Originally Posted by
Schlafen
Very nice bike you got there, quite rare now. I assume you're aware this bike is low trail and is designed to carry the load on the front, right?
Cheers thanks, I do, although you'd hardly know it looking at the setup - a randonneur masquerading as a race bicycle with its near-14cm stem and seat to handlebar drop. I bought it a few years ago in a Soma factory clearance, knowing virtually nothing about such machines. I intended for it to be an overnight tourer with a handlebar bag, but such escapades have yet to materialise.
All that said I did enough research to decide upon a Stronglight roller bearing headset, and with that and weight more over the bars than perhaps anticipated by the designer, it rides perfectly well as is. In fact, the Tange Prestige frame/Infinity fork seems to suit me at c. 180lbs when I sporadically muster what little power remains.
All that said I'd probably trade it towards a 650b Jeff Lyon/L'avecaise were one to surface in anything near my size...