I’m now coming up to 5,000 miles on the Surly Long Haul Trucker, aka my little Tank, and boy have they been my most comfortable 5,000 miles ever.
But, as there always is a but, the fecking Long Haul Trucker is the reason that I can’t ride my other bicycles any more. As my good friend at my LBS said … “Over the years as you get older you might find that you want to raise your handlebars a little bit as time goes on. You my friend have gone and done it, raised the bars by at least 20deg on your Surly and there is no way that you can go back again“.
And then there are the Brooks saddles, I do have a Brooks bum and there is no way I’m going back to other saddles.
Dirty Pia : My beloved MTB, which I have done umpteen miles on without any problems. Now I’m in agony after a few miles, too much weight on my hands and arms because of the forward leaning position. And then there is the saddle, how the heck did I manage all these miles before on that sharp brick ?
Chutney : My Speed Pro TT from Dahon, which I have climbed Col de Tourmalet on without any problems, ok I was cream knackered but it was not the bicycle’s fault. The position on that is also too much leaned forward and the brakes are not there compared to the Tank.
Stella : My Peugeot road bicycle which I have fixed, is also a bit too much leaned over for comfort, but along with Brooks saddle (Team Pro). It is still very much ridable as a pootle around town bicycle, though long distances are out unless I raise the bars a bit.
My little Tank, is just so comfortable, nice and high position where I can see what is going on when commuting. Just rolls, ok not fast, but this is not a racer at all. As I keep saying, four wheels and a sofa is what the Surly Long Haul Trucker compares to. And it has brakes that just work: they stop me on a dime, loaded or not. Brilliant control when riding loaded or not. And then there is the Brooks Saddle, some like them, some don’t and I do love it, comfy 🙂
So my stable has too be rethought. Pia is going to be retired since she will cost too much to upgrade as the group set is worn out. Chutney is going to be sold as parts for others to use. Stella I will keep as she is as she is still fun to ride on quick short rides.
Though this leaves the question what N+1 should I get ?
You know what I think, everybody needs some sort of folder….
But, there has to be space for a cross bike, although the LHT is most of the way there. Maybe drop bars with a more relaxed geometry.
My commiserations – I know just what you mean, as I’m enjoying the selfsame experience with the Salsa Fargo. It’s sooooo comfortable on its 56-622 balloons.
In fact it does have what Ham said, ” . . drop bars with a more relaxed geometry”, and I leapfrogged considering the LHT to go the whole hog for my Big Tank! [It absolutely dwarfs everything around it.]
But you probably don’t want ‘more of the same’ . . yet!
Perhaps Ham is right – a decent folder?
Meanwhile I’ve had to raise the bars on the Batavus Jakima and the old Raleigh Royal; and the ancient Raleigh (nameless) mountain bike will have to face some surgery too.
[…] to say I have to let go of my Dahon Speed Pro TT, 2008, simply because the Surly LHT have ruined all my bicycles as it is just way to comfy and I can’t ride the Dahon any […]
Can I ask you what handelbar you are using on your LHT ?
I have used two kinds of butterfly/trekking bars and On-one Mary handlebars. The latter I got one with very well and have use them for over two years.
I have used various version of the butterfly/trecking bars and really enjoyed using the On-One Mary handlebars.