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With Reduction Comes Compromise®
Do you want to take a child seat off for a road ride? Do you want to have front rack for off road shenanigans? Would you want either on a mixed surface ride? Just adapt the bikes you have (which are already great and versatile bikes) with your needs as you come and go and you'll be grand. Commute on any surface via the steamroller (fits 32c), Pacer for parent duties, and the Cross Check can be done up to do virtually anything a modern gravé bike can do.
If there is anything this thread teaches us it's that although you can get bike that does virtually everything, it does not Rule Them All.
youramericanlover-
Valid points!
I forgot to mention that the Cross Check is a 60cm frame and I normally ride a 56, I got it for the long top tube to fit a kid upfront without having my knees sticking out too much. It didn't work out though so it got used for a while as a cruisy do-it-all but it's far too big for anything fun.
I could just get a 56 crosscheck frame and use parts I have to build up a non disc Straggler, but after using discs on my Bullitt I'm sold.
kboy
I'm pondering reducing my bike collection to just one - a Surly Straggler. The riding I do is a pretty even split between tarmac, gravel and the odd trail. Add to this the daily commute and I think a Straggler makes a lot of sense.
It costs a fair bit though, £2k for a complete bike with Sram Apex. Yesterday I found out the Wiggle has their own line of bikes where they have a gravel bike for £1k and Planet X has heaps of bikes between £1-2k, all with decent groupsets.
Is the Straggler worth the extra monies? I'm currently riding a Steamroller, a Cross Check and a Pacer so I know what makes a Surly a Surly. I also want to stick a front rack on it for future family outings, and a child seat, etc - so the versatility of a Straggler is tempting.