Over the years Surly's Long Haul Trucker touring bike has developed a devoted following. People understand and appreciate the LHT’s dependability and everyday riding comfort, whether they’re cruising to the store or lost in the middle of nowhere.

The Long Haul Trucker was designed in all aspects to go the distance in relative comfort, and to be able to haul a bunch of stuff. Its low bottom bracket and long chainstays provide comfort and stability. It has ample tire clearance for larger tires (larger tires soak up a lot of road static) with room for fenders. The frame’s tubing is thicker-walled and larger-diameter than standard road and sport-touring frames, and this pre-tunes it for the weight of cargo. And it’s got all the braze-ons, from rack mounts to water bottle cage bosses to spare spoke holders. Like all Surly frames, it’s made of CroMoly steel. You’ll probably never need to have the frame repaired, but if you do you’re more likely to find someone who can weld steel than someone who can weld titanium or aluminum. Repair carbon fiber in the middle of Mongolia? Good luck with that.  

And why 26" wheels? They're stronger, and that matters when you're loaded down on rough terrain.