# Surly Long Haul Trucker



## Pottsy (7 Mar 2009)

I've just ordered one of these - frame and forks only. I'm going to build it up with bits I already have and a few new purchases. It's going to be my touring bike for a potential long European trip this summer. 

Perhaps I should have asked first but I was just wondering if anyone else has one and can reassure me that it's a great bike?


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## andym (7 Mar 2009)

It seems to be very popular in the US - at $750 (IIRC) for a fully-built bike it's not hard to see why.


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## rich p (7 Mar 2009)

Good reputation.

I thought this was a thread about Rythym Thief!


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## Joe (7 Mar 2009)

I've got one. I've not ridden it much yet (it was my commuter for a while but is currently at home with my parents as I don't have room for it here).
It's really heavy but smooth riding and feels like it will outlive me. I'll be LEJOGing on it in the summer and I can't wait to see how it rides fully laden!
Looks nicer in the flesh than in photos, what colour did you go for?


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## hobo (7 Mar 2009)

I met a ozzy bloke with one touring for a year around oz and he was pleased with it. This was about 4 months into his ride.


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## gwhite (8 Mar 2009)

I've not long built one up for a friend of mine and I was quite impressed. The frame did have an imperfection re the paint job, but it was free of paint on the threads and had the BB and Headset already faced. Most of all though I thought it a first-rate touring frame in that the angles and long head-tube seemed ideal. I didn't see it as heavy at all and when built up with XT MTB brakes and gears on trekking bars and on 26" wheels it looked the part.
My friend swears that it is the most comfortable bike he has ever owned and is looking forward to a continental tour in the summer. I want one.


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## Pottsy (8 Mar 2009)

Joe said:


> I've got one. I've not ridden it much yet (it was my commuter for a while but is currently at home with my parents as I don't have room for it here).
> It's really heavy but smooth riding and feels like it will outlive me. I'll be LEJOGing on it in the summer and I can't wait to see how it rides fully laden!
> Looks nicer in the flesh than in photos, what colour did you go for?



I went for the bizarrely named 'Truckacino' which is a coffee colour with black lettering.

I'm putting an XT chainset on it, Cane Creek headset and some wheels off my old mountain bike. Can't quite decide on brakes and gear shifters yet so there'll be a few questions here coming along soon.

Thanks for the comments so far.


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## bike_the_planet (9 Mar 2009)

Pottsy said:


> I've just ordered one of these - frame and forks only. I'm going to build it up with bits I already have and a few new purchases. It's going to be my touring bike for a potential long European trip this summer.
> 
> Perhaps I should have asked first but I was just wondering if anyone else has one and can reassure me that it's a great bike?



I had a good look at one of these at my LBS.

The frame is neatly TIG welded out of 4130 steel. According to Surly it is double-butted tubing on all the main tubes. 4130 is the standard Chrome Molybdenum steel alloy used in the automotive industry and is strong and resillient. Judging by the frame weight I would say that main tube gauges are around the 0.9/0.6/0.9 mm.

These frames are good for several reasons I think:

The frame is nicely finished - the welds partcularly are neat and the paintwork appears good although how durable it is I don't know.
Surly have added almost every useful braze-on that a touring bike needs. I didn't check whether mudguard fittings were designed to be via a bracket or direct-to-frame, though. A pump-peg on the front of the LH seat-stay would have been better than the below-top tube mount. A pump here gets in the way if you have to lift the bike on and off trains, up steps, etc
They have a very comprehensive and sensible sizing system. Bigger frames appear to have proportionally longer top tubes that prevent annoyances like front toe-clip/cleat overlap with front wheel/mudguard. Many contributors on this forum claim that toe overlap isn't a problem; I still can't understand why a well-designed touring bike _needs _to have a front overlap in the first place...(if it's not needed - why have it?)
Surly frames are keenly priced

I think that building a bike from recycled parts on a surly frame is an excellent idea. I'm thinking of doing it myself. 

D you know what width bottom bracket unit it needs? Maybe that's on their website.

Good luck,

Tony


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## Pottsy (9 Mar 2009)

Thanks for your post bike_the_planet, very interesting.

