I'll echo Patrick's observation. My Riv custom is my most favorite handling bike of all time. I have a Tournesol that's a front loader and fun to ride but takes more concentration than the Riv. That having been said, once I ride either bike for several days in a row I get totally accommodated to how they handle.
My experience with my Riv is that it is very happy with a seat bag. In addition to the seat bag I often add a bar tube and carry something less than 10 lbs in the bar bag with minimal impact on handling. I may not be particularly sensitive to handling nuances. My theory is, ride what you brung. -JimD On Nov 23, 2011, at 7:59 AM, PATRICK MOORE wrote: > This was my experience exactly on the Sam Hillborne, both with all the weight > (no more than 35 lb in my case) in the back and even worse when some of that > weight was in the front in a bar bag (Ostrich, firmly attached by decaleur to > stem and front rack). Front low riders did slow the flop a bit but made the > steering feel very sluggish -- very *oddly* sluggish with 30 lb divided > evenly between the two: it was very hard to initiate a turn!. My own > solutions was to sell the Sam Hill and buy a Fargo, which handles > unobjectionably in all loaded conditions; but of course that is rather > drastic. I personally would also be interested in others' suggestions for > solutions. I expect finding the right mix of front/rear and high/low is one > area to investigate? > > Jan's experience of feeling more confident in mid, fast turn with a low trail > bike is interesting; perhaps it's simply lack of experience with either or > both kinds, but my own impression is that higher trail "corner as on rails" > bikes (Rivs) feel more confidence inspiring than the Herse -- not that the > Herse is bad, just not "ideal" -- it takes more concentration; one is not as > blithely and unconcernedly ready to "let the bike go." > > Now the trike seems to handle the same with or without a front load. (That's > a joke, Steve -- tho' it's true.) > > > On Mon, Nov 21, 2011 at 10:05 AM, allenmichael <allenmich...@mac.com> wrote: > I just did my first tour this past summer on a 56 Atlantis. The > Atlantis was terrific except for climbing at very low speeds. I was > carrying a lot of weight, about 65 lbs., and some of it was on the > front. I had a riv high rider nitto rack with two loaded panniers and > my wife's sleeping pad riding up there. > > At low speed, almost no speed, the front tire (and all of the front > weight) kept wanting to flop over. The worst part of the trip, by > far, was fighting with this weight and trying to keep the bike on the > road under these conditions. To the point where I don't think I would > take this bike again if I had to carry so much weight. > > Any suggestions, apart from carrying less weight or balancing it > better or loading it lower? Other bikes? Other handlebar set-ups (I > had noodle drop bars, just above the saddle)? Other tires (I had 1.75 > Marathon Plus)? > > Thanks, > Michael Allen > > > -- > Patrick Moore > Albuquerque, NM > For professional resumes, contact > Patrick Moore, ACRW > http://resumespecialties.com/index.html > > > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > 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 rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
