djcolorado

I have a '04 Sequoia Comp and a '05 Felt 65 that I keep at different places because of a work commute situation and ride about the same amount of time. The Sequoia has more of a head tube angle than the Felt and it has a Shimano wheel set with fewer but thicker spokes which lace through the rim and tension at the hub. (There is no wheel set model information on the rims) With the Felt I can move my hands all over the bars, get a water bottle, etc. and the bike stays very stable. The Sequoia is very sensitive to any motion and I have to be very methodical moving around on it. The question is whether this sensitivity is most likely caused by the wheel set not matching the load on it (I weigh 210) or is it a nature of bikes having more of a head tube angle?

Zouf

Directional stability is influenced by a number of factors, but trail - the distance between the front wheel contact point and the point where the steering axis hits the ground - is a major contributor. Think of it as the shopping cart front wheels: they align because their swivel axis is offset from the wheel contact point. Same thing on a bike. Trail is a result of head tube angle and fork offset; slacker angles give more trail, for the same fork offset.

bernmart

I agree with Zouf that wheel design and/or capacity has little to do with it. I have a Sequoia Elite, and after riding it with delight for four months, I've come to understand that the Sequoia's geometry yields a nimble, agile bike rather than the "comfort bike" it's marketed as. It has much more in common with the Specialized Roubaix than anything else. My old Trek 520 was much more stable in the sense of resisting sudden steering inputs, but much less responsive. Over time I've gotten used to the Sequoia's sensitivity, and come to enjoy it. DJ, by the way I weigh just about the same as you do.

djcolorado

Makes sense. Thanks.