The bike we all seem to want.
Surly is the one brand we do where all the bikes make us think, 'that would just fit in with my other bikes fine'.
We all discuss romantic ideals of going on a tour in Europe or across our own fine land and we think this would be a great candidate to do it on.
Its simple, clean, practical and still has a brand name that people will respect and enquire about.
The LHT or Long Haul Trucker is a drop barred tourer in the same tradition as all the greats, it features bar end shifters for practicality (Surly don't like STI's), triple chainset for dragging it up any hill, full guard and rack mounts AND it comes with a laid back geometry so it's easy to ride and comfortable for the long days.
You could of course just use it as a commuter or shopping bike, up to you really.
It won't win any style awards but if you do chose to take it to the Himalayas or Skye you know you will be able to fix it if it breaks and get home safe.
Surly's description is as follows:
"If you want to carry a lot of stuff while riding your bike long distances, you’d be hard pressed to find a better bike than the Long Haul Trucker. It starts with the frame, whose custom drawn 4130 tubing and geometry were specifically designed for loaded travel, low bottom bracket for stability, long head tube, long stays, the whole thing. We added braze-ons for everything you’re likely to need. We gave it parts that are durable and long lasting, and ready to travel. Add racks, bags, fenders, whathaveyou, and go somewhere. This bike has been among our most popular models because it’s a good value and a great riding bike. Oh, and it handles short distances too.
We’re continuing to offer the LHT as we always have, with 26" wheels on the smaller sizes and 700c wheels on the larger frames. New this year, we’re also offering 26" wheels for the larger frame sizes too. Although many people (some of us included) like the ride of 700c wheels, in many parts of the world 26" is a more popular size, so you’ll be able to find replacement tubes, tires, and rims more easily should the need arise. Smaller wheels are also stronger than their 700c counterparts, so they’ll stand up better to rough roads and heavy loads. Frames in both wheel sizes accomodate pretty big tires with mud and fender clearance for a smooth ride."
Tubing 100% Surly 4130 CroMoly steel. Main triangle double-butted. TIG-welded
Rear dropouts Vertical, 135mm spaced
Brake compatibility Linear-pull or traditional cantilever
Braze-ons Upper bosses and dropout eyelets for racks front and rear, fender eyelets, chainstay spare spoke holder, pump peg, downtube lever bosses, 3 sets of H2O cage bosses, rear housing stop for canti brakes, housing stops for brakes and derailleurs
Seatpost diameter 27.2mm
Seatpost clamp diameter 30mm, Surly Constrictor included
Headset 1-1/8" threadless
Front derailleur clamp diameter 28.6mm
Bottom bracket shell 68mm wide, 1.37x24t
Chainring clearance 42/53t double, 38/52/56t triple
Fork 4130 CroMoly, lugged and brazed, tapered curved blades with lowrider rack eyelets
Frame Weight 58cm = 2340g (5.15 lbs) Fork - uncut = 1020g (2.25 lbs)
Max. tire size 700c: w/o fenders: 45mm; w/fenders:42mm 26": 2.1" with or without fenders
Wheel sizes 42-54cm accommodate 26" wheels 56-62cm accommodate 700c wheels
