Re: Best mail order source for Surly Long Haul Trucker?
- From: Pikachu <Pikachu@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 11:46:46 -0700
In article <rbvsf31pps8349s5cc7r9ncou4121p51a0@xxxxxxx>, me@xxxxxxxxxxx
wrote:
I live in small town with no local bike shop nor one
for hrs away.
I'm 5' 1 or 11 inches and 32" inseam..... age 49
I want to buy a Surly LHT....... I "think" 56 cm will
work but not sure. What you advise? maybe 54 cm?
Bottom line..... where is the best mail order source to
order one from and have shipped to my house?
FWIW, trying to fit someone over the 'net isn't the wisest practice.
Having said that, I will provide my data for your reference.
I'm 176cm (5'9") tall with a 81cm (32") PBH*, and I ride my 54cm LHT
comfortably, meaning with a Brooks saddle I have a fistful of seatpost
showing, and I don't need to use an odd-sized stem nor lots of spacers
under than stem. I could probably ride a 56cm, but the standover height
will get uncomfortably close to my PBH. This was a consideration for me
because I use the bike for commuting and errand running, with a lot of
stop-n-go and traffic negotiation. I would have less of an issue with
the standover clearance if I were to buy the bike for touring.
Here are a few more notes for your consideration:
1. The 56cm is the smallest 700c LHT. The 54cm and smaller ones all use
26" (ISO 559mm) wheels. That may be a consideration because 26" wheels
are typically stronger than 700c wheels, although the selection of 26"
narrow road-going tires is quite limited. Regardless, all LHT have
135mm wide rear hub spacing. At least for me, it was easier and cheaper
to source a 26" wheel with 135mm hubs, than a 700c wheel with 135mm hubs.
2. Because of the wheel size difference, the effective gearing is also a
bit different. That may be a consideration if you're reusing some
drivetrain parts. I use Continental's Sport Contact 26"x1.6 tires with
a Campy road triple 53/40/30 and a 12-32 cogset. I have not run out of
gears yet, despite some heavy loads, strong headwinds, and hilly
terrain. The bike is slightly but noticeably slower than my 700c road
bike though.
3. If you have the skills and inclination, buying the frame/fork and
building up the bike isn't a bad way to go. I got a frame/fork, and
cobbled my bike together over a couple of months of eBay dealings. For
about the same price as Surly is charging for their LHT bike, I got a
LHT with the parts I wanted. Having stated that, if the Surly build is
acceptable to you, it is quite the value for money.
Pikachu
* PBH is similar but may not be the same as inseam; see rivbike.com for
details.
.
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