We run 26" wheels on our touring tandem. We are a tall ( 6'1" & 5'9") and heavy (360 lbs) team. Add in a heavy steel frame at 40+ lbs, front and real panniers, water, etc and our touring weight runs around 430lbs, and day rides a bit over 400 lbs. Yet we have been riding the same 26", 36 spoke wheels ( instead of the traditional 48 spoke 700C) for 5 years without any problems. I believe / suspect that the shorter spoke lengths make for a stronger wheel. We use a V shaped (DaVinci) rim and 38mm (Marathon Racer) tires, which do a good job of protecting the wheels. So yes, I would say, from my experience, 26" is an excellent choice for a fully loaded touring bike. Ours is a travel tandem, and as has been noted, the 26" wheels pack more conveniently. The only downside I have found is the length of the head tube, which puts even a large front bag out of reach of a decaleur. We use a small Acorn bag. Not as convenient, but no decaleur required.
All that said, if I were starting from scratch, I would choose 650B wheels & canti brakes for a touring bike. I have that combination on both a Saluki and a Trek 620 conversion. The wheel size, frame geometry, and tire selection hit a real sweet spot. What I find more puzzling in recent RBW designs is the preference for double TTs in designs of 64cm & below. It definitely looks like a solution in search of a problem. I wouldn't hesitate to head out for self supported touring on a single tube, 64cm Atlantis. Michael in Westford Vt, where three days of constant sub zero temperatures ended in freezing rain. UGH. On Tuesday, February 16, 2016 at 1:46:53 PM UTC-5, john wrote: > > I'm wondering about the difference in tire sizes for loaded touring. > > Wouldn't a 26" wheel work better for loaded touring, regardless of the > frame size? > > Why therefore doesn't Rivendell offer 26" wheels in their larger > touring-capable frames, like the Atlantis and Hunq? > > What am I missing here? > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
