Surly Love

[bikerHen]

Here are a couple of ideas for you, when you're ready to start pimping out your ride.

Instead of a kickstand, these are great. I have one and just love it. You definitely need the heavy duty one for touring. http://www.click-stand.com

My sister got a Truckaccino Surly last year. She put a pair of these fenders on it. They look GREAT! http://www.woodysfenders.com/store/
bikerHen

[Catrin]

Thanks for the links - the fenders look great! Once my budget recovers from this purchase, and a new personal training package in April, and needed new cycling clothing...it will be time to spruce up the new bike

I have my quote for the new build! It is a little more expensive than I had originally planned - but with handmade wheels, thorn resistant tires, upgraded crank/derailleurs/other stuff I think that it is worth it. So it turned out to be $500 extra before labor and taxes - I think the added value will be worth it. I DO have someone checking out the quote for me who knows a lot more about bike components than I do - I know just enough to be dangerous

Thanks for the advice on kickstands and so-forth - that is very good food for thought. KnottedYet, I will follow your advice and hold off on making any decisions about kickstands until I've learned how to handle the bike, including loading it without it. The Surly site got my attention as well, I don't want to risk damaging my lovely steel frame...

[moderncyclista]

I use a rear mount kick stand on my "all steel" Trek 520. Works well under heavy grociery loads, wb coffee schleping, & general hauling. Also, Surly says if you modify their products they don't guarantee them in the PDF instructions of the LHT - but I didn't see mention of kickstands. We had the kickstand convo on here a little while ago. Where's that thread? *searches flinging papers above head*

I've been eyeballing the LHT (for quite awhile) and while I like green (esp. this year's Pacer color) the complete LHT blue is quite striking. Dark brown accents would look rather dapper on that bike. Hmmmm....

Also, carbon bars on a touring bike? Seems a strange recommendation for a LHT. On almost any other type of bike it'd make more sense. If you were getting a CC or Pacer sure, but LHT? Hmm. I'm glad someone piped up about that - it could've been quite the kerfuffle.

Catrin: Hand-built wheels aren't necessary. The stock wheels on the LHT aren't bad Alex rims Shimano XT hubs with DT Swiss spokes 36 h. That is durable, hearty, stuff. I mean yeah, if you need extra performance upgrade em', but that should do for most cross-country tourers. Many people tour on completely stock LHT's, let alone ride around town on em'. The tires WTB Slickasaurus aren't puncture resistant - so yeah, upgrade the tires at least. The WTB Slickasaurus is $19 an extra $20 or so per tire and you can upgrade to puncture resistance. The stock crankset is good for touring, commuting, etc. You shouldn't need to go to SRAM for the crankset. The nice thing about Surly is they spec. their bikes out pretty well. So don't let them talk you into anything you don't "need."

[KnottedYet]

I have my quote for the new build! It is a little more expensive than I had originally planned - but with handmade wheels, thorn resistant tires, upgraded crank/derailleurs/other stuff I think that it is worth it. So it turned out to be $500 extra before labor and taxes - I think the added value will be worth it. I DO have someone checking out the quote for me who knows a lot more about bike components than I do - I know just enough to be dangerous

$500 over the cost of a Complete (which is $1,000)
$300-$400 bike build labor
$100 tax
= $1,900 - $2,000

Y'know, one of the fun things starting with stock is that you can upgrade as you learn and as you ride. Plus, at about 1/2 the budget by purchasing stock, you have quite a bit of your $2,000 left for the silly-but-fun personalizing touches... like those beautiful wooden fenders! Some things should be "upgraded" or "customized" immediately; like saddle, bars, and often pedals. Fit and comfort is of primary importance, no quibble there.

You just learned how to ride a bike. Maybe trust the stock selections on the LHT Complete, so that as your riding style develops you can develop your bike as well?

[Catrin]

$500 over the cost of a Complete (which is $1,000)
$300-$400 bike build labor
$100 tax
= $1,900 - $2,000

Actually it isn't that high - before labor/taxes the cost is $1,400 ($320 above the cost of the complete LHT with a MRSP of ~$1,080) with labor and taxes the final cost = $1,640 (still less than the Fargo before taxes - though not by much).

I've a friend looking at the quote to see if it is actually worth the cost - I am not doing ANYTHING before March 18th... Self-enforced waiting period is a good thing - especially when I really want something A few of the upgrades in this custom build they are giving to me at a deep discount and wouldn't be available later...so they are worth considering. I appreciate the advice for sure. Of course some of the parts were not changed.

[KnottedYet]

Oh, yeah! Love that self-enforced waiting period! I made myself wait a week and take my Surly CC for a second test ride before I bought her.

That was one heck of a tough week... whew!

[Catrin]

Oh, yeah! Love that self-enforced waiting period! I made myself wait a week and take my Surly CC for a second test ride before I bought her.

That was one heck of a tough week... whew!

hehehe, such is the way of things - and I am waiting for 3 weeks I know me when I really really want something. The choice isn't for/against the LHT, but between standard/custom - so that requires a longer self-enforced waiting time

[Cataboo]

$640 for an upgraded drive train might be worth it - I'm not sure whether handbuilt wheels'll make a difference, but maybe you can ask them to spec stock wheels vs. the built ones. That may cut down the difference.

If you tell us what upgrades there are to the drivetrain/shifters, we could probably tell you whether it's worth it or not... If the upgrades result in a considerably lighter bike, they might definitely be worth it..

