Touring - First Post and a LHT size Question

Hello Everyone,

This is my first post in this site and I would like to say a big fat HI! to everyone. Just a short description of myself. I am an avid cyclist and do a lot of mountainbiking, a few road rides here and there. Now I am looking to see if I can start doing short touring in my area(Los Angeles) and see if I can explore part of the coast. I am currently looking at the LHT(I like building my own rides) and I like what I see and from lurking in this board for the past 4 months I like what I hear. My concern is the sizing of the LHT. I'm a tad below 6'2 and have a 36 inch inseam(long) and my current road/offroad bike is a Rock Lobster cycloross and it measures 61 c-t and a 23inch effective top tube using a 120mm stem. I was checking out the 60 LHT w/ an effective toptube of 23.6. Should I go down to a 58 or stick w/ the 60 and get a shorter stem to compensate for the .6 longer top tube? Sorry about the rambling but any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

IMO you shouldn't get the 58 having such a long inseam. Get at least the 60.

I will be buying and building a LHT as soon as they are available again, to use mainly as a commuter. I am 6'4" and have a 35.5" cycling inseam. I plan to buy a 62, but I have a longer torso than you do so I don't have an issue with the top tube length. Maybe someone that already has a LHT can give you first hand advice.

Just out of curiosity, have you decided what components you plan to use to build your LHT?

LHT's seem to have notoriously longer top tubes than usual. I heard it said that, as a general rule of thumb, you should go a size below what you'd expect with them. But I've never actually ridden one to see if that general rule of thumb is correct or not. Good luck! I'm in LA too and will be soon taking delivery of my new Surly CrossCheck for very similar sounding trips around SoCal! Good luck.

IMO you shouldn't get the 58 having such a long inseam. Get at least the 60.

I will be buying and building a LHT as soon as they are available again, to use mainly as a commuter. I am 6'4" and have a 35.5" cycling inseam. I plan to buy a 62, but I have a longer torso than you do so I don't have an issue with the top tube length. Maybe someone that already has a LHT can give you first hand advice.

Just out of curiosity, have you decided what components you plan to use to build your LHT?

I was still doing some calculations and comparing my cross bike to a 60 LHT and I am liking(again) the longer headtube length. Because of my long inseam my saddle height to handlebar height was always an issue when buying frames so I think for me, this time around, the longer HT would be the clutching factor in getting the 60. Component wise I will be using mostly mountain parts(My cross bike is full XT w/ barcons). I use parts that I know from experience that will last for a long time. For wheels I have a set of T519 on Deore hub from my defunct 29er project that I could use.

LHT's seem to have notoriously longer top tubes than usual. I heard it said that, as a general rule of thumb, you should go a size below what you'd expect with them. But I've never actually ridden one to see if that general rule of thumb is correct or not. Good luck! I'm in LA too and will be soon taking delivery of my new Surly CrossCheck for very similar sounding trips around SoCal! Good luck.
Almost picked a Crosscheck but then being such a practical dolt knowing that I already own a crossbike so instead I opted to get a tourer and get rid of my 26inch mtb. For the topic of going down 1 size I realize that the headtube length of a 58 is almost the same as my cross and for all day rides it would be nice to have a longer headtube( bars level or over the seat). Let me know when you get that bike built and hopefully mine will be running by then and let's see what epic rides we can muster for this summer.

Thanks

Component wise I will be using mostly mountain parts(My cross bike is full XT w/ barcons). I use parts that I know from experience that will last for a long time. For wheels I have a set of T519 on Deore hub from my defunct 29er project that I could use.
I ordered 9 sp barcons, Tektro cantis and aero levers, 105 front der, Deore rear der, SRAM cassette, Sugino XD300 cranks, Moto Ace Bell Lap bars, Moto Ace stem, and SKS fenders. I am using a BB, saddle and post that I already have. Also using my current wheels (C201 hubs and CR18 rims). I can hardly wait till I can order a 62cm LHT frame in "Black Cherry Pearl"!

Post an update in the forums when you get yours built.

I ordered 9 sp barcons, Tektro cantis and aero levers, 105 front der, Deore rear der, SRAM cassette, Sugino XD300 cranks, Moto Ace Bell Lap bars, Moto Ace stem, and SKS fenders. I am using a BB, saddle and post that I already have. Also using my current wheels (C201 hubs and CR18 rims). I can hardly wait till I can order a 62cm LHT frame in "Black Cherry Pearl"!

Post an update in the forums when you get yours built.

I will psot as soon as I get it. Apparently availability for a 60 won't happen till 1/16 so the wait is on. I want to see the Balck Cherry Pearl on the whole bike but the blue is not that bad. Yes I am going for barcons again but I think it would be another 8spd and matching it to a On-one Midge bar(I love this bar) and Dia-comp 287v.

I am 6'4" and ride a 62cm LHT. I would think that at 6'2" a 60cm should be the ideal size for you. Here is the post of my LHT to give you a idea of build specs.
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=151505&highlight=long+haul+trucker