The Surly Long Haul Trucker is build for reliability and strength to get you do where you need to go. It seems like it is the most ultimate touring bike. As it is marketed as a touring bike and offers many great features specifically for cycle touring. The Surly LHT is not only a great touring bike, but would suit for a commuter or even a weekend group ride bike with the ride custom build setup.
Ultimately it is designed for touring, and offers a smooth and comfortable ride with a relaxed geometry, bar-end shifters and it comes in at a fair price point. The steel frame is build to handle big loads with ease while still providing a stable riding experience.
One of the things that attracted me to Surly in the first place is the way they are perceived on the web through there quirkiness, that is noticed through their online persona on surly.com
So who are Surly? “We are an assortment of personalities and humanoids all brought together by one common interest: bike ‘nerdom’. We make serious steel bikes for people who don’t take themselves too seriously.”
I have had my Surly LHT for about two maybe three years now. I got mine second hand, as I love to pick up bargains and pocket the rest. Click HERE if you want to learn how to buy a used touring bike.
It was essentially the same as buying a Surly LHT frame set. As the bike that I got from Cash Converters was very average parts, apart from the frame. The parts were not appropriate for a bicycle touring adventure.
So over the years I have been building the bike into many variations. Not only to suit cycle touring and off-road bikepacking, but also to suit my personal preferences.
Adding many different, handlebars, cranksets, rear derailleur, wheel sets, and tyres. To be honest I am still fine tuning and figuring out the best possible bike build I can for my Surly. But where it currently is, it is a wonderful rig.
When the LHT is fully loaded for a tour, it rides like a dream. This is how it was intended to be used, perfect chain-stay distance, and overall geometry of the bike makes for a gentle and comfortable ride over bumps. The way a touring bike should be. Also the quality steel tubing that Surly prides themselves on is what truely makes this bike the ultimate touring machine.
Ever since getting the LHT I have not had the need to get another bike, it is so smooth and comfortable to ride. As I am not only using it for traditional cycle touring. I chucked on some fatty tyres and have been shredding up the dirt on some off-road touring and bikepacking adventures. And I dare say the Long Haul Trucker has held up very well and I am indeed impressed.
Great Things About The LHT
- Some people suggest changing out the saddle for a Brooks. But it is comfortable enough even with the factory seat
- The bulletproof 4130 steel, shock absorbing frame is solid and handles rough off-road riding very well.
- The geometry of the LHT’s drop bars offer more riding positions. Resulting in improved overall endurance and power.
- A fairly budget friendly touring bike option. Frameset : $500 or complete bike : $1,350
- The gears offer a great range for climbing hills when fully loaded
- Rim brakes (Long Haul Trucker) and disc brakes (Disc Trucker)
- Bar-end shifters come standard
- Wider tyre compatibility “Fatties Fit Fine”, allowing for some off-road experiences
- Also works well with single tracks and bumpy, dirt roads.
- Variety of gear ratios (26 – 32 t smallest) and (50 t at the biggest front)
- Many eyelet mounting points for bike racks and mudguards
Surly Long Haul Trucker Sizing
Available in many sizes ranging from a 50.5 cm to 62 cm, which suits heights from 150 cm to 200 cm. Accommodating for a large range of people.
- 3 X water bottle storage space on the frame. Two in the centre and one underneath.
- 36 spoke wheels
- It’s a “life time” bike! That works as the ultimate touring bike but also also great for commuting
- Great geometry
- Surly has one of the longest chainstays, perfect for bike control and manoeuvrability but also from preventing heel slap.
- The LHT does not look flashy or expensive to potential thieves
- Kickstand compatible with the Surly Kickstand Plate
Not So Great Things About The LHT
- The brakes! They are not the best. The stock rim brakes that come with the LHT may need to be replaced. Or even just remove the stock brake pads as they are not the best in wet and steep conditions with a fully loaded setup. You may want to look into upgrading to some “Kool-stops” break pads, as a alternative. If you are worried about the brakes (which only some customers have mentioned that they are average.) It maybe a better option to look into the Surly Disc Trucker. Even look into getting v-brakes instead, I have them on my surly and they are so much better.
- The handlebar, stem and saddle are all of average quality. But they can all be changed.
