LeeG

I’m familiar with Rivendell and Jones. I have a ClemSmith Jr. Is anyone familiar with other similar types of bikes? Chainstays in the 50cm + region. Not long tail cargo bikes. Basically an all roads ATB with lots of standover clearence. I’m 20 yrs behind the times but considering custom construction as well. If folks know a builder who has done similar I welcome the suggestion. It appears the market is 99% “sport” and I’m no longer in need of sportiness.
Tire width 55-70 mm

Leisesturm

Fomo? Seriously. Not trying to be mean, but it just doesn't need to be that hard. Custom is simply a bridge too far. Sometimes the wiser choice is to accept that the brands you already know are 'as good as it gets'. I know you don't want to hear it but you are describing a 'Downhill MTB'.

indyfabz

Bilenky in Philly might be interested in building you the custom bike you are looking for.

LeeG

Not familiar with fomo. Could you use that in a sentence? Nothing dificult in posing the question. A downhill mtb is a full suspension high bb rig not designed for easy riding with a pannier load. I’ve had custom frames that overlapped with production designs. What I’m describing is not a common production geometry. The brands I know are what is marketable and most bikes for that tire range are hardtails for sport riding. Long chainstays make for a pleasant ride with a rear load,

LeeG

thx.

Skullo 

Look into The Rivendell Appaloosa.
I have one from 2017. It’s a beast. Long wheel base and extra long chain stays.
Its capable of fully loaded touring. It is a heavy bike. I describe the ride as like a Cadillac.

indyfabz

No prob. They were known for their tandems, including a design that allowed the “captain” to sit in a recumbent position, so they have experience with long bikes.

Pratt

Bruce Gordon (RIP) designed and built the Rock and Road with relatively long rear chain stays.

thumpism 

Usually seen in all caps as FOMO; Fear Of Missing Out.

Trakhak

The late Jobst Brandt (Porsche brake and suspension designer and author of the wonderful book The Bicycle Wheel) mentioned somewhere that when he ordered his custom bike from a builder, he didn't specify the chainstay length: "I just told him not to cut any off."

It's likely that any frame builder you pick would have no trouble doing the same thing.

john m flores 

I've never ridden a long chainstay bike. I'm curious as to what ride qualities you are looking for over a touring bike like the Surly Long Haul Trucker with ~46cm chainstays?

LeeG

I have a LHT that got me started on this trend which became a car replacement and daily commuter. . Thereafter got a Felt Cafe 7 as a spare bike at my daughters house which was close to 19” cs length with upright bars. As I gained weight and age went to upright traditional bars. Basically bike handling doesn’t get altered radically with a rear pannier load also road shock is diminished as the wheels get further from the seat and bb. Then six years back got a Rivendell Clem Smith which was a bit of a revelation and well matched for the dirt roads I’m on. I got a modern hardtail a couple years later thinking shocks are what I needed and as much comfort and fun it is I’m not bombing fast down trails and I don’t need tail flicking responsiveness. Also the stretxhed out Clem with lower bb felt like it’s easier to let slide out under me then the high bb hardtail where I drop the seat to get back and low. Since I’m not going fast the hardtail has capavilities I don’t need and requires more attention. Kind of like long cross country skis over short downhill ski. More of slow easy turns than jumping and popping on moguls.

mstateglfr 

An '89 Rock n Road had 43.5cm chainstays.

mstateglfr 

As mentioned already- Rivendell Appaloosa. Chainstays over 50cm and fits a 55mm tire.
As for a production bike that has over 50cm chainstays and fits a 70mm tire?...I haven't seen one. I also can't say I've ever wanted to look, since that sort of bike isn't one I am interested in.

Best of luck finding your unicorn.

LeeG

Thx, long time ago I met Roger Durhan of Bullseye pulleys and he had a custom aluminum frame bike made up with long chainstays and wheelbase. Anyway from a utilitarian standpoint simple bikes without suspension for primitive surfaces and easy riding benefit from some length. The sport orientation in the American market has made what used to be road racing geometry for the TdF into what are now sport touring bikes. I had a 1968 Schwinn Paramount track bike that had close to 17” chainstays. Albeit w 74 degree parallel angles.

mstateglfr 

I get that 430mm stays on a track bike is not the norm...but that is a whole lot closer to typical than what you are asking for there- stays longer than 500mm with clearance for a 70mm tire.

Yes I understand a longer wheelbase can provide a more comfortable ride.
And yes, longer chainstays are one way to increase wheelbase.
But even 460mm chainstays are viewed as long, so stays over 500mm with clearance for a 70mm tire is wildly different from almost anything in the market...even the 'comfort' market.

masi61

I have a Cannondale "Silk Tour 900" that seems to have exceptionally long chainstays. It was in rough used shape when I bought the complete bike for $170 on Facebook Marketplace. The frame is quite nice and the headshok works! I'm embarassed to say that the only time I rode it was to test ride it around the block.. I will check chainstay length when I get home from work. The "T" touring Cannondales I suspect have similar long chainstays. If you are interested in rebuilding one of these used Cannondales I think you could have a nice long wheelbase bike for not much money..

mstateglfr 

Cannondale Touring frames had chainstays of 460mm or shorter. And thru the years, most couldn't fit wider than a 35mm tire.

Neither the chainstay length or tire width are close to what the OP wants.

Wildwood 

Central California (Lodi) - Jon Tallerico will build what you want, within reason. Experienced with mtn and road bikes.

Central Washington state - Curtlo. OUR BIKES - Curtlo Cycles

Western Oregon - Co-Motion. Stock models or semicustom or full custom:
www.co-motion.com

Pick a location, find the builders, inquire, .......proceed. By golly it has been fun 3 times.

masi61

Yeah, you're likely right that the chainstays are not nearly as long as what the OP was looking for. The max tire width on these cantilever braked Silk tour I suspect is more like 48mm but still not wide enough for what the OP is looking for. I might measure the tire clearance just for fun along with the chainstay length when I get home though.

LeeG

I had a small bike shop in the early 80’s and had a great time riding their touring bike w 35 mm tires off road. But I weighed 40 lbs less and my ligaments were a lot more resilient then.

LeeG

thx

2old

FME and as above, custom seems the best option. Even my 1985 Fuji was < 18" with the wheel pulled back in the horizontal stays. If you're near UT, Waltworks.

Leisesturm

I'm not terribly metric so I didn't realize just how much out of the ordinary the o.p. was looking to go. Custom builders do not just build any design that pops into a clients head. Custom bikes don't usually look wildly different from production models. The desired tire size of 70mm will also be a non-starter for any custom builder unless they are already making bikes using "plus size" tire components. I have a cargo bike with 2.4" tires and those are about the largest section clincher I want to push with my own energy. In fact, I'm in the process of putting a motor on that bike. Think out of the box time: Has the o.p. thought about getting close to the target with a production Surly, or Salsa 'adventure bike', with an X-tracycle extension for the chainstay? Probably not going to accommodate tires much over 2.1" cross section, maaaybe 2.4" but, really, no one needs a super extended wheelbase AND over large tire diameter.

bboy314

Get you an 80s Schwinn High Sierra (or similar).