Originally Posted by
12bar
Pick the one that fits you best and comes from the better shop. As for 700C vs 26" wheels I have 54cm LHT and have no problem riding with my local club a average speeds of 18 to 19 mph. If I plan to ride with the fast group I take my road bike or tri bike. I love all of my bikes but my LHT is the most fun to ride for me.
I also have the 54cm LHT with 26" wheels and agree with the above. The performance of the 26" wheels is just not an issue.
I think there are two issues you should consider to separate the two bikes:
You will be spending many hours in the saddle on tour. Get the best fitting bike.
If you are touring in USA rural or 3rd world settings then 26" rims and tires may be more readily available. Bear in mind that Schraeder valves (the bigger diameter ones) are more ubiquitous than presta so you might need to drill your rims for the larger size.
Two weeks ago I passed a TransAm rider (78 days) on a Trek 520 going north on the Pacific Coast as he was finishing up in Astoria. I was going south on my LHT. We both had smiles on our faces. They are both superb touring bikes and you can't really go wrong with either one.