When I built my Surly LHT in 2015, it was the 1st bike I ever had with disc brakes. Man, what a revelation that was - I will never buy another bike without disc brakes! So I understand Surly dropping the original LHT - no big deal, it's just changing with innovation. Being a tall guy (6' 3"), I was never a fan of the compact geometry style - to get the proper fit requires a really long seat post for me. But in 2019 I found myself working in Germany and in need of a bike to tour the countryside around Wiesbaden, so I bought a Fuji Tour bike. It is my 1st bike with the compact geometry - it did indeed require a very long seat post to fit me, and as well I use 180 mm cranks on it to get a bit more leg length. I actually enjoy that bike very much - it's certainly lighter than my LHT - the low gear was the same on both, so that helped me adjust right away to it, and both use bar end shifters, so it was immediately familiar. For some strange reason, the Fuji Tour was not offered in the disc brake version in 2020 - weird!
I'm planning on riding the Transam again in 2021, and as of now I plan to ride the Surly. It's a wee bit heavier, and yes it's a galaxy class star cruiser when I really only need a solar system transporter, but it's my customized touring rig (custom-built wheels with dynohub, custom gearing, fenders, etc.). I suppose I could transfer all that to my lighter Fuji Tour frame, but that's a lot of work and frankly I'm not a weight weenie - I just don't care about an extra pound or 2. Some people actually cut their tooth brushes in half to save a gram - and at the same time they are carrying an extra 20 pounds around their belly - so I just don't worry about a pound or 2. Fit & function are much more important to me, and of course it DOES matter how the bike looks! A classic touring frame has a much better and cleaner look than the new compact geometry style - I'm glad I have my Surly and I plan to add many more miles to it's current 14,000. Best wishes,
Buddy Hall