Originally Posted by
ThermionicScott
Maybe the increased wheel diameter with 700x55C gave too much trail, and that's partly why it felt hard to handle? The calculator I use gives 67mm trail with 700x38C and 73mm trail with 700x55C.
I am coming back around to this idea. The pneumatic trail is quite pronounced, and I hated the sensation on a 0% grade. I wonder if indeed on a 10% grade the negative effects are amplified? I have this tendency to turn the front wheel back and forth a bit when I am climbing, which became noticeable when I put a video cam on the handlebars of one of my bikes.
(This is a testable hypothesis, but is one that would require some effort and about $200. The test would be to get the same tire width and formulation as the Antelope Hill, put them on 650b wheels, or even 26" wheels. )