Fit and function: Redline Classic vs LHT vs Surly CC vs ??

[Sky King]

The conquest and the cross check are not going to offer the advantages of the LHT. The LHT will give you the ability to be more upright. I don't know about the others. I would go with the Surly LHT, hands down. Have many friends on LHT's with a variety of handlebars - drop, moustache and swept back. Read the Bike Hermits post on bike fit that will help you out re size. Of course also go to the Surly owners forum. In the long run, I think you will be super happy!

[lindah]

Thanks for your comments. I'm delighted to be able to have this conversation.

From what you all have said, I feel more confident that a non-WSB will work for me size-wise and that I'm looking at the right models more or less.

One thing I didn't mention is that I test rode a redline conquest classic recently (prior to my voluminous online research) and found it to be a looong reach. I was told that that could be mitigated by shortening the stem - but I have since read that this makes a bike squirrelly. What do you think?

FWIW..My current bike is a 1992 Specialzed Rockhopper MTB that I only fit into because I put those handle bar extenders on to shorten my reach and allow me to be probably unnaturally upright.

I have to say that I like the concept of the Redline CC best - lighter, quicker, versitile. The geometry on the LHT seems more suitable to what I'm looking for though, alhtough I'm concerned that it will be heavy and not as much fun for a lightweight like me to ride unloaded over the mountain passes near here. Zoom Zoom and Sky King voiced both ends of that spectrum. Now I need to find out where I fall, eh?

Will the LHT feel slow and/or heavy to me for daily (unloaded) rides?

Will the Redline CC feel too stretched out and never fit quite right?

We can throw Bianchi Volpe in the mix, though I understand its very similar to the Redline.

Where can I find actual weights on the above bikes?

THANK YOU ALL AGAIN. THE INTERNET IS AMAZING B/C OF PEOPLE LIKE YOU.

[zoom-zoom]

One thing I didn't mention is that I test rode a redline conquest classic recently (prior to my voluminous online research) and found it to be a looong reach. I was told that that could be mitigated by shortening the stem - but I have since read that this makes a bike squirrelly. What do you think?

Any idea what length stem was on the one you tested? Mine has a 90mm stem, which is shorter than my road bike's 100mm stem. I think that ended up making the reach maybe 15mm shorter. But it didn't feel at all squirrely. I think I could easily go 70-80mm and feel well in control, since the bike is already a lot less responsive/aggressive/stiff than my road bike. I had actually contemplated putting a longer stem on my Conquest, but we think flipping the existing stem will get me the reach and position that I prefer.