Ive got a disk trucker, and a truck it surely is. It feels faster with full panniers than it does empty, but i dont ride it loaded these days, its just my non-roadie-roadie (commuter, town bike, light-tour, rando).
It’s not being a stock build, so it has 105 group on it and 32spoke, Open sport rims (rather than 40 spoke touring rhynolites), but its still very much a “lift with your knees not your back” kinda bike.
Lying in bed at 4am this morning, i nearly just said “stuff it” and bought a Surly straggler frame (£650) but resisted. Please recommend alternative frames for consideration:
Rando/light tour (springier and lighter is my main issue)
Normal 135mm/110mm spacing, (ive got hope hubs, so i could go bolt through, but i’m resistant to boost spacing)
IS mount or Post disk mounts (flat mount would require a new caliper)
Metal. Pref steel, cause its real, obviously, but open to non ferrous alternatives
Current Surly is 60cm (im 6’4″, so that puts me over the recommended XL sizes for many manufacturers (escapade),)
and here’s the kicker: preferably not a grand.
Show me what you got!