Quote Originally Posted by mudmucker View Post
Deb, did you do this and what did you think?
I do ride the 26x1.3" tires most all the time. I think the difference in average speed between these wheels and the 650x23 is 0.25-0.5 mph, but I haven't put much effort into validating this. My bike has a 39" wheelbase, as opposed to a LHT with a 42" wheelbase. The Surly Cross Check has a 39.9" wheelbase and might be a good choice for touring plus faster rides plus cyclecross. You can even get the Cross Check now with S&S couplers (the Traveler's Check). I think that the longer wheelbase and slacker frame angles of the LHT become more necessary with heavier touring loads. I keep my load under 25 lb, as I told my framebuilder, and his design works great for me.