markwebb

I have been afforded the oportunity to ride several different types and styles of roadbike over the last 12 months. Everything from a new Lemond aluminum Tourmalet, an older steel Lemond Maillot Jaune, and some vintage bikes ala a Casati 1983 and a Raleigh International 1974.

The best rides for my style of riding - long tours (50+ miles on weekend tours/centurys) are the Raleigh International and the Maillot Jaune. The Lemond Maillot Jaune has become my primary ride.

I never noticed prior to riding the Maillot and the Raleigh - but those bikes take significantly less effort to steer. I can relax my upper body and shoulders more, bend my elbows and relax my arms more and the bikes will track very well.

Even the 2005 Lemond Tourmalet takes more effort to steer. Not much - but just enough that I can actually tell that I require more muscle attention (as in less relaxed uper body/sholders/arems and elbows). I am less tired after a long riide on the Maillot that the Torrmalet and I don't think it's just the way the two absorb road buzz. The Casati is the more sporty of them all - you have to steer it all the time (it is a like a Ferrari or some other highly tuned car with a racing suspension - it requires a driver!!!).

Has anyone else noticed this and is this common? Should this be taken into account when selecting a bike or comparing bikes before purchase? You'd probably want the Casati for Criteriums but maybe the Lemond Maillot Jaune for long road races and/or long tours because your upper body stays more relaxed/you don't use as much energy steering?

MichaelW

It is usually a feature of touring oriented road bikes that they have more relaxed steering for that very reason.

jsharr

could if be that you have so many miles on the bikes that bearing have worn into races when bars are straight ahead? Happens to older bikes or bikes with lots of miles, did to my 15 year old trek for sure.

markwebb

Actually, the Casati was NOS and Raleigh had a newly rebuilt/repacked headset. The Lemond Tourmalet was a brand new 2005. The Maillot Jaune had only a few hunderd miles on it when I acquired it. So it's not a function of bearing wearing. It was more a function fo how bike built. I can understand the diference between the Casati and the Raleigh - both vintage bikes but one a pure race Critterium/TT bike and the other a fast tourer. The Tourmalet has me stumped but there is a big difference between the Maillot Jaune and the Tourmalet.

That being said - in my experience with steering it seems just as important as a good fitting size wise. If your bike fits but you have to stay tense to steer throughout the ride you will get tired more quickly and muscles will fatigue.