Touring Bike

[anticompass]

About your wheel size question:  If you plan on doing any long touring in Latin America or Asia, 700cc tires, rims,  and innertubes DO NOT EXIST.  I've been in riding down Latin America for the last 13 months and have had to have tires and innertubes delivered to me while I wait.  And getting packages through customs in some Latin countries is a very expensive proposition.

26 inch components, however, are extremely common and will never be an issue anywhere in the world.