Surly LHT

Surly's Disc Trucker. Credit: surlybikes.com

If you had to classify it in the wild, you would call Surly's Long Haul Trucker a touring bike. It is, in fact, one of the most versatile bikes on the market today and easily makes our Pick Six list.

As David wrote in 2010, the LHT is "a good jack-of-all-trades bike: reliable transportation, fitness machine, social lubricant, and access to power." 

Surly has actually improved the LHT since 2010 by providing more options. You can choose between canti or disc brakes, and Surly now offers a wider range of frame sizes that will take 26" wheels. 

In telling us about her LHT a few months ago, Sally wrote: "Boy, talk about a practical bike. Wide 26" wheels, front and back racks, disc brakes (did I mention it rains in Oregon?) and built to haul almost anything."

The LHT was one of the first bikes that came to mind when I decided to do this Pick Six project and, not surprisingly, it was quickly nominated in the comments and on twitter.

Rev. Dick of Church of the Sweet Ride commented: "I nominate: whatever you got. If you don't got nothing, I nominate a Surly Long Haul Trucker. Value and options."

And here's the coffeeneur (of Chasing Mailboxes):

@Bikes4RestOfUs The Surly LHT! Definitely in the top 6 Outstanding Transportation Bikes since 2008! #BFROU
— Chasing Mailboxes (@coffeeneur) January 25, 2014

Jim Thill, co-owner of Hiawatha Cyclery in Minneapolis, recently blogged on the topic of "What bike should you buy?" He called the LHT (as well as the Cross-Check) "classic picks." I can no longer find it on the internet, but Jim once recommended that we all stockpile LHTs for the coming oil shortage apocalypse. I can picture it: All those LHT owners riding past abandoned SUVs and cars on the expressways.

Honorable Mention: Surly Troll. Also extremely versatile.  I wrote about the Troll when it debuted in 2010.