Frame
Surly Long Haul Trucker (2011) (54cm, 26″ wheel)
A very solid frame, with all the connections you can think of for building up a touring bike.
The frame held up very well over more than 15,000km, and is still going strong. Some nicks, which were easily concealed and protected with a bit of nail polish. Some rust has appeared, but this is understandable. Seat post is now “frozen” but I haven’t been overly concerned as I don’t need to adjust it.
Fork
Surly Long Haul Trucker (2011)
Nice and solid – the uncut stem was an advantage as I could set the height to my requirements.
Headset
Groupset
Rims
Mavic XC717 V-Brake Rim
Skinnier than I thought they would be.
Hubs
Shimano XTR Centre Lock
Spins well. Wheels appear true.
Spokes
DT Swiss Competition with alloy nipple
They are spokes. We’ll see how they hold up.
Saddle
Brooks B17-S
Very pretty! Seems very hard and will take some breaking in.
Handlebar Grips
Ergon GC3
Very comfortable, offers multiple hand positions with the integrated bar ends.
Tyres
Schwalbe Marathon Dureme Evolution DD (26 x 2.00)
Tyres fold down well, which will make the spare easier to carry.
Inner Tubes
Schwalbe MTB (Presta 26 x 1.5-2.5)
Not much to say really, will see when we get the bike up and running how many flats I get.
Computer
Knog N.E.R.D. 12 Function Wireless
Very brightly coloured. Easy to install.
Pedals
Shimano A530 SPD Single Sided Touring
Good construction, and the bearings work well.
Pump
Topeak Road Morph with Gauge
A tidy little unit, almost feels like a track pump (for very short people)
Shoes
Shimano Ladies WM43 Multi-Use SPD Shoes
Good looking shoe. The sole isn’t completely rigid so walking in them will be easier.
Water Bottle Cages
Clarks Polycarbonate
Slightly flexible, hopefully will assist in reducing breakage.
Front Rack
Tubus Ergo Lowrider
Solid construction. Ortleib bags fit snugly.
Rear Rack
Tubus Cargo
See above.
Handlebar Bag
Ortlieb Ultimate 5 Plus+ Map Case
Bag does not appear to be dust proof, may have to invest in something to protect camera etc. Really don’t think I’ll be able to read a map and ride at the same time, but it will be convenient to have the map out and ready for stops.
Panniers – Front
Ortlieb Front Roller Plus Panniers (25L)
Tidy little bag, fits more than you would expect. Should keep a low profile on the front of the bike.
Panniers – Rear
Ortlieb Back Roller Plus (40L)
Good sized bag. The attachment system means that they can be adjusted to stay out of the way of your feet, although I don’t think this will be a problem given the wheelbase of the Surly.
Nutrition Bag
Lezyne Energy Caddy
Roomy enough for on-the-road snacks
Bike Cable
Giant generic D-Lock & Kryptonite KryptoFlex 7ft Cable
Cable is a good length, will enable bike to be chained securely through both wheels and back through the frame. Possibly large enough for two bikes.
Stove
Trangia Mini
Cute little piece of kit. Only suitable for boiling water for a cuppa or instant noodles. Could at a stretch make a meal for one. Includes a 800ml pot and small frying pan/pot lid.
Washing
Ortlieb Folding Bowl (20L)
This is going to be very useful. Bigger than I thought it would be. Will be great for washing laundry and my person when a shower isn’t available.
Knicks
Northwave Devine (3/4 length)
Probably a little on the big side, comfortable and dry quickly.
Jacket
Altura Attack Waterproof
Again a little on the big side – hard to order off the internet – but roomy enough not to restrict movement with an additional layer or two in inclement weather.
Shirt
Altura Ladies Quantum Cycling T-Shirt
Feels good on, nice and cool. Will be great for the tropical sections of the trip.
Tool Kit
Lezyne Port-A-Shop
Nice collection of tools, well made and appear durable. Case is very handy, and is smaller than I thought it would be.
Socks
Endura Coolmax Race
Same colour as the bike! Good fit, should be good for hot weather riding.
Hi there,
Good list of kit – what cranks and bottom brackets did you use on your Surly frame?
Cheers.
Hi David
I started with a Shimano XT bottom bracket but after about 5,000km it developed a clicking noise. I was lucky enough to find a shop in China that had an XTR bottom bracket in stock so switched it out and there have been no problems since. The cranks are Shimano Hollowtech II XT on a triple crankset. No problems at all with those.
Are you building your own Surly? Let me know how it all goes and where you are planning on riding. Love hearing from fellow tourers!
Cheers
Jane
Thanks for the reply Jane! I see, obviously worth the extra cash then! I was thinking at first that I would be buying an off-the-shelf Surly but after reading your website have decided to take the plunge and build my own…for better or for worse. Will keep in touch with how it goes. Thanks again.
Extra question: was it more expensive to build your bike than buy a fully build Surly Long Haul Trucker (i.e. ~£1200)?
Hi David
It was more expensive, but not by much, and I got to choose all the parts myself. I couldn’t get a fully built bike in China (where I was based at the time) and decided to build one myself. An extra cost of building a bike is you have to purchase some specialty tools to install some parts (eg bottom bracket and rear cassette). I rigged up a headset press using a large bolt, which was a bit dodgy but it worked ok in the end. I’d also recommend investing in a work stand so you can work in comfort, I scored a second hand one (after I’d finished the build and realized how good it would be to have one) for $100/~£60.
I found it immensely satisfying to build my own bike, also a little frustrating at times, but now I get to say I built her myself which gives me a bit of street cred
Cheers
Jane