Keep These Things In Mind
- The Surly LHT is made to bike tour
- It must be fully loaded to completely enjoy! It is recommended to replace the stock saddle with that of a Brooks. And once broken in you are good to go
- The Bar-end shifters may take a little while to get used to, just like any touring bike. But once a few days on the road, the shifters become very intuitive.
- Make sure to do your research and test ride before you buy a bike. Touring bikes are all different and you need to find or even build one, that satisfies all your personal preferences.
- Some customers of the LHT say that it is a “average climber”, however most, if not all touring bikes are. But this depends if you get a frameset and build it yourself. I was reading somewhere, that a Surly LHT owner was running a Ultegra lightweight build. With Open pro rims, GP4000 tyres and a SON 28 Klassic Dynamo Hub and they say “it’s not that slow ….. I often use it on weekend ‘fast’ rides instead of my Giant TCR”. So if you think the surly LHT is too slow it is recommended to buy a frameset and build it out with lightweight parts.
- The bar-end shifters can be awkward if you are riding out of the saddle on a hill.
- Also the cork mix handlebar tap stands up okay, but it is not the best.
Surly Long Haul Trucker vs Disc Trucker
Comparing the two options, in a nutshell my choice would be the LHT only cause I have one for myself. But not only that, if you intend to tour, the LHT should be your go to option. As the simpler the better for a tour. Rim brakes or V-brakes as more easily accessible and repairable all over the globe.
My Long Haul Trucker
I just got back from a bicycle tour in Europe riding along the UK Route 1 National Cycle Network. And the surly held up very well. Before this trip I changed the wheels to suit more off-road style of riding. As I have been on previous cycle tours with generic road touring tyres and have been exploring off-road, and I loved it. So this time I had to get off-road wilderness style tyres.
Surly Long Haul Trucker Frameset Black
Surly
LHT Frameset
$515 USD
Surly Long Haul Trucker Frameset Grandpa’s Thermos
Surly
LHT Frameset
$525 USD
Specifications
Build Kit
Frameset
| Sizes | 26″ wheel 42–62cm; 700c wheel 56–62cm |
|---|---|
| Frame | Surly Long Haul Trucker, 100% Surly 4130 CroMoly steel. |
| Fork | Surly Long Haul Trucker, 4130 CroMoly, lugged and brazed. |
| Seatpost Clamp | Surly Stainless, 30.0mm (Surly stainless included) |
Components
| Headset | Cane Creek 40, 1-1/8˝ |
|---|---|
| Brakes | Tektro M730, silver |
| Brake Levers | Tektro RL520 |
| Shifters | Microshift BS-T09, 9-speed shifter, friction/index adjustable; Black |
| Stem | Promax 31.8 4 bolt |
| Handlebar | Salsa Cowbell |
| Grip/Tape | Black Cork |
| Saddle | WTB Volt Sport |
| Seatpost | Promax 27.2 300L non-offset [42–50cm] offset [52–62cm] |
| Extras | Kickstand Plate |
Drivetrain
| Crankset | Shimano Sora Triple 50x39x30T 9 speed |
|---|---|
| Bottom Bracket | Shimano BSA |
| Front Derailleur | Shimano Sora R3030 9 speed |
| Rear Derailleur | Shimano Deore M592 9 speed SGS |
| Cog or Cassette | Shimano HG200-9, 11–36t |
| Chain | KMC X9 EPT |
Wheels
| Front Hub | Shimano T610 36h QR |
|---|---|
| Rear Hub | Shimano T610 36h QR |
| Rims (26″) | Alex DH19 36h |
| Rims (700c) | Alex DH19 36h |
| Tires (26″) 42–62cm | Surly ExtraTerrestrial 26×46 |
| Tires (700c) | Surly ExtraTerrestrial 700×41 |
