The "do everything" tank - Surly LHT

Just do some bending.

You have bought a crank havent you? If so dont look at this link

they are lovely looking but square taper and over twice what I paid for mine.

on closer inspection, I think these v brakes are shipped set up for narrower rims. will swap the curved spacers around to move the arms in.

Perhaps you would have been better off with cantis?

will swap the curved spacers around to move the arms in.

The spacer are for exactly that, see how it is when you swapped it round.

I should be subbed to this already, it's an interesting project.

Why is the L-bracket any issue anyway? A little bit of silver isn't going to catch the eye if it's behind a rack, plus the wheels and mudguard stays are silver anyway.

The spacer are for exactly that, see how it is when you swapped it round.

it's perfect. just odd that they came set up for narrow rims.

Looking good. Much else to do?

Thanks. Not much to do, but won't be ready for a little while. Using a Rolls saddle from one of my other bikes for now and waiting to receive the bar tape. I ordered the Deore HG61 9-speed 11-34 cassette, Deore M591 rear mech, 105 5700 front mech and Dura Ace 7700 9-speed bar-end shifters today and just waiting for handlebars to come back in stock then I'll take it to the shop and build it up properly (this is a mock build so far).

should I route like this:

or this:

I take it the latter offers less interference with a rack bag, but less crisp shifting?

First one without a doubt. Dem bar ends will shift so good.

Can't comment on the shifting of the latter but the cable routing on the former is pig ugly - I couldn't live with it

I suppose if the cables are long enough, it won't interfere

Definitely option b.

On a more practical point - will cables for the first routing option interfer with the arms of the V-Brakes?

Tom, such a contrarian ;)

On a more practical point - will cables for the first routing option interfer with the arms of the V-Brakes?

should be fine, the stops send the cable outer much higher than the brake. Maybe on a shorter A-C fork I would have an issue.

Can't comment on the shifting of the latter but the cable routing on the former is pig ugly - I couldn't live with it

Definitely option b.

Thirded. First is too ugly, and might get in the way of the drops. Obviously aesthetics aren't a huge concern, but imagine touring, spending long days in the saddle looking at that ugly cable routing.

Put the cable under your bartape, (option B) that is how is supposed to be done. The shifters come with these plastic tubes. You stick the tubes using electrical tape to your bars, that makes routing the gear cables a little easier. Plus it stops the cables from being pinched meaning that your shifting is unaffected.

With bar end shifters, changing inners if needed is easy. So I guess it all comes down to shifting, looks, and interference with a bag, but not maintenance.

Option b) will probably mean a slight shifting performance penalty, but is less likely to get caught on anything, less likely to interfere with a bag, and looks better.

Put the cable under your bartape, that is how is supposed to be done. The shifters come with these plastic tubes. You stick the tubes using electrical tape to your bars, that makes routing the gear cables a little easier. Plus it stops the cables from being pinched meaning that your shifting is unaffected.

You mean the guides right?

They come with bar-end shifter to begin with.

Option b. Def under the tape.