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Old 10-16-05 | 05:03 PM
  #21  
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Irish Bill
THEY'RE OUT TO GET ME!
 
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: ON THE BIKE

Bikes: ONE WITH 2 WHEELS

Racing geometry and touring geometry differs substantially from one manufacturer to another. One thing that does make a difference though is wheelbase. Your typical touring bike will have a longer wheelbase to make it more stable when carrying loads and less of a pain to keep in a straight line over long distances, whereas a typical race bike will have a shorter wheelbase so the bike is more nimble and quite twitchy for quick handling. You'll be more stretched out on a racing bike (aerodynamics and better power transfer) and less stretched on a tourer (comfort). The wrong frame size can quickly screw up these differences though. You can also change these characteristics by changing the stem for a longer/shorter one, and raising or lowering the handlebar height. There's a million things to consider when deciding between touring/racing specs and a good book can usually answer all or most of these questions, but at the end of the day, if you're happy with the way the bike handles, don't worry about it too much.
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