Originally Posted by
LeeG
The thing is you really don't get a sense of how well bikes like the Cannondale and LHT carry weight with unladen test rides but you'll get a sense of it's fit.
Good point. I had a Nashbar tourer I bought in 1992. It was an XXL frame with 1" tubing. It was a nice bike to ride unloaded, but when I loaded it up it shimmied like crazy when I got up to any speed at all. My LHT is a nice bike but not spectacular when unloaded. However, when I load it up it's as comfortable and rock solid as I could ask for.
It seems to me I remember reading a similar report about a Cannondale tourer. The ride wasn't anything special until it was loaded up. Then it became a real beauty.