Early last April I bought my Surly Long Haul Trucker. I called her Petra, and I’ve introduced her to a fair bit of the territory of far northern New York. In the process I’ve put about 2,500 miles on the odometer. Now that winter has given way to better riding conditions, I’ve been getting out more and remembering all over again why I love my LHT. But when the time came to add another bike to the fleet,…

 
Why a Long Haul Trucker?  I wanted a reliable touring bike which I could also use for practical and recreational road cycling. The bike had to be capable of hauling heavy loads in all weathers, while at the same time being a pleasure when riding unencumbered on the hilly terrain where I live. Most importantly, it had to fit me.

 
Bike shopping wasn’t easy. The local bike shop is a dud, and the next nearest shop is a two hour drive away with a limited selection of the kinds of bikes I was interested in. This meant I’d have to buy my new bike from a mail-order retailer. I read reviews, scoured the ‘net, and drew up a very short list of two contenders—the LHT and the Trek 520. I guess there was never any real doubt which bike I’d choose. The first time I saw the Surly LHT in a catalog years ago, I was taken with its relaxed geometry, understated good looks, and reasonable price. And it could be ordered through the mail, something that Trek doesn’t do and won’t permit its dealers to do, either. With the decision made to buy the LHT, the next thing on the list was…

 
Choosing a Frame Size  In short, I’m short, and Surly accommodates shorter cyclists by offering the LHT (and other bikes in its line-up) in sizes built with us in mind. In addition to stand-over height, the top tube length was critical for me. Too long a reach causes back, shoulder, neck, and hand strain and pain. After studying the LHT’s frame specs on the Surly site, I chose the 42cm frame. I knew it would be possible to fine-tune the fit with a different stem and handlebars if that was necessary. Once I’d decided on the frame size, the next question was where to buy the bike. I couldn’t beat the deal JensonUSA offered, so ordered the complete stock-built LHT from them.

 
On JensonUSA and UPS  I was pleased with JensonUSA’s service. Before placing my order, I had a few minor questions to ask, and my emails were promptly and accurately answered. I was nervous ordering a good bike through mail-order, and particularly concerned that I might receive a large box rattling with broken bike parts. The LHT was shipped UPS Ground, and I anxiously watched its progress through the UPS tracking website. I need not have worried. My LHT arrived at the time predicted by JensonUSA and UPS, and it was in fine shape.

 
JensonUSA did a fine job with the pro-build. The drivetrain needed no tweaking, the wheels were true, and all I had to do was put on the handlebars, wheels, and pedals. All in all I was pleased with…

 
The Stock Build  Surly made intelligent choices for components on the stock build, and I can’t fault any of their decisions. All that I had to do was clamp the front wheel in place and pump up the tires, install the handlebars, slide the seatpost into the seat tube, add pedals (not included in the build), fine-tune the fit, and ride away. Here’s a run-down of the components which Surly included on my stock-built bike:

• Ritchey Logic Comp headset

• Kalloy 1-1/8″ stem

• Zoom drop handlebars, silver

• R100A Small Hand brake levers

• Tektro Oryx cantilever

• Kalloy 27.2 x 300mm seatpost

• Velo Endzone saddle

• Shimano 9-speed Bar-end shifters

• Shimano Tiagra front derailleur

• Shimano XT rear derailleur

• Sugino XD600 48-36-26t crankset

• Shimano Deore 9-speed 11-34t cassette

• Shimano UN53 bottom bracket, 68x110mm

• Shimano XT 36h hubs

• DT Swiss 14g stainless spokes

• Alex Adventurer 36h w/eyelets, black

• WTB Slickasaurus 26×1.5