Taking the mean strain and strain ratio as parameters, diametral strain controlled low cycle fatigue tests were carried out on hour-glass shaped specimens of two quenched and tempered 60 kg/ mm² high tensile steels. As a result of the tests, the following conclusions were obtained ; 1. The effect of the mean strain to the crack initiation life was not significant as far as the mean strain was not more than 10% of the static ductility. For the crack initiation life less than a few cycles, the relation of Goodman diagram holds fairly well between the mean strain and low cycle fatigue strength, but for longer life the Gerber's law is good to express the relation between mean strain and low cycle fatigue strength. 2. On the basis of the hysteresis energy consideration, an equation to estimate the effect of mean strain to crack initiation life was proposed as follows ; 1- N_c / N_c0 = [ W _1/4 (_??_ _tm +_??_ _pa , ) - W _1/4 (_??_ _pa )] / W_j where N_c , is a number of cycles to crack initiation when mean strain is _??_ _tm , N_c0 is a number of cycles to crack initiation when mean strain is zero, W _1/4 (_??_tm+_??_pa) and W1/4 (_??_pa) are energy required to strain to _??_ _tm +_??_ _pa and _??_ _pa , respectively, and W_f is energy required to static fracture. The equation gives better estimation for crack initiation life more than 500 cycles than the equations proposed by Weiss et al., Munse et al., and Ohji et al. 3. A simple method to estimate the mean strain at the first cycle was proposed. The mean stress at the first cycle is rapidly relaxed by strain cycling, and the behavior of the mean stress is well approximated by the following equation ; σ^{- ( m -1)} -σ₀^{- ( m -1)} = (m-1) BEn . where σ is mean stress at the n th cycle, σ₀ is a constant determined by initial condition, m is a constant which depends on cycling rate and temperature, BE is a function of strain amplitude, cycling rate and temperature, and n is a number of cycles imposed. 4. Hysteresis energy per cycle is influenced by the mean strain at the beginning of strain cycling, but not after the mean stress is relaxed. 5. Crack growth life is not influenced by the mean strain because the mean stress is relaxed before a crack initiates. 6. Crack initiation life is increased by the heat treatment of stress relieving by 16%, but crack growth life is not influenced.