EB brought me was some crummy candy. ;) Congrats on the gorgeous machine!

[moderncyclista]

NICE!!!! Lovely. Now you get to customize it and make it yours. I scraped off the "fff logo" on one side (which offended my prissy sensibilities as a woman) - the other was covered with a clear chain guard by my bike shop so I covered it with perfect color -match blue electrical tape (until I find the perfect snarky bike bumpersticker that wants to live there.)

Upgraded to a Brooks saddle, got soft blue waterproof roll-top panniers. I was going to leather wrap the bars but the wrap job is so good and comfy I didn't want to mess it up. I slapped on FOX mountain bike alloy platform pedals (with nobbies to hold my feet on.) All in all I adore this bike. I don't care how heavy people say it is, it rides like a dream. I beat people in aluminum, carbon and vintage steel bikes up giant hills and straightaways (and I'm no professional biker). Surly makes great bikes. If the economy improves sometime soon I really want to invest in a Cross-Check. (The GF wants a Karate Monkey or a Troll. :D)

Basically CONGRATULATIONS! Be prepared for massive fun ahead!

[Savra]

[QUOTE=moderncyclista;570632]
Upgraded to a Brooks saddle, got soft blue waterproof roll-top panniers. I was going to leather wrap the bars but the wrap job is so good and comfy I didn't want to mess it up. I slapped on FOX mountain bike alloy platform pedals (with nobbies to hold my feet on.)

:) Sounds like we have similar tastes. I have already ordered the Brooks and was thinking of the Ortlieb Backroller Blue Panniers. I was going to do the leather wrap too but found the black wrap that is already on it to be really well done. I don't want to mess with a good thing. I stuck with my basic SPD pedals though. I keep thinking I'm going to try the Speedplay Frogs but don't feel like having to change the pedals on ALL my bikes at this point. :)

[wnyrider]

Hi Savra, Just a quick hello and congrats on the LHT! Are you still in Cheektowaga? Seeing Buffalo in your location, I remembered you from back when I joined the forum. I ended up meeting another Niagara County resident member from this forum and for the last two summers we've ridden around the area. You are welcomed to join us. In the meantime enjoy your Surly:- )

[Savra]

Hey wnyrider - I would love to meet up with you. I did my first group ride yesterday and am definitely looking for more people to ride with.

[Sky King]

I love Surly's. When we owned a retail store we sold them all the time.

Sounds like yours is fitting you well. I ride a Rivendell Bleriot and it cracks me up when someone on "race bike" is shocked that I can keep up with them.

We are going to ride the Natchez Trace Parkway in October and will have to read about the Erie Canal.

I have a Giles Berthoud Saddle, took a bit to break in but gets better every ride. I am fairly sure that I am going to take the RackTime TravelIT's on our tour but I also ride with two Zimbale Bags everyday - the 11 liter and the front rack bag. Here is a link to our Blog Post (http://biketouringnews.com/carrying-stuff/racktime-travel-it/) about the TravelIT's

[Biciclista]

congrats on your new bike. Don't be shy! welcome to TE!
and Sky King, a welcome to you too!

[Velocivixen]

Congratulations on your lovely new bike. Have a great time riding it and don't be too shy. ;)

[ASammy1]

Hello! I got the same electric blue LHT back in February :D Like moderncyclista said, it is heavy, but it truly rides like a dream. I love it. I was looking for a work horse and one that would be comfortable as I get older. So welcome to the LHT club! Quite a few members on this forum have them and all rave about the bike. My longest ride so far has only been about 15 miles due to the crummy Midwest spring weather we've had this year, but I can't wait to get out for longer rides.

I haven't done too much to personalize my LHT. Only a rear rack and Topeak trunk bag so far, but like you, I need a new saddle as well.

Enjoy!

[Atlas]

What a lovely bike. I have a Cross Check that I love and would someday like a LHT deluxe with couplers. That stock saddle is wretched, I still haven't found one that works perfectly but at least I don't have that one. Have fun on your tour.

[Savra]

I agree - those stock saddles are the devil. My Brooks Flyer S came in two days ago. I finally took her out today to try it out. The Brooks makes SUCH a difference. It's not quite perfect yet - I keep having to push my butt back on to the seat - but it is so much more comfortable than that devil stock saddle. Evil saddle. :)
Thank you for all the congratulations!

[Sky King]

Savra, raise the nose on your saddle. Play with it so you don't get it to high but that will solve the problem

[Savra]

I haven't quite figured out how to do that yet. There is only one bolt that holds it all together as far as I can see and that doesn't do tilting. I can take it to my LBS later in the week and they will do it but for now - unless I figure out how to tilt it - it has to stay where it is.

[laura*]

I haven't quite figured out how to do that yet. There is only one bolt that holds it all together as far as I can see and that doesn't do tilting. I can take it to my LBS later in the week and they will do it but for now - unless I figure out how to tilt it - it has to stay where it is.

Loosen the bolt "a lot", but not so far that the clamping mechanism comes apart. If your seatpost is like most single bolt posts today, then the clamp pieces will tilt forward and backward. There are probably locking ridges which is why the bolt has to be loosened quite a bit.

[Savra]

Oooh, thank you. I think I I did it! We shall see how it fits.

[RidingBuddy]

I love my LHT. Love the ride but especially love the name!