Don Ferris wrote,
(snip, snip, snip),,,
IMO, Panniers really slow down the front end of the bike and the steering
gets too heavy with slack angles and big trail numbers. >
> Cheers!
> Don Ferris
Well said Don, One of my bikes was just tested for Vintage Bicycle Quarterly and was ridden with and without a loaded handlebar bag. The weight on the front end does change the handling of the bike, as you said slows it down etc. If you start with too shallow a head angle, then add the load ,the steering can feel very heavy.
For the record, the Weigle randonneur tested had a 73 degree head angle with a 60 mm. rake and a low trail of 42. It was designed to be ridden with a loaded bag on the front. The bike is very stable, and yet corners beautifuly. Doesn't sound like the two go together, but trust me they do. You can see the VBQ review out soon. If a customer was to use the bike without the bag the geometry would have been modified to take that into account. (The bike was also tested with a 50 mm. rake that would work well in this scenario.) When I started building in the early 70s I was told touring bikes, and or any that was to carry a load needed slack angles, in some cases they might, depending on the load, and how its distributed. But having played around with this low trail thing I've found it to works very well with a loaded front end. You have to try it to believe it. This is nothing new of course,,, the French figured this out a long time ago. Seems lots of us with our racing bike upbringings weren't paying attention. No need to wave the flag, but maybe a beret tossed into the air would be a fitting tribute to those who figured this out a long time ago.
Peter Weigle
Lyme Ct.