Recommendations for a small touring bike

[eofelis]

I don't know what your money situation is but a custom bike is usually not cheap and touring is a very hard life for a bike. They are in all sorts of weather and road conditions, get leaned on everything, fall over, maybe even get stolen. I'm happy to have a cheap and easily replaceable bike for touring (like my LHT), and have a more expensive custom bike for road riding where it never leaves my hands when I have it out.

When I say custom bike I guess I really meant custom frame. If you can find a stock frame to fit you it's pretty easy to put the components that have the gears you want on it. My LHT frame has a full Shimano XT mtn bike drive train on it. Low gear is a 22-34. I live in Colorado and have pedaled it fully loaded up some big passes just fine. I've also done 60 mile (unloaded) road rides in flat terrain on it just fine with that same gearing. I just used the 44-12 gears that day