Do you need another crank length than stock anyways? If so, that's an upgrade you'd've had to do... Youd have probably had to switch out the handlebars and saddle from stock to match your shoulders, maybe even the stem...

Upgrading bikes if you're doing it by yourself one by one can be not so expensive... however, if you need to have a bike shop do the work, it does add up.

[Catrin]

$640 for an upgraded drive train might be worth it - I'm not sure whether handbuilt wheels'll make a difference, but maybe you can ask them to spec stock wheels vs. the built ones. That may cut down the difference.

If you tell us what upgrades there are to the drivetrain/shifters, we could probably tell you whether it's worth it or not... If the upgrades result in a considerably lighter bike, they might definitely be worth it..

Do you need another crank length than stock anyways? If so, that's an upgrade you'd've had to do... Youd have probably had to switch out the handlebars and saddle from stock to match your shoulders, maybe even the stem...

Upgrading bikes if you're doing it by yourself one by one can be not so expensive... however, if you need to have a bike shop do the work, it does add up.

I have someone checking out the differences between the two specs for me - and I do not at this time have the mechanical skill, space, or tools to do the upgrades myself. The handlebars, stem, and saddle have to be upgraded anyway for fit and/or weight. When I have a better understanding on what is actually ON the list (right not it is a list of parts - some of which I can figure out - some are not) and how they differ from the stock build I will post it here. Thanks for the suggestion!

I've checked with my builder to see what difference the price would be if we used machine-made wheels with XT hubs rather than hand-made wheels. He is going to get back with me after doing some research. Apparently he cannot get the same wheel that Surly uses in the complete build, that is only available with the full Surly package.

As agonizing as all of this is (I want my new bike NOW), this is still a lot of fun

[Catrin]

I went to one of our LBS today to check out the Long Haul Trucker in person. Ok, so it was a size 54cm, all I COULD do was to look at it, and try to imagine it much smaller but it was fun. It was the tan color, and while I would take that if I've no choice, I do hope that I can get either the blue or sage green,

A beautiful bike is about more than color though, and I was itching to get on it and test it out...take it home and call it mine, LOL. I do think that I will be happy with whichever build I wind up purchasing on March 17th

[Cataboo]

I checked to make sure that the front rack that I bought for my surly pacer works today. So, the surly's gonna double for my touring bike until I build up something else at some point.

But the wheels I got for my surly pacer are these ones:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Shimano-Mavic-A7...item58864d405a

XT hubs, 36 spokes, mavic a719 rim.

That seller fairly frequently has them on ebay, and sometimes has them on auction - I waited for auctions & lucked out and got one set for about $90 shipped after I damaged the rims on the first set I bought dropping down into a parallel grate in the road - I think that set was like $160 shipped in auction.

I don't know if the long haul trucker in your size has 26 inch wheels or 700c.

But depending on what they're quoting for handbuilt wheels vs stock wheels, that seller might be an option.

[Catrin]

I don't know if the long haul trucker in your size has 26 inch wheels or 700c.

But depending on what they're quoting for handbuilt wheels vs stock wheels, that seller might be an option.

Thanks for the link - the two small LHT sizes takes 26-inch wheels.

Another option for me might be to just take the complete Surly build and just upgrade bars and saddle for now. That would still be more than the $1004 + tax (spring sale), but rather less than the +$1,600 Thankfully there is time to consider all of my options

Does anyone know the difference between these two cranksets?

Andel, Forged arms, Silver. Aluminum rings, 110mm BCD, 48-36-26t (Surly build)
and
Shimano Sora FC3403 50-39-30t 9-Speed 170mm 2-Piece Crankset (custom build)

Also

Front Derailleur Shimano Tiagra, FD-4403 triple (Surly build)
and
Tiagra FD4503 9spd Trpl 31.8/28.6mm Front Der (custom build)

[OakLeaf]

Can you use 170 mm cranks, or are you going to have to swap them out for shorter ones regardless? What does your fitter say about that?

[Catrin]

Can you use 170 mm cranks, or are you going to have to swap them out for shorter ones regardless? What does your fitter say about that?

The 170mm cranks listed were my fitters suggestion - the 110mm is Surly stock. He has done a body fit on me for my Trek, so he has all of that information, I am long-legged with a short torso.

[KnottedYet]

The 170mm cranks listed were my fitters suggestion - the 110mm is Surly stock. He has done a body fit on me for my Trek, so he has all of that information, I am long-legged with a short torso.

BCD is not the length of the crank arms.

My opinion, which is worth nothing: buy the Complete. Change the saddle and bars (and get the rebate from "selling back" the bars and saddle the bike came with). Ride lots.

My dose of cruel reality, also worth nothing: you don't have much experience. You are only just learning to ride a bike. Trust Surly to provide a good stock set up. Save your money. Don't trust your fitter farther than you can throw him. Ride lots. Customize after.

-Knot: is a fitter, isn't a wrench.

(I'm so serious. What is a upgrade for one person, is a P.O.S. for another. You really need to ride a whole bunch before you know what is an upgrade FOR YOU. Buy stock. Surly is good stuff. It is designed deliberately to be compatible with a gazillion options. You and the bike will grow together. Trust all the Surly mavens on this site. We wouldn't steer you wrong. We believe in these bikes and we ride these bikes.)