My Bike: Customized Surly Long Haul Trucker

Warning; bicycle geeks will enjoy the following discussion, but all others will become bored. You were warned...

I chose the Surly LHT frame because I'm 6'3" and need a big frame to fit comfortably; Surly offers the LHT in a 64 cm size, and that works for me. Other than the frame and fork, nothing else on my bike resembles a stock Surly. Surly makes a good touring bike in their stock LHT package, but I had some definite ideas about what I wanted, so a custom assembly was the best approach for me. Jake Dreys of City Cycles in Jenks, OK is a good wrench and is one of the few (if not the only) local bike mechanics that really loves steel bikes, so he was the logical choice to build my bike. When I met Jake, I knew he was the guy I needed; he's a bigger fellow (as am I) and he owns some 14 steel bikes himself! I'm a "steel is real" bike fan; none of those "plastic-fantastic" carbon frames for me, thank you. I mostly knew what I wanted from a functional standpoint, and Jake recommended the components that gave me a high-end touring machine.

I have broken spokes before on my road bikes, and the added weight of a loaded touring bike had me concerned about this, so I had already decided to have custom wheels built by Peter White of New Hampshire. Besides, I wanted a dynamo hub to power my lights, and the only way to do that is to have a front wheel built around the dynamo hub. Mr. White guarantees his wheels for life, but only if you provide him with your weight and expected touring load and allow him to determine the proper wheelset for you. And so I did, and ended up with a 36-spoke Velocity rim and SON28 dynamo hub front wheel, and a 40-spoke Velocity rim laced to a White Industries hub for the rear wheel. Jake recommended Soma C-line 38mm tires; so far they have functioned well and they offer the most luxurious ride I have ever had (on a bicycle, of course).

I knew the gear range I wanted, and Jake found the components to make it work. I have a compact double chainring consisting of 40-tooth and 26-tooth chainwheels which drive a 10-speed rear cogset spanning 11-36 teeth. On 700c wheels that gives me a range of 19.5 to 98 gear inches. For the less technically inclined, that means I have low gears designed to climb hills with a load. Shimano XT front derailleur, Shimano Ultegra rear derailleur, Shimano XT cassette, and Shimano Deore XT cranks. Chain is a KMC 10.93. The cranks are supported by a Shimano Ultegra BBR-60 bottom bracket that utilizes exterior cartridge bearings. I usually use a 175mm crank; Jake recommended a 180mm to give me an extra 5mm of leg length as well as a wee bit more cranking leverage. Shifting is controlled by Shimano Dura-Ace bar-end levers; 10-speed indexed rear and friction front. Adjustable cable stops were added to the downtube shifter bosses to allow me more flexibility in adjusting for cable stretch. I have had issues with "hot spots" while cycling long distance using pedals like the Shimano 520's, so Jake recommended the Shimano m-545 pedals which offer a bit of platform to help spread the load.

It took some research on my part to finally concur with Jake's recommendation to use hydraulic disc brakes. Wow, they are quite the stoppers; just what I needed for controlling a +100-lb touring bike (including all the touring load). So I have TRP Hylex front and rear brakes that squeeze onto 160 mm discs. They offer great modulation and wet weather is no longer an issue for my brakes. The only downside could be serious; they can't be serviced in the field, so one must limp to a bike shop if repairs are needed. Research I did leads me to believe it is unlikely I will need repairs on tour, but...

I have a Nitto seat post that supports a Brooks Champion leather saddle. There wasn't going to be enough time for me to break in a new leather saddle, so I used the saddle from my road bike. That saddle looks to be new, having only 6,500 miles on it.

The cockpit assembly consists of a Cane Creek threadless headset, and a Soma Shotwell 90mm stem supporting 46cm Nitto Noodle bars that are wrapped with white Lizard Skin 3.2mm tape. The tape is quite comfortable, and that's what's most important to me; but it looks good as well.