This page from the Surly site has lots of details, including some on the bottom bracket.

http://www.surlybikes.com/files/SURLYLongHaul.pdf


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## PpPete (9 Mar 2009)

bike_the_planet said:


> 4130 is the standard Chrome Molybdenum steel alloy used in the automotive industry



Fairly high-end automotive I would say. Roll cages etc on competition cars & so on. Used to be standard in US Aerospace industry, and still spec'd on many smaller planes even for high stress areas like engine mounts. Usually similar strength to Reynolds 531 IIRC but can be cold worked up to strengths not far off some titanium alloys. However tends to distort badly when welded, then needs straightening, then stress relieving after, so you'd lose a lot of the benefit of the cold working. Good stuff OTH. Used to sell tons of it a previous career.


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## hubbike (9 Mar 2009)

how does it work with 26" wheels vs 700cc. I'm 6'2" so I suppose that I'm too big for a 26" wheeled one?


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## gwhite (9 Mar 2009)

Be aware that if you're buying a frame that Surly measures these differently from others. i.e. they measure from centre of BB to a point above the top of the seat tube. This means that they tend to be 1 or 2 cm larger than you expect. See website for frame details.


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## bike_the_planet (10 Mar 2009)

porkypete said:


> Fairly high-end automotive I would say. Roll cages etc on competition cars & so on. Used to be standard in US Aerospace industry, and still spec'd on many smaller planes even for high stress areas like engine mounts. Usually similar strength to Reynolds 531 IIRC but can be cold worked up to strengths not far off some titanium alloys.



Yes, it is similar in UTS to the old 531. But it can be TIG welded whereas 531 can't.



porkypete said:


> However tends to distort badly when welded, then needs straightening, then stress relieving after, so you'd lose a lot of the benefit of the cold working.



Didn't realise that. Does that mean a 4130 frame should really be heat treated afterwards?

Cheers


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## threefingerjoe (10 Mar 2009)

Check Surley's site for the frame sizes. A friend of mine has one with 700C wheels, and he's about 5'9". I know that their smaller size frames are available in 26" only, but for the size that you need, I'm rather certain that you'll get it in 700C. 

Incidentally, 26" isn't all that undesireable for a touring bike. Many touring cyclists prefer 26" because wheels, tires, and tubes are available anywhere in the world. In some of the more remote areas, you'd be hard-pressed to find a 700C, or so I'm told.


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## bike_the_planet (10 Mar 2009)

hubbike said:


> how does it work with 26" wheels vs 700cc. I'm 6'2" so I suppose that I'm too big for a 26" wheeled one?



Yes, I believe that only Surly's smaller frame sizes are designed around the 26" (559) wheel size.

For the size of frame you require, you would have to fit 700c (622) wheels.

Trying to fit 26" wheels to a 700c bike doesn't work well for several reasons:


26" wheels fitted with a touring tyre such as the Schwalbe Marathon would be around 2 - 2.5" smaller in diameter than a 700c wheel

The bottom bracket would be correspondingly lower meaning that you would need to fit shorter cranks. For your size you really do need 175mm cranks

The frame brake-mounts wouldn't be in the right place to be able to give you effective braking

You'd look funny 

If you want a 26" wheel touring frame maybe you should look at something like the Thorn Sherpa
or the Orbit Expedition.

Cheers


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## MichaelM (2 Apr 2009)

Have you got the LHT yet? How about some pics?


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## Pottsy (2 Apr 2009)

Still waiting for it. 

It was due into the shop at the end of March and then they're fitting a few bits before mailing it to me. Hopefully I'll get it in the next week or two. Before Easter would be good so that I can spend the long weekend building it. 

I'll take some pics and post them up here when it's ready.


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## Cathryn (2 Apr 2009)

Two Bikes Pottsy. A Gov'nor AND LHT!!

Git.


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## Pottsy (2 Apr 2009)

Cathryn said:


> Two Bikes Pottsy. A Gov'nor AND LHT!!
> 
> Git.



 I'll take that as appreciation of good taste.

I've also got a custom Condor Moda (titanium road bike) and an old Kona Explosif MTB made into a sort of hack/pub bike, so 4 in all.  It would have been 5 but my Pompino fixed was stolen last year. 

Still cheaper than a car though I suppose. 

How many do you have? Surely 4 is the minimum?


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## Cathryn (3 Apr 2009)

I have one. Just the one solitary bike. I'm not a proper cyclist.


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## MacB (3 Apr 2009)

Cathryn said:


> I have one. Just the one solitary bike. I'm not a proper cyclist.



just not good enough, you need a commuter, then you need a back up commuter for when that's being repaired. Next you need a leave anywhere bike for pootling and finally a good bike for your weekend 'racing' fun.

