26" wheelsize is far more common worldwide than 700c. I too was looking at an LHT with 26" wheels for that reason. Although, I take a 64cm frame and 26" wheels seem disproportionately out of place to the eye, who cares really when performance and ease of spares is what matters. The smaller wheelsize is going to be the stronger too. What I'm doing right now (besides typing) is turning an old steel, long wheelbase hardtail Raleigh mountain bike into a quasi touring / packmule hauler. It's a practical and economical way (I believe) of achieving most of what an expensive dedicating touring bike can do, minus the expense.