Originally Posted by howsteepisit

I have toured on bikes with touring geometry and with racing geometry. There are differences. Touring bikes have rack mounts and clearences designed for comfort. Racing bikes are about being effcient and quick handling. I never really noticed much in the road shock transmission, but the relaxed handling of the touring bikes (low BB, longish fork rake and stays) makes eating and drinking under way much easier and steadyer, and less "swervey". Its also much easier to control the tourng bike in heavy winds with traffic flying by you. They are less likely to try to fly under the 18 wheeler that just blew past. Also, on the mecanical side, its a pain in the butt to try and rig racks on a bike with no eylets, and the rigged rack tends to losten, slide, and come detached.