Quote Originally Posted by happyscientist View Post
Surly was my first thought, but I got a tremendous amount of resistance from the bike shops that sell them about switching out gears. Granted, these aren't the LBS where I normally shop because they don't sell Surly, so I don't know if they just don't want to be hassled or if it is a real problem. If I really wanted a Surly, I would ask my LBS if they could switch gears before I bought one. However, I am not the type of person who has to buy a new bike every year. As long as I don't get stupid, it is well within my budget to buy custom.

Murielalex, thanks for the tips. I am going to have to look up some of the companies you mention. The couplers do seem like a good idea since I will be shipping the bike.
You can get a LHT frame with couplers! The Long Haul Trucker Deluxe.
I think they run around a $1000 for that frame. Yes, those couplers are very expensive.

Don't let those LBS people bully you into thinking that it's a big hassle to change out gearing, because it's not a big deal. Sounds like they are just being lazy.
Any bike shop can order a Surly bike or frame. They are carried by QBP, which is a supplier for almost all bike shops. Just few LBS carry them. You can order a Surly yourself online too. Many places sell them mail order (Jensen, etc).
You can even get them through REI now too. Do you have an REI nearby?