Geometry
700c
| 56cm(700c) | 58cm(700c) | 60cm(700c) | 62cm(700c) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reach | 389.3 | 394.4 | 401.0 | 403.0 |
| Stack | 588.0 | 606.1 | 623.2 | 643.2 |
| Head Tube Angle | 72.0˚° | 72.0˚° | 72.0˚° | 72.0˚° |
| Head Tube Length | 152.0 | 171.0 | 189.0 | 210.0 |
| Seat Tube Length | 560.0 | 580.0 | 600.0 | 620.0 |
| BB Drop | 78.0 | 78.0 | 78.0 | 78.0 |
| Wheelbase | 1055.6 | 1066.7 | 1080.8 | 1085.3 |
| Chainstay Length | 460.0 | 460.0 | 460.0 | 460.0 |
| Top Tube Length, Actual | 564.5 | 580.2 | 594.8 | 603.9 |
| Top Tube Length, Effective | 570.0 | 586.0 | 600.0 | 610.0 |
| Seat Tube Angle | 73.0° | 72.5° | 72.5° | 72.0° |
| Standover Height | 811.9 | 829.8 | 847.8 | 866.5 |
| Stem Length | 100 | 110 | 120 | 120 |
| Stem Angle | 6° | 6° | 6° | 6° |
| Handlebar Width | 440 | 440 | 460 | 460 |
| Crank Length | 175 | 175 | 175 | 175 |
| Fork Length | 390.0 | 390.0 | 390.0 | 390.0 |
| Fork Rake | 45.0 | 45.0 | 45.0 | 45.0 |
Frame Spec
| Frame Construction | 4130 Chromoly, Natch tubing, double-butted main triangle, TIG welded, ED coated |
|---|---|
| Fork Construction | 4130 Chromoly, Natch tubing, double-butted tapered fork blades, brazed lugs, ED coated |
| Rear Dropout Configuration | Vertical |
| Rear Hub Spacing | 10 x 135mm |
| Front Hub Spacing | 10 x 100mm |
| Rear Brake | Rim – Canti (removable posts) |
| Front Brake | Rim – Canti (removable posts) |
| Head Tube | Ø34mm |
| Steerer Tube | Ø28.6mm (1-1/8″) |
| Crown Race | Ø30mm (1-1/8″) |
| Stock Headset Upper (S.H.I.S.) | EC34/28.6 |
| Stock Headset Lower (S.H.I.S.) | EC34/30 |
| Seat Collar | Ø30mm |
| Seatpost | Ø27.2mm |
| Front Derailleur (Clamp) | Bottom-pull (Ø28.6mm) |
|---|---|
| Max Chainring (CL)[3] | 1x (Road): 44T2x (Road): 42/53T3x (Road): 38/52/56T |
| Bottom Bracket | 68mm threaded (1.37″ x 24TPI) |
| Tire Clearance Frame [1]/[2] | 26in: 26 x 2.1″ (w/ fenders)700c: 700c x 42mm (w/ fenders)700c: 700c x 45mm (w/o fenders) |
| Tire Clearance Fork [1] | 26in: 26 x 2.0″ (with or without fenders)700c: 700c x 50mm (with or without fenders)700c: 29 x 2.0″ (with or without fenders) |
| Rigid Fork Spec | 26in: 376 x 45mm700c: 390 x 45mm |
| Max Suspension Fork Length [4] | N/A |
| Bottle Mounts Frame | 3 Standard |
| Bottle Mounts Fork | N/A |
| Rack Mounts Frame | Yes (upper and lower threaded) |
| Rack Mounts Fork | Yes (upper, lower, and mid-blade threaded) |
| Fender Mounts Frame | Yes |
| Fender Mounts Fork | Yes |
| Other Features | Chainstay mounted spoke holderSurly removable kickstand plate (included)Downtube mounted shifter bosses |
Final Thoughts
Overall the Surly Long Haul Trucker is a beast of a bike. That is suited to bicycle touring, but not only that works well on off-road condition when built out to suit.
Built well with quality steel that is guaranteed to be a ‘lifetime’ bike that will get you and your gear to where you need to go.
I have had this bike for the last 2 or so years and can not speak anymore highly of it. It is a great bike that I will continue to expect to last the test of time and countless cycle travel adventures.
Surly Long Haul Trucker
$1350
Pros
- Great frame geometry
- Budget friendly
- Large range of gears
- Wider tyre compatibility
- Extra long chainstay
Cons
- The stock brakes are not the best
- handlebar, stem and saddle are all of average quality
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