Surly Disc Trucker

The Disc Trucker is the touring bike others get measured against, and its 2026 update fixed the old complaints: Shimano CUES 10-speed gearing with an 11-39 cassette, hydraulic disc brakes in place of cable discs, dynamo routing in the fork and three-pack mounts on the fork blades for extra bottles or dry bags. Wheel size follows frame size. Frames from 42 to 54 cm roll on 26-inch wheels, the size easiest to replace far from a big city, while 56 to 64 cm frames use 700c. There is room for 47 mm tires with fenders. At $2,099 complete it costs more than the Kona or Marin here, and it feels heavy and plodding until the panniers go on.