# LHT project is finished!



## trailbuck (Nov 29, 2006)

After over a year of searching the web for the new components I wanted, at the best prices I could find, I’ve finished my LHT project.

The front bags are actually cooler bags, but next spring just before the touring season starts in my neck of the world, I plan to add Arkel T28 panniers up front. 

This was a great project. So far I’ve only put about 150 miles on this bike, which I’ve proudly named “Patton”, but everything about it is exactly what I hoped for!


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## commutenow (Sep 26, 2004)

wow nice LHT and welcome to the LHT group!


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

nice build!

...looks like it might fit me...


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## Cervelo-er (Apr 10, 2004)

What, no gun rack?

Nice build. I love it when a plan comes together.


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## Plum (Mar 27, 2005)

I see what you did there, and I like it very much. Except for those bars, can't get my head around those.

Plum


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## trailbuck (Nov 29, 2006)

Plum said:


> I see what you did there, and I like it very much. Except for those bars, can't get my head around those.
> 
> Plum


I have a rather messed up neck. I battled a herniated disc two years ago. Ever since then I’m rarely in the drops of my other bikes that have them. 

I do fast centuries with my other bikes all the time, but I thought I better try something different for multiple hand positions during loaded, long distance, riding. 
I haven’t riding this bike far yet, but I like these bars a lot. They’re most definitely a conversation piece. People ask me about them every time they see them.


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## Plum (Mar 27, 2005)

trailbuck said:


> I have a rather messed up neck. I battled a herniated disc two years ago. Ever since then I’m rarely in the drops of my other bikes that have them.
> 
> I do fast centuries with my other bikes all the time, but I thought I better try something different for multiple hand positions during loaded, long distance, riding.
> I haven’t riding this bike far yet, but I like these bars a lot. They’re most definitely a conversation piece. People ask me about them every time they see them.


Please don't get me wrong, I'm sure you picked them for a good reason.

My wife wanted Nitto dove bars on her LHT when I originally built it, but after a few months of use, she asked for normal drops. I'm not sure she actually knows where the bottom of the drops are, but they seem better suited to the geo of the frame vs. the swept back style.

I also built my Fargo with a set of Jones H-bars (the cheap titec version) before going back to drop bars. Same reasoning...

LHT's are awesome, Surly's most versatile frame. My wife's can do road duty, mtn bike duty, touring, commuting, just great overall.

Plum


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

Cool bike. Looks like the cycling version of an Army Jeep.


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## tetter (Jun 28, 2008)

that first picture is just kinda cool. the color of the bike is nice as close to olive drab as you can get.


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## buck-50 (Sep 20, 2005)

I love seeing bikes built for a single person. The customization is awesome.

Great build- should take you wherever you can imagine!


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## Fogdweller (Mar 26, 2004)

Nice work. That is a very cool rig.


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## hepcatbent (Aug 19, 2009)

VERY nice LHT build up! Great minds must truly think alike. I built my 60cm Nashbar frame up very similarly, if less expensively. You have an excellent choice of components, and I LOVE butterfly bars. Here's a link to mine...
http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showpost.php?p=2411268&postcount=62 

Roger


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

Wow! That is a killer bike.

hepcatbent--------Yers is sweet too!


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## KenS (Jan 28, 2004)

*handlebar and tape*

Very cool bike. How do you like the handlebars ? There is a bike with the same handlebars close to work and I have been watching for the owner to ask how they work.

The handlebar tape and the frame paint job are a great combo!


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## Topher (Jun 5, 2005)

awesome - nice job!


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## trailbuck (Nov 29, 2006)

KenS said:


> Very cool bike. How do you like the handlebars ? There is a bike with the same handlebars close to work and I have been watching for the owner to ask how they work.
> 
> The handlebar tape and the frame paint job are a great combo!



I haven’t had the chance to do any rides over 35 miles with this bike yet, but so far I really like the handle bars and the different hand positions they provide. The one thing I was a little worried about was going up hills standing out of the saddle, but they work great for that as well.


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## trailbuck (Nov 29, 2006)

hepcatbent said:


> VERY nice LHT build up! Great minds must truly think alike. I built my 60cm Nashbar frame up very similarly, if less expensively. You have an excellent choice of components, and I LOVE butterfly bars. Here's a link to mine...
> http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showpost.php?p=2411268&postcount=62
> 
> Roger



That’s a great bike. I love the functionality of bikes built like ours as well as the look.


