Long Haul Trucker Cassette Question

[KnottedYet]

Ritamarie - did you feel a large difference in flavor between the rides of the two bikes? I was all set to go after a LHT, but rode a CC first. I fell so deeply into wild and passionate love with the CC that I never got around to riding an LHT.

I'd love to know more about your experience comparing the two bikes!

(I'm actually afraid to ride an LHT now, because I already have more bikes than I really need and if I fall in love again.... uh oh.)

[Ritamarie]

I fell so deeply into wild and passionate love with the CC that I never got around to riding an LHT.

lol, me too! Never rode the LHT. Only because after telling the LBS what I was looking for they steered me to the CC, and it made sense, so that's what I tried and loved. So I had them put a triple and straight bars on the CC.

[Ritamarie]

I have to say though, there is something positively romantic about the LHT. ;-)

[Catrin]

The geometry of the LHT seems a closer fit than the CC - though that is a good note about the CC being able to do lighter touring.

KnottedYet and Surly Pacer, thanks for your comments on the gearing. The information is very helpful. It is also good to know that it is easy to adjust gears later if I need to do so.

I probably need to test ride BOTH the LHT and CC - I did note that the stem angle on the CC is 85 while my current bike (and the LHT) is 75. What is the impact of that?

[KnottedYet]

Generally it means the bike with the steeper head tube will be a bit more responsive.

It is almost entirely a subjective experience, something you want to try yourself.

In general a slacker head tube will be a bit more steady and predictable.

Again, very subjective. What feels responsive and lively to one person may feel twitchy and frightening to another. And what one person feels is smooth and like butter may feel sluggish to another.

Ride both. You'll fit the 42 or 46 LHT and probably a 42 CC. If you have to make a road trip to a shop with the bikes in stock, it might be worth it in order to get a test ride on each.

EDIT: WHOOOPS! I answered the wrong question! I was thinking about head tubes, and not about stem angle. Basically stem angle means nothing when comparing between bikes. It's about placement of the bars relative to the saddle. It's one of those things that will be different eight ways from Sunday depending on the geometry of the bike and the geometry of your body when it is happy. You change the angle, reach, height, length, color, flavor, personality of the stem to bring the bars closer or farther or higher or lower. One of those almost infinitely adjustable kinds of things. I've changed stems on two of my bikes. No biggie. (It's one of those fine tuning the fit things, like changing your saddle or its position.)

[Chicken Little]

Not to steal a thread, but why is it nobody's going for the Pacer? I curious, because the minute the ole' tax return comes in, I'm heading for Surlyville!

[KnottedYet]

Several people on TE have Pacers. I bet if you start a Pacer thread they'll jump right on!

Catrin is looking for info about Long Haul Truckers because she's considering them after being bitten by the Salsa Fargo bug... but the Fargo doesn't come small enough.

So, I think we're tending to talk about the two bikes she's got questions about in her thread (LHT and CC), but we certainly don't intend to ignore all the other Surly sweetness!

Mmmmm, Surly....

[bikerHen]

Not to steal a thread, but why is it nobody's going for the Pacer? I curious, because the minute the ole' tax return comes in, I'm heading for Surlyville!

I SOOOOOO want a Pacer! Every winter I think about selling my road bike and buying a Pacer. But then spring rolls around and I start riding it and it really is a lovely ride. "sigh" What's a girl to do? If I would quit pouring money into my LHT maybe I could save for another bike. Just got it back from the shop with it's new drivetrain and handle bar tape . . . it is a smoking hot machine! bikerHen