My lights are nothing short of incredible. They are the most advanced bicycle lights in the world. Made by B&M of Germany, I have a nice headlight/taillight combo powered by the dynamo. Both lights have standlights; they will continue to shine even after I stop rolling for about 5 minutes. The headlight has a sensor that switches operation from night to day; during the day I run the equivalent of automobile "daytime running lights" and at night it goes into full headlight mode. While cycling at night, if my speed is low, the headlight diverts energy from the long-distance LED to the short-distance and side LEDS such that power is directed to helping me see directly in front, which is just what you need when moving slow (below about 9 mph). When moving fast at night, power is diverted to the longer-range LED so you can see ahead far enough to take action and miss potholes, etc. The taillight has a "brake light" function; during a sudden slowdown it pulses the LED to warn following drivers. It does so by counting pulses from the dynamo, and noting any sudden changes. The dynamo actually puts out power in AC format; how 'bout them apples? I also have a battery powered rear flasher for use in fog and other bad weather conditions.

I almost forgot to mention this; my headlight also includes a USB charging port! I can charge a cell phone or other device that uses a USB port while riding; how cool is that!? The limitations of the dynamo power output prevent you from using the lights and charging at the same time, so you must choose to do one or the other, but not both. Practically speaking, this means you charge things during daylight hours when you don't need the lights.

Helmet Customized by My Daughter; The Sharpie Ink Didn't Last Long.

Jake did all the heavy lifting and assembled the bike and main components. I mounted Velo Orange hammered fenders, mounted and wired the lights, mounted the 3 bottle cages, and installed the front and rear pannier racks. I used Tubus racks, the Tara for the front and the Logo Evo for the rear. They carry waterproof Ortlieb Sport Packer front and rear panniers. I had hoped to use my old Kirtland TourPak handlebar bag, but it wouldn't mount on the wider stem used for a threadless headset, so an Arkel handlebar bag was a last-minute purchase. The main pocket on the Arkel is waterproof, but the smaller outside front pocket is only water resistant - so I carry things in it that won't be hurt by a little dampness.

Oh, last but not least are 2 "vanity" items I mounted to the rig. I have a "license plate" mounted to the rear fender that says "George" and a bobblehead hula doll mounted on the rear rack that dances while I roll down the road. I mean, if you're going to undertake a serious long distance bicycle tour, why WOULDN'T you have a bobblehead doll mounted on your bike?

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Kelly IniguezThank you for the detailed bicycle and gear description. I'm one who loves all of the details!

Do you still have the same lighting system today? It sounds as if the rear light is also attached to the (front?) dynamo? Does that mean you have cables running the entire length of your bike?

We met a man this summer who is running a rim dynamo. He quite liked it. I've been thinking about adding a dynamo to my bike, but can't decide if it's overkill, given that we stay in motels each night.

Jacinto just bought a Priority 600 bike. It is very well outfitted for the cost. It came with a dynamo hub. I like how eye catching the front light is. It has a small flashing light on the rear fender that is attached to the dynamo. It isn't a very good light, but it's 'free', and always on. It has the five minute delay you mention. I asked Jacinto how the wiring to the rear light runs, but he doesn't know. Typical . . .
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2 years ago

George HallTo Kelly IniguezKelly - I do still have the same lighting system on the bike. It's now 6 years old and I have used it for 19,000 miles. The front light is wired to the dynamo, and the rear light is wired to the front light. There are connectors on the front light for the wiring that goes to the rear light. Since this is the only dynamo hub and lighting system I have had, I don't know if this is how all rear lights are wired. A very useful aspect of my lights is that when riding I can look down at the front light, and there is a green LED on the back of it that tells me all is well and that the rear light is working. If the wiring came unplugged or for some other reason the rear light wasn't working, the green LED would not be lit. So I don't have to turn my head and do gymnastics to know that my taillight is working.

I think for most folks that a dynamo might be overkill. But when I tour in the summer, I sometimes like to get up very early and leave before sunrise to beat the heat and traffic - so I'm using the lights most every day. With the dynamo I don't have to worry about batteries or recharging at night, and I don't need to think about turning the lights on during the day if a storm comes up or I find myself riding in and out of shade a lot in a forest - my lights are always on, so I have that little extra edge for safety. I also have a battery powered blinker light that clips onto my seatbag - if I get into a bad rainstorm or something like bad foggy conditions I will turn it on for extra rearward visibility.
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2 years ago