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## hepcatbent (Aug 19, 2009)

trailbuck said:


> That’s a great bike. I love the functionality of bikes built like ours as well as the look.


I concur... I see them as a kind of a do-it-all bike... jack of all trades, and the plus is that they're really pretty good at everything! I actually put a set of Nashbar butterfly bars on my work bike (a Trek police bike) and have used it that way for two years, up and down stairs, jumping curbs, off walls, the whole shebang, and they held up admirably. I'm retiring in March, so I've returned the bike to box stock for whoever gets it next year, but I'm sold on the trekking bars. Other than not being able to do a crouch like you can with drop bars, they're excellent!

Roger


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## robwh9 (Sep 2, 2004)

*Nice bike*

So, got any big tours planned?


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## trailbuck (Nov 29, 2006)

robwh9 said:


> So, got any big tours planned?


The only thing planned at the moment is what we call riding out to RAGBRAI, (The Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa) and then riding RAGBRAI back. 

I live on the East side of Iowa. RAGBRAI starts on the West side of Iowa at the Missouri river and travels East for 7 days to the Mississippi river.
Several of us will start 4 to 5 days before hand, ride self contained West across the state, meet up with the start of RAGBRAI, and then ride back with RAGBRAI. All in all it will be an 11 to 12 day trip covering approximately 800 miles depending on the RAGBRAI route. RAGBRAI is usually somewhere between a 400 to 525 miles ride.

I’m looking to possibly do a ride across Missouri from St Louis to Kansas City next spring or summer as well.


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## hepcatbent (Aug 19, 2009)

trailbuck said:


> The only thing planned at the moment is what we call riding out to RAGBRAI, (The Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa) and then riding RAGBRAI back.
> 
> I live on the East side of Iowa.


I've worked RAGBRAI the past two years... I live in Tipton, the last overnight town in '08, and I helped Chariton out this year. Where do you live?


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## trailbuck (Nov 29, 2006)

hepcatbent said:


> I've worked RAGBRAI the past two years... I live in Tipton, the last overnight town in '08, and I helped Chariton out this year. Where do you live?



I live near Dubuque and have ridden the last 18 RAGBRAIs in a row. It’s a great event with a little something for everyone. Had A Great time in Tipton in 08!


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## bane (Aug 30, 2006)

What's up with the lower, adjustable stem with the small bit of clamped bar? Is that for bag support? Never seen that before.


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## trailbuck (Nov 29, 2006)

bane said:


> What's up with the lower, adjustable stem with the small bit of clamped bar? Is that for bag support? Never seen that before.


Yes, it’s for mounting a bag up front and leaving the bars open for lights and other accessories. 
At the moment I have my lights mounted there because I have no need for the bag on the shorter rides that I’m doing.


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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

trailbuck said:


> The only thing planned at the moment is what we call riding out to RAGBRAI, (The Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa) and then riding RAGBRAI back.
> 
> I live on the East side of Iowa. RAGBRAI starts on the West side of Iowa at the Missouri river and travels East for 7 days to the Mississippi river.
> Several of us will start 4 to 5 days before hand, ride self contained West across the state, meet up with the start of RAGBRAI, and then ride back with RAGBRAI. All in all it will be an 11 to 12 day trip covering approximately 800 miles depending on the RAGBRAI route. RAGBRAI is usually somewhere between a 400 to 525 miles ride.
> ...


I ride my fathful Surly on Regbrai. I hope to see you on this killer machine this year. I might have to build me a 650B for 2010 RAGBRAI.


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## zriggle (Apr 16, 2008)

trailbuck said:


> Yes, it’s for mounting a bag up front and leaving the bars open for lights and other accessories.
> At the moment I have my lights mounted there because I have no need for the bag on the shorter rides that I’m doing.


That's really cool. Where'd you get the idea for that?


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## trailbuck (Nov 29, 2006)

zriggle said:


> That's really cool. Where'd you get the idea for that?



I’d like to say I came up with the idea, but I didn’t. When I was planning out my LHT build, I did a Google-image search on LHTers and touring bikes. Out of the many different bikes that came up, I picked the features I liked best from different bikes and applied them to my build. The double stem was one of those features. It’s actually on quite a few of the bikes that came up in the search.


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