I have gotten more than a few notes chiding me for not showing pics of my new girl (see above). She is a 2011 Surly LHT. And I really love the black paint job and accoutrements. I’m still waiting for a front rack. But otherwise, she is outfitted with everything I need. I especially love the kickstand!
As a steel bike, the ride is wonderfully smooth. She takes potholes, road cracks and the occasional road repair efforts with ease. And the new rear lighting system (including a Topeak UFO light and a Blackburn Flea) ensures that I am completely visible while riding in the dark (at dawn and dusk).
I’m debating what comes next (after the arrival of the front rack). It might be different pedals or a new front lighting system. But both will wait for another six months or so. In the meantime, the next objective will be to pay the balance on a bicycle commuting jacket and a pair of platform shoes. But for now, me and my girl are having a wonderful ride to and from work.
-Roo
Roo-minations 
October 30, 2010 at 7:00 pm
How are the lights? I’ve been looking for a good lighting system for riding at night, but most of the ones I’ve seen have gotten poor reviews.
October 30, 2010 at 7:10 pm
I use two rear lights as neither is sufficient by itself. I have the UFO attached to my seat post. It is bright enough to be distracting. I have the Blackburn Flea attached to the rear pocket on my left pannier. I have it on a flasher (just like the UFO). Together, I can be seen by approaching traffic. And the fact that they are a few feet apart ensures that there is some 3-D contrast that may help motorists gain some sense of distance from me.
For a front light, I use a NiteRider. But I have put a 5W bulb in the light (rather than the stock 4W bulb). It does drain the light a little faster. But I have enough juice to get to/from the office. And the extra brightness does help me avoid the otherwise unseen pothole that lurks just beyond a normal light.
That said, I think I’m going to crack open the battery carrier and replace the Li-ion batteries with new cells. That will really help the burn rate as my unit is almost four years old.