This week I biked over to a local bike shop and test rode some bikes. They did not have the one that I have in mind to buy (Surly Crosscheck) but I did get to try 4 others. The one I liked the best is also made by Surly. It was their touring bike, the Long Haul Trucker. What I did not like about it was that it felt a little small and the riding position was a little too upright for my liking. I think that both of these would be solved if I got a Crosscheck a size bigger that the one I tried. I still have some other bikes I would like to try. Maybe next week when I'm in Washington I'll try to find some bike shops up there and test some more.