> Seriously the only deterrent is a minor injury has forced me to re-think what my future needs are for geometry
A Cross Check with a flat or alt bar and 30 mm of spacers underneath? That or the Soma Doublecross without all the spacers. The main triangle and the fork are build from heat treated Tange Prestige tubes like some of the ATB frames of the '80s and '90s, unlike the Surlys which are built from utilitarian 4130 chromoly. Or the new Disc Trucker with extended head tube and the new Truck Stop riser drop bars. They shortened the chainstays and it no longer rides like barge unloaded, like the previous model.
I went through the same hurdles after an accident some ten years ago, built several bikes in the meantime including a classic road bike with somewhat similar geometry to the Cross Check, which I knew was not for me. Turns out that it's manageable, although I would probably not use it for a 100k trip. My current go everywhere bike is similar in geometry to the Double Cross, but it's aluminium.
A Cross Check with a flat or alt bar and 30 mm of spacers underneath? That or the Soma Doublecross without all the spacers. The main triangle and the fork are build from heat treated Tange Prestige tubes like some of the ATB frames of the '80s and '90s, unlike the Surlys which are built from utilitarian 4130 chromoly. Or the new Disc Trucker with extended head tube and the new Truck Stop riser drop bars. They shortened the chainstays and it no longer rides like barge unloaded, like the previous model.
https://somafab.blogspot.com/2020/10/soma-double-cross-signi...