Surly Long Haul Trucker - First week
The LHT was pressed into commuting duty every day last week and the result has left me very happy with my purchase. Every day I benefited from the comfortable riding position and the fact that I didn't have to carry a pack on my back.
The Brooks B17 saddle is slowly breaking in after only 140km. I've been told it takes 1000km for them to break in properly but I am already very happy with it. The one benefit of the Brooks that nobody seems to mention is that it flexes a little when you hit a bump. The LHT is set up to ride fairly smoothly but that little extra shock absorption is welcome.
The cantilever brakes were a concern when I bought the bike. There is no doubt I have to squeeze the lever harder then I did on the roadie but I've not found myself with inadequate braking power. The front brakes are making a bit of noise so I have to spend a bit of time setting them up properly.
The Schwalbe Marathon Supreme tyres have been excellent. Cornering at speed in the wet and the dry has been confidence inspiring and the rolling resistance is less than expected.
I still marvel at the stability of the bike and how easy it is to ride a nice line around fast downhill corners. That same stability makes it very easy to have a good look behind or spend a bit of time admiring the scenery. I've seen things on Norton Summit Road that I've never seen before simply because I don't have to spend every second ensuring the bike is on track.
When I bought the bike I was concerned about heal strike on the panniers. Not having ridden a bike with panniers before I really didn't know what to expect. The LHT has 460mm chainstays so this wasn't an issue but what nobody mentioned is that when you stand up to stretch the back of your leg on the aft pedal does touch the panniers. For this reason and a few others I am glad I didn't go for the Cross Check with its shorter chainstays.
That's it for now. If anything new arises I'll post again.
The Brooks B17 saddle is slowly breaking in after only 140km. I've been told it takes 1000km for them to break in properly but I am already very happy with it. The one benefit of the Brooks that nobody seems to mention is that it flexes a little when you hit a bump. The LHT is set up to ride fairly smoothly but that little extra shock absorption is welcome.
The cantilever brakes were a concern when I bought the bike. There is no doubt I have to squeeze the lever harder then I did on the roadie but I've not found myself with inadequate braking power. The front brakes are making a bit of noise so I have to spend a bit of time setting them up properly.
The Schwalbe Marathon Supreme tyres have been excellent. Cornering at speed in the wet and the dry has been confidence inspiring and the rolling resistance is less than expected.
I still marvel at the stability of the bike and how easy it is to ride a nice line around fast downhill corners. That same stability makes it very easy to have a good look behind or spend a bit of time admiring the scenery. I've seen things on Norton Summit Road that I've never seen before simply because I don't have to spend every second ensuring the bike is on track.
When I bought the bike I was concerned about heal strike on the panniers. Not having ridden a bike with panniers before I really didn't know what to expect. The LHT has 460mm chainstays so this wasn't an issue but what nobody mentioned is that when you stand up to stretch the back of your leg on the aft pedal does touch the panniers. For this reason and a few others I am glad I didn't go for the Cross Check with its shorter chainstays.
That's it for now. If anything new arises I'll post again.
Add a Comment
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Comment by Angus Kingston on May 19, 2009 at 4:14pm - That's terrible Jim! The theft I mean although the stained pants isn't so good either. Luckily Luke has seen Hal's video on how to lock up your bike. I was surprised to see in NYC you need to chain your seat as well but apparently we need to be aware of that in Adelaide as well.
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Comment by Angus Kingston on May 18, 2009 at 11:35pm
- I'm still getting used to using panniers (only been 3 or so weeks) and I often get this sinking feeling I've forgotten something - like my backpack. Not such a sweaty back any more either.
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