Worryingly I actually believe that


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## Pottsy (3 Apr 2009)

Awww Cathryn. By reading about your tours I think you're more of a cyclist at heart than most. 

After all you can only use one at a time can't you?!


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## hobo (3 Apr 2009)

Iv got 4 bikes and i get sick of keeping them all clean, we need 1 to do all jobs.


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## MichaelM (3 Apr 2009)

I've got 5.

The Orbea hasn't been used since last summer. The Lemond hasn't been used since I bought the Orbea (and so may have to go to make space for a tourer). Used the Pompino over the winter months.* Full sus hasn't been used since last summer - neither has the the ss mtb.

* Up to Dec that is, snow & ice ruled out riding for a few weeks.
Then had the head drilled and chiseled to clear surfers ear.
Still using crutches three weeks after knee incident.

All in all, haven't been out on a bike since the begining of December. Having one and riding it seems the best option!


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## Cathryn (3 Apr 2009)

Pottsy said:


> Awww Cathryn. By reading about your tours I think you're more of a cyclist at heart than most.
> 
> After all you can only use one at a time can't you?!



I've tried very hard to justify more than one bike, but I can't.

I live 5 mins walk from work, so literally can't commute by bike. I'm scared of speed, so a road bike would be wasted on me. I'm not an off-roader, so I don't need a MTB. I would die rather than have a folder or a recumbent (sorry). My husband refuses to ride a tandem with me. The only bike I could get away with would be a Pashley. To be elegant on.


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## Pottsy (4 Apr 2009)

Well I sometime think I'm in agreement with you and some of the above posts imply this too. I think I have several bikes largely because I like them rather than because I can justify them by the amount and different types of use. I reckon I could get away with just a good, tough Audax type bike that I could tour and ride for general pleasure use. Oh and perhaps a fixed just for fun around town.


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## style over speed (5 Apr 2009)

Sorry to jump on your thread, but seeing as there's no pictures I thought I'd post some of my long haul trucker. I finished building it up just after christmas, its the 26" wheel size and fabulous to ride.


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## MichaelM (6 Apr 2009)

That's a tough looking bike, but I've got to ask....

what is that strange looking toe strap on the pedal? It looks as though it runs from the front to the rear as if to prevent you getting your foot in!

The bike looks good though.


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## just jim (6 Apr 2009)

I think them's these.


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## Pottsy (28 May 2009)

Finished!!! 

It took a while to build over a few weekend.

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k127/grahampotts/DSCN0150.jpg

Hope that link works.

Broadly speaking the specs are:

52cm Surly Long Haul Trucker frame and forks
Shimano XT chainset, both mechs, cassette
SRAM chain
XT hubs and Mavic rims
Marathon Plus tyres
Tektro CR720 cantilever brakes
Cane Creek SCR5 levers 
FSA stem and compact drop bars
Cane Creek headset
Cateye computer
Specialized Bar Phat tape
Brooks saddle
Thomson seat post
Tubus racks
SKS mudguards
errr, that's about it.

All works and goes well. Quite heavy but it was built to be quite expedition orientated. 

I'm chuffed.


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## just jim (28 May 2009)

A fine job, good luck with ti!

edit: I mean "it"


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## Kirstie (28 May 2009)

Yes it looks nice...


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## MePower (2 Jun 2009)

Very nice! I`m waiting for LHT to be delivered at the mo, same colour, spec is: deore drive with trekking bars and 9 spd rapidfire, deore hubs/mavic rims, stronglight crank, blackburn racks (will change to tubus when i can hide enough money from wifey) carradry full set.
Is the brooks new or broken in? Comfy enough? I`ve got an old leather charge spoon that would go on, but also the chance of a new brooks swift titanium for £115. Wot are they like and how long to break in?


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## Pottsy (2 Jun 2009)

MePower said:


> Very nice! I`m waiting for LHT to be delivered at the mo, same colour, spec is: deore drive with trekking bars and 9 spd rapidfire, deore hubs/mavic rims, stronglight crank, blackburn racks (will change to tubus when i can hide enough money from wifey) carradry full set.
> Is the brooks new or broken in? Comfy enough? I`ve got an old leather charge spoon that would go on, but also the chance of a new brooks swift titanium for £115. Wot are they like and how long to break in?



Sounds excellent, I'm certain you won't be disappointed with it.

