The Surly LHT is great for touring, both loaded or "credit card touring" but a bike that is a wee bit preferred by me is the 1995 to 2001 Bianchi Volpe. It is all steel with joints that are TIG welded lugged joints. No other could be stronger for the weight. The Volpe has a 59 mm trail for stability. The down tube is bigger like an aluminum or carbon down tube but being steel makes the bike less "twisty". Also the seat and down tubes are elliptical at the bottom to make it even less "twisty". By twisty, I mean, you put the bike on the ground and step on the bottom bracket and see how much it flexes. This sideways rigidity puts your mind at ease coming down a hill at 40 mph (60 k) . Both the LHT and Volpe do this nicely. The cromo tubing in the Volpe is called "Infinity" because the taper is one gradual taper, on the outside not the inside of the tube. The Volpe has plenty of fender room but the wheel base is an inch or so shorter than the LHT. The steering in the Volpe is a little quicker but they both handle nicely for touring. By the way, either bike is best equipped with the Selle An-Atomical leather seat for long hauls for most people. It is the leather saddle similar to the Brooks B17 with the leather slitted down the middle. But saddles are always a personal thing. All in all I like the Bianchi Volpe a wee bit better. Not the newer Volpes, though. If you keep an eye open for a 5 to 15 year old Volpe, another advantage is cost. If you cannot find a secondhand Volpe, go with a LHT, I'd say.