Over the years we’ve noticed our mechanics tend to have one bike in common in their personal fleets: a majority of them have owned the Surly Long Haul Trucker. Now that Surly has introduced a disc-brake version ($1400 stock; shown in the photo with options such as fenders and a Brooks saddle for $1725), this much-loved cross-country tourer makes an excellent choice for year-round riding in Portland, especially for those of you who are tempted, every so often, to take a 100-mile detour on your way to the Saturday Market. Or who would like to feel so tempted. Or who plan on saving so much money by riding to work that you’ll be able to take a month off and cross the country with those two legs of yours. Yes, those, down there. On your Trucker. The one with disc brakes.
Public Service Announcement: To disc, or not to disc? On a touring bike, definitely disc. Why?
Plus, if you’re not yet getting The Nod from other cyclists, you probably will on your Disc Trucker.
Features all the gear range you’ll need to climb mountain roads while fully loaded with all your fun gear. A riding position you can feel comfortable in for hours at a time. Bar-end shifters that will make you feel like a very fine individual, perhaps slightly better than most folks. Powerful, low-maintenance, weatherproof BB7 disc brakes, which are as good as mechanical disc brakes get. A high-quality cromoly steel frame and fork. All in a surprisingly light package. 
This bike is designed to take a wide range of front and rear racks, of course, in harmony with a wide range of fenders. Have us also add a Brooks sprung leather saddle, an Alfine dyno hub, and some Busch & Muller lights, and you’ve got the single most complete bicycle you can own as well as our undying respect.
Options shown in the photos above: Brooks Flyer sprung leather saddle, Brooks leather handlebar tape, Planet Bike Grasshopper bamboo fenders and (top photo also shows a Portland Design Works Payload bamboo rack). Want to learn about what happened to this bike after we shipped it? Our customer blogged about it here.
Disc Trucker comes with either 26″ or 700c wheels. Shown above is a Trucker with 700c wheels. Shown below (sans fenders and leather) is a Trucker with 26″ wheels. Sizes 54 and smaller: 26″ wheels; 56″: your choice of 26″ or 700c; 58 and above: 700c.
In stock: we generally keep all sizes of the Disc Trucker in stock: 42, 46, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, and 60, 62, 64 cm in stock. Surly doesn’t offer a 48 cm.
Sold as a complete bike, as a frameset, or as a custom build.
We can ship the Disc Trucker. UPS: about $150. Amtrak (you have a week to pick it up at the nearest manned station): $40-75 depending on distance.
Complete specifications of the 2013 Surly Disc Trucker can be found here.
