Originally Posted by
LeeG
I had a 56cm 700c LHT that to my taste had an objectionable amount of toe over lap with fenders that announced itself with nearly every slow speed maneuver and heavy load. While the 700c is a fantastic load carrier the 26" version has no clearance issue and maneuverability is much better.
Thanks for that info, I wouldn't have expected that since the LHT frame is pretty long. My Randonee has the same toe/fender problem. Plus I just don't get these touring bike makers that make frames with limited tire width capacity. One would think the large # of tourists that switched to mountain bikes would signal them that many riders want a more comfortable ride over bad surfaces. Actually I would prefer frames with shallow angles & much fork rake that would give a smooth ride even without fat tires. Like when I switched from the Cannondale T400 to an 80's Specialized hardtail Rockhopper...I put 38 mm slicks on (plus drop bars natch) & the ride was smooth as silk even at 80 pounds pressure.