Originally Posted by
staehpj1
That is the conventional wisdom, but I seem to put less and less stock in it the more I ride. The fact that my current road bike while it has a very aggressive cockpit also is THE most comfortable bike I have ridden on long rides. I base that on how I feel after a century ride on it versus a century ride on a touring bike. That may not be the best criteria and I am not saying any of this is conclusive, but it has made me begin to think differently about comfort. As a result my touring bike preferences are becoming at least a bit more road bike like with regards to tire selection, saddle selection, cockpit setup, and frame geometry.
Just another crazy opinion... feel free to ignore or take with a grain of salt.
I think you misunderstood. I like long cockpits on my bikes. But the comfort of a touring bike doesn't necessarily come from a more upright riding position. I think the longer wheel base is more important. The slightly relaxed head angle and relaxed trail also contribute.
I've ridden bikes with very short wheelbases (a late 80's Cannondale
) and they are anything but comfortable. They are super quick and a blast to ride but the choppy ride will beat you to pieces. My T800 (similar construction) is more comfortable because it has more spring between the wheels.