It's a new Brooks saddle but I have some experience with them as I have one on another bike. I've found mine comfy from day 1 but you'll find other people who swear they are torture contraptions too - it's down to what suits difference peoples different shaped behinds I guess. I really like the way it looks in black on my LHT which I have to admit was a significant contributing factor.


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## MePower (3 Jun 2009)

Cheers Pottsy, am going to get the brooks before it gets snapped up, i know if i dont i`ll just regret it.


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## MePower (9 Jun 2009)

Havnt got the brookes yet, but i have nearly finished the bike! 
Just need some marathons and the seat and it will be done. Its a very smooth ride and it soaks up the bumps even with 23c gatorskins on. Should be even better with 32c marathons. Me and 2 mates are in the alpes at the end of july for a weeks trek, so get to test it out fully loaded then. Cant wait!


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## Crankarm (10 Jun 2009)

Some very nice bikes. The OP's bike looks like a go anywhere do anything bike - bomb proof. Nice frame colours as well.


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## Pottsy (10 Jun 2009)

Thanks Crankarm. 

That was the aim of the build really. I'm happy going a bit slower on the nice roads but having the option of minor off-road and country path excursions. I more of a 'make it up as you go along' type of cycle tourist, especially when I have the time. This sort of bike gives me the most options.


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## PpPete (10 Jun 2009)

MePower said:


> Havnt got the brookes yet, but i have nearly finished the bike!
> Just need some marathons and the seat and it will be done. Its a very smooth ride and it soaks up the bumps even with 23c gatorskins on. Should be even better with 32c marathons. Me and 2 mates are in the alpes at the end of july for a weeks trek, so get to test it out fully loaded then. Cant wait!



Love the brown leather bar tape to match the saddle - that looks really lush.


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## MePower (11 Jun 2009)

Cheers PorkyPete, tis very comfortable. Although its not leather, its the vinyl leather look from charge. You cant tell the difference, but 6 pound as opposed to 30-odd is more my price bracket


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## John the Monkey (11 Jun 2009)

MePower said:


> Cheers PorkyPete, tis very comfortable. Although its not leather, its the vinyl leather look from charge. You cant tell the difference, but 6 pound as opposed to 30-odd is more my price bracket



The brown charge saddle looks really good with it too - nice build.


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## canadiense (26 Jul 2009)

I have recently completed a tour from Bangkok to Guangdong in China and am happy to report that the LHT handled everything i was able to put it through.

The bike was built to be able to handle any terrain and it did perform very well on remote roads in Laos and China as well as on tarmac. It is by far the most comfortable bike I have ever owned, especially when fully loaded. It was rock solid on descents as long as I had the weight evenly distributed in the front panniers and was always the fastest on descents - but not so much on the climbs.

Mine is a 54" with 26" wheels. I understand that this size of wheel is a must for an expedition bike, as is a steel frame and racks. Well that is what "they" say and I believed "them". I am not sorry for a second to have these wheels which are Salsa Gordos - 36 spoke rims with 2.00 Marathon XR on the back and a regular Marathon on the front. The XR was actually my spare which had to replace the regular tire in Vietnam as the rough terrain in Laos ate up my rear tire after just about 2400 Kms. The XR still looks new.

The attached photos are from Laos.


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## Pottsy (27 Jul 2009)

Great photos and really good to hear that you're pleased with the bike and how it performed. You don't seem to hear bad reports about it as a fully loaded tourer. 

I agree with what you say and hear about steel frame and 26" wheels for an expedition bike. I have Marathon+ tyres on mine but for a tough expedition with off-road sections I'd go for the XRs for the reputation that they have. Let's face it, weight on the bike is less critical than strength on that sort of tour - particularly when you're carrying so much luggage anyway!

Also interesting to see a 4th bottle holder on the stem


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## andym (27 Jul 2009)

Pottsy said:


> I have Marathon+ tyres on mine but for a tough expedition with off-road sections I'd go for the XRs for the reputation that they have.



Marathon XRs are made of harder rubber to give much greater mileage per pair of tyre, which is why they are very much the tyre of choice for long tours, but they don't have any particular advantage if you are doing a tour of say less than 5k kilometres.


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## Pottsy (27 Jul 2009)

andym said:


> Marathon XRs are made of harder rubber to give much greater mileage per pair of tyre, which is why they are very much the tyre of choice for long tours, but they don't have any particular advantage if you are doing a tour of say less than 5k kilometres.



Ok thanks, fair enough. Good to know.


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