Ok, here is my last argument for 26" and then I'm out.

On a tour that long you are almost definitely going to wear through a set of rims. Almost every tour journal out there that goes for more than a year has people cracking rims eventually. They only last so long. What are you going to do when that happens? Also without a doubt you will wear through your first set of tires, if not your second and third.

Mail ordering a bike rim in the middle of Ecuador is a lot different than doing it in the states. You could be waiting for weeks and paying huge import fees.

Lastly I've ridden identical LHT builds with 700c and 26" wheels. They both ride great, and the 26" bike didn't feel at all slower.

If you are dead set on doing this definitely plan to replace your rims before you leave the states, they'll be near the end of their life anyway.

Good luck.

Just to add to your worst nightmare... Apparently BC grow ops are training black bears to defend their plants. This means Bears are on a gateway drug, by the time you get here it could be crack!

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/10081...mals_marijuana

Also, don't charge grizzlies then spit on them:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1811001/posts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-AVr...eature=related

Well, don't forget about Sasquatch. They're much bigger and sneakier than bears. They usually leave people alone, but some campers along the west coast of North America say they are quite curious and like to come around campsites at night, especially when camping alone or in small groups.

Not as dangerous as the drop bears we have in Australia.

Cheers.

25kg of stuff isn't really light and unlike a rider who weighs 25kg more than you you can't unweight that 25kg of unsprung weight going over bumps. For that reason durable wheels are important. I used to be your weight and used those weight of rims for very light touring, <7kg. but for 15-20kg on the rear wheel I'd still go for much heavier rims.

Since you consider a bike with 26 inch wheels to be a "frankenbike", I have no suggestions.