Originally Posted by
ignant666
I had one, until it got stolen off the street in DC when a hostel owner made me lock it outside overnight after finishing the C & O. Fortunately i have decent insurance, so not as disastrous as it might have been.
What i really did not like about it was that i had merely to
think about anything off to the left or right, let alone glance off to the side, to find my self veering sharply in that direction. The handling was so excessively responsive that it made riding it loaded and off-road very very demanding. It would be a great messenger bike, because those handling characteristics would be great unloaded in dense traffic. And probably pretty good for riding singletrack unloaded.
But for touring use, i thought it was one of the worst bikes i ever rode a long distance- just too squirrel-y. The thieves did me a favor; i am much happier with the replacement (a
Bassi Hog's Back set up with a triple; the Bridge Club BTW had a double, so i'm sure a triple would be possible, but you are better off keeping the LHT)
its very interesting how diff riders have diff takes on something like steering and what they are comfortable or not comfortable with.
You obviously prefer a slower steering bike, I have a friend who once rode one of my bikes, we switched for a while on a day ride and he had the same view as you here--whereas I enjoy a quick steering bike, even for touring. (his bike steered like a truck, just like some touring bikes)
but what is too much?
its certainly not a quantifiable thing, and one of my bikes was even for me a bit too nervous, but when I put some Jones bars on it, it just took the edge off the steering quickness making it a more enjoyable commuter.
My Troll has had dropbars on it for years, super short stem, 50mm, steers quickly yet I love the steering fully loaded with front panniers, hbag bag and big rear panniers--or light bikepacking setup--whether on paved roads or singletrack--at 8kph or 80kph. (5mph or 50)
so my view is that a fun steering unloaded bike makes a great tourer because any sort of touring load slows down the steering, and I love how my troll loaded is still fun to quickly steer around potholes or whatever on downhills, even on double or single track.