hey thanks for all your replies
I posted a reply ages and ages ago so I don't know why it never showed up-I'm new to all this so maybe I didn't press the right button!,but yeah thanks for all your replies-greatly appreciated, I plan on traveling fairly light as Ill be hosteling but I was wondering as I'm leaning towards getting a cyclocross-would it be difficult or expensive to get an extend able stem to remedy the back problem issue? and thanks knottedyet for the surly site-some great pics on there,how much weight can you carry on yours?