Thanks for the responses. I measured 106.5 cm wheel base going from axel to axel. Interestingly enough the 52 cm Thorn Nomad was 105.7 and the 52 cm Surly LHT was about the same. My MTB is 52 cm but the chain stays are 16.75", where the LHT is 18.1", the Nomad isn't listed. One more observation though, all the LHT sizes have 18.1 " chain stays. It appears that there is the same amount of space between the pedal and axel for someone wearing a size 7 shoe on a 50 cm frame as there is for some wearing a size 13 shoe on a 60 cm frame.
It is still too cold and icy to do much here so I have had too much time to think about this lately. All this is more or less cycling's equivalent to baseball's hot stove league. For now the Marin will have to do. Eventually I will probably go to a LHT frame but in the mean time I still have plenty of stuff to spend money on, tent, sleeping bag, front panniers,etc.
I should add one more thing. I see Tobus makes a rack for bikes with shorter chain stays but it also looks like it lowers the pannier a good 3". I wish I would have known that when I got my rack. Lowering the weight certainly can not hurt any assuming that does not interfer with anything else.
Last edited by robmcl; 03-03-07 at 04:36 PM.