Originally Posted by
Abu Mahendra
Except that it is not. The LHT's long wheelbase, long chainstays and low BB, not to mention Surly's own positioning of the LHT as a touring rig, say that the LHT is not a 'road bike' either.
A touring bike is a type of road bike - the geometry differences you describe tend to be common factors among touring bikes. You're trying to find evidence to fit your hypothesis, which is called confirmation bias. Bikes of yore with traditional geometry tend to be closer to what we call touring geometry today. Same thing with commuting bikes. My commuting bike, in fact, has many attributes that commuters prefer, yet it is marketed as an endurance racing bike...go figure.