I like the handling of my Ram better when unloaded on the front. I have however had it set up with a Mark's rack and lil loafter up front and like you said in 15mins (if that long) I'm used to the change in feel. I find too that the wider the tire the less noticible the front weight is to me. I think this has been referred to as "pneumatic trail". Not to start yet another "T" word discussion, but I've always been curious as to how a front load biased bike handles without a load in front. Is there such a condition as too little wheel flop?
Clyde, "A little flop is good" Canter On Mon, Jun 4, 2012 at 11:08 AM, Cyclofiend <[email protected]>wrote: > I'd encourage you to set it up and ride it. Not so much for you to > "decide yourself" but more that it will be different. To state the > obvious... ;^) > > The key core question is whether it matters at all. > > For me - my build, riding style and terrain - a front bag doesn't bother > me. I switch between my Quickbeam set up with a Nitto front rack, no > decaleur and one of two front bags (a Lil Loafer and a smallish traditional > style front rando bag) and over to my Hilsen which has no front anything > and a rear Country bag on a Mark's Rack. > > They absolutely feel different when I first ride the other, but within 15 > minutes or so, it seems like I've never ridden anything else. So - no > > The biggest adaption seems to be from the loaded QB to the unloaded > Hilsen. It is more a center of gravity thing - the front end feels > "light", but it's more a fore/aft balance thing than anything to do with > handling. Of course, the bicycles have the same tires, and the bars/saddle > setup is as similar as it can be with slightly different bars and saddles. > > I'd actually been thinking about moving the Mark's to the front this > summer. Because I find I kinda like a little more mass on the bars. > > There may be a little more conscious effort when walking the bike, pushing > it by the saddle, to make smaller movements to adjust direction, as when > I'm walking (or slower), with no hands on the bars, the front end can cause > the "wheel flop" so often claimed. > > But, at speed, on the roads of the North Bay in California, the ride is > strictly superb. Loaded or unloaded. > > - Jim / cyclofiend.com > > > On Jun 4, 2012, at 7:32 AM, Darin G. wrote: > > All, > > I'm doing my first Brevet in 12 days on my Romulus. I have a Berthoud bag > mounted on my Atlantis with a front rack and a decaleur and I am > considering mounting the bag on a Mark's Rack on my Rom for this event. I > think the front bag effects handling on the Atlantis, but not in a dramatic > way, and I am wondering if anyone has tried one on the Rom with the > skinnier Ruffy Tuffy's. Part of my concern may come from reading too much > BQ. Very powerful koolaid there on needing low trail to make it work, but > I seem to see plenty of front bags on Rambouillets and A. Homer Hilsen, so > a few words of reassurance would be appreciated. > > D.G. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msg/rbw-owners-bunch/-/3NIeOb8ZZMcJ. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en. > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
