Touring - what production bike has the longest chainstays?

I know the Trek 620 and 720 have chainstays of 18.5in or 47c. I think that's one of the main reasons why folks will pay top dollar for them.

What about other production bicycles throughout the years. It doesn't have to be touring specific. It can be an old vintage mountain bike like a schwinn high sierra or Fuji Thrill, or first year Specialized Stumpjumper.

Another side question: Anyone know where I can find the spec sheet for the geometry of early 1980s Kuwahara mountain bicycles?

thanks

I just measure my Fuji Thrill from the 80s and it has about 45.5cm chainstay. It's early MTB with 1" quill steerer. I love the relax geometry on these early MTBs.

Surly LHT has 46cm chainstays. Another reason why they're so popular.

There's the Xtracycle too.

Surly beats the Bruce Gordons. They are 45 cm on the larger sizes. Still my size 13 shoes do not hit the Nashbar MTB panniers.

Good thing you said "production", I've seen a hill-climbing frankenbike with chainstays close to 70+ cm.

I know the Trek 620 and 720 have chainstays of 18.5in or 47c. I think that's one of the main reasons why folks will pay top dollar for them.

What about other production bicycles throughout the years. It doesn't have to be touring specific. It can be an old vintage mountain bike like a schwinn high sierra or Fuji Thrill, or first year Specialized Stumpjumper.

Another side question: Anyone know where I can find the spec sheet for the geometry of early 1980s Kuwahara mountain bicycles?

thanks

Robert Beckman bikes.

Arvon (22").

Various models among the early mountain bikes.

The Cannondale touring bikes have 45.7cm which are on a par with the LHT.

The mid80s 720 is a pretty good touring bikes and the 728 is probably the best of the lot. The 620 is more of a sport touring model with chainstays and geometry similar to the current 520. The 720 designation was also recycled for mountain bikes in the 90s.

Yeah. I was referring to the 1985 620 which had the same chainstay as the 720 for only that year. Never even heard of the 728. Time to visit vintage-trek.com.

Current models ; the Trek 250 uses 45 = 17.7 inches, I know of no mainstream currently made bikes with longer.

Yeah. I was referring to the 1985 620 which had the same chainstay as the 720 for only that year. Never even heard of the 728. Time to visit vintage-trek.com.Trek 728 (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=205026)

Trek 728 Rises From the dead (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=289010)

Trek 728 Completed (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=300394)

It pays to measure them, most manufacturer spec lists give identical numbersr for all sizes for the seat stays and the wheel base, and usually the angles for head and seat tubes are the same, or there is one break. It's not possible. So if you are interested in seat stay length you may want to actually measure the bike you are planing on buying.

Arvon certainly has the longest stays I have seen, though it is custom.

From what point do you measure them? From the centre of the axle on the rear wheel to the centre of the BB spindle? Or from the axle to where the chainstay enters the BB shell? Or some other way?

center of the bottom bracket to the center of the rear wheel axle.

Just bought a complete 1989 Schwinn Sierra - via ebay - hope it has fairly long CS. I own a couple of 1987 Sierra frames, cs is about 4 inches longer than my Giant sport tourer and about 2 inches longer than my current Trek 4300.

My 85ish Schwinn High Sierra MB measures 45.9 cm (18.125 inch). I'm not sure if the axle is all the way back so maybe I can get another 1/2 cm out of it. The front fork even has low-rider mounts....

I've kept my eyes open for high sierras. It's basically a lugged version of the Surly Long Haul Trucker.

I've kept my eyes open for high sierras. It's basically a lugged version of the Surly Long Haul Trucker.
Oh? I've been drooling over the LHTs for several months now and I just happen to have an '84 High Sierra frame and fork! I've been wondering what direction to take with it and now I know. Thanks!

Specs:
21" c-t seattube
23.5" c-c toptube
18.5" chainstays

Rivendell Atlantis 46 cm
1983 Stumpjumper 46.5
Thorn Raven Nomad 47.5!

Oh? I've been drooling over the LHTs for several months now and I just happen to have an '84 High Sierra frame and fork! I've been wondering what direction to take with it and now I know. Thanks!

Specs:
21" c-t seattube
23.5" c-c toptube
18.5" chainstays

If you are going to run modern 135mm rear spacing rear wheel, you will most likely need to spread the rear dropouts since the schwinn high sierra from the 80s were 126mm for 5-6 speed bikes or you might be able to respace the rear axle to fit without having to cold set the rear dropout. Either way, that High Sierra is a fine frame, lucky you!!!

center of the bottom bracket to the center of the rear wheel axle.

OH! Well in that case, my 87 Univega Grand Touring has 18.5 in/47 cm chainstays. I was measuring from the rear of the BB shell initially. DOH!

1985(ish) Peugeot Canyon Express - 18.5" c-stays.

Virtually identical to McDaves' High Sierra, but lugged and made of Ishiwata double butted cr-mo tubing. 3 bottle braze-ons, rear of the seat tube pump pegs, and dual eyelets on the dropouts, but mine has an aftermarket fork so I can't speak for the originals.

I have a book by Charles Coombs titled "Mountain Biking" published in 1987 that features a picture of the very model I have, but the photo is hard to distinguish whether there are low rider bosses on the fork or not....

umm Surly Big Dummy anyone?

or are we strictly talking diamond frames?

umm Surly Big Dummy anyone?

or are we strictly talking diamond frames?
These bikes have longer chainstays than any of those others! :P
http://www.joe-bike.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/surly-big-dummy1.jpg
http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/gadgetlab/kona_ute_white_large%201-1.jpg
http://www.besportier.com/archives/yuba-mundo-cargo-bicycle.jpg

1978 Shogun 1000 has 17.5 chainstays.Another 1/2 inch with the rim all the way back in the dropouts.

Current models ; the Trek 250 uses 45 = 17.7 inches, I know of no mainstream currently made bikes with longer.

Heres one that will probably surprise a few. Giant Transend=chainstay of 17.8/45.2 and incredibly long wheelbase at 43.6/1107.5. Mine even though its aluminum rides like a dream. Handles great with loads on it.

I have an 1986 Canyon Express: 46 cm cs, lugged with Ishiwata 022, 2 bottle braze-ons, dual front and rear dropout eyelets, rack mount on seat tube, and eyelets on st and tt for shoulder strap. No other rack braze-ons the unicrown fork other than the dual eyelets on the drop outs. 70 deg head and seat tube angles!