The Bike

This page will probably only appeal to bike geeks and maybe those interested in doing their own tour. So if you don't fit into either of those very narrow categories then skip this page and continue on to "Smangin?" which is where the true gold is found.

 When deciding on the right bike I had to make one major decision: build or buy?

From what I've found touring bikes are pretty rare. Most shops don't carry them since the demand is so low. REI has a couple models but they're ho-hum. One aspect to consider with a touring bike seems to be similar across the spectrum of serious bikers: you'll be spending a helluva lot of time on this assembly of components so they better be to your liking. My answer to this was to build my own customized bike. That way I could get the exact components I wanted, and also gain the knowledge of how it all comes together.

I built a mountain bike in college with the help of a good friend but that was quite awhile ago so a refresher was warranted. Better to know how to assemble/repair my bike than sitting on the highway with my thumb out every three hundred miles.

My bike weighs in at a hefty 33 lbs. It's named after an ox for a reason. This includes racks, fenders, and whatever else is necessary to complete a bike. The components are as follows:

Frame: Surly Long Haul Trucker (widely regarded as one of the best touring frames)
Crankset: Shimano Deore M510, Triple ring, 48/36/26
Front Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra 6703
Cassette: Shimano
Rear Derailleur: Shimano LX M581 - Long cage, 9spd (finally found one compatible with the 10spd shifters)
Shifters/Brakes: Shimano 105 10spd
Saddle: Brooks B17
Bottom Bracket: Shimano 105 BB-5500
Wheels: Mach1 230, 26" with 32
Brakes: Tektro Oryx 922A Cantilever (cantilever's aren't as strong but accommodate large fenders)
Pedals: Shimano A530, half clipless/half platform
Stem: Generic, 90mm, 5 degree
Headset: Ritchey Pro Logic V2, threadless
Seatpost: Kalloy MTB with micro-adjustment
Handlebars: Dimension Road dropbars
Fenders: Planet Bike Cascadia, 60mm
Front Rack: Blackburn MTF-1
Rear Rack: Madison Summit (30kg capacity and a 5 year warranty for less that $50, best value I found by far)
Front Panniers: Ortlieb Front Roller
Rear Panniers: Ortlieb Backroller Classic
Handlebar bag: Ortlieb