The OP can also simply control downhill speed to stay in a comfort zone, as I'm sure he has.

For the expense of an overhaul, possibly re-gearing his cassette and possibly installing a rear rack the OP can explore the feasibility of a lighter duty bike for light touring. At the least the roadie will become more versatile.

While a second set of wheels for the LHT sounds good, the OP has a DT and will need to purchase a disk compatible hub or wheel set. When I replaced the tires (35 mm Panaracer to 32 mm Continental) on my primary touring bike the handling improved modestly, primarily due to the profile of the tire.

Brad

That sounds like a terrible idea. OP wants to go fast. You're telling him to ride a fast twitchy road bike that doesn't feel safe as slowly as possible in order to go faster. Complete nonsequitur.

I didn't write for him to go as "slowly as possible", just to stay within his comfort zone. There's nothing inherently "twitchy" about that bike, I have a criterium model that has more aggressive geometry than the OP's and it's quite stable at ~40 MPH.

Brad

The point is that he doesn't have any confidence in his bike while descending. He didn't specify the speed but I doubt he was going very fast. After all, he prefers tourers. Now, you want a rider who already rides relatively slowly on a bike he doesn't trust, to go even more slowly, when his stated objective is to get a faster bike.

That doesn't make any sense at all.

it's also possible that the twitchy feeling has to do with bike setup... on my short tour I ended up raising the bars a lot on my disc trucker (60% front load with lowrider panniers) and when I got home and rode unloaded I was amazed at how twitchy it felt... bars are going back down when I get around to actually touching the bike again). if the saddle isn't in the proper location that can change feel a lot as well... the front end also tends to be a bit more forgiving for larger tires which could slack out the front end a smidge more.

but no matter what going from a relaxed touring bike setup to a racing frame is always going to feel a bit twitchy :-/

And the R500 is definitely a faster bike and don't we all control our speed on fast downhill runs? The OP has rode his R500 many miles and you're fixating on one aspect that he's aware of and has coped with. The OP hasn't stated why he isn't comfortable with the downhill runs on his roadie, nor whether if he rides the downhills faster on the LHT. There may also not be the type of downhill runs in NY that he rode further west.

Brad

It doesn't matter if he specifies why or not. He's scared of fast descents, whatever fast means to him.

I love going fast on descents, and descents on my road bike don't frighten me. I've ridden as fast as 50 mph and felt confident on my bike at that speed.

edit: "fixating?" LOL, weak ad hominem. :)

It only matters to the OP whether he likes or dislikes my suggestion, your suggestion or anybody else's suggestion.

Brad

The all-rounder, adventure bike or country bike - is a new category of sports tourer bike that is not a dedicated touring bike but lets you go off-road, ride on the pavement and lets you go on day rides in the town and country. Its a do-it all bike. My Schwinn Super Sport DBX, the Trek Portland, the Salsa Vaya and others like it will have a relaxed frame geometry, stable handling and while they won't feel as light as a road bike, they are not as heavy for day to day errands like a dedicated touring bike. They're not built for speed but for getting things done and they can take you places you can't go on a road bike. A touring bike might feel like a pickup truck but an all-rounder bike is closer in feel to an SUV. You can sit upright, have disc brakes for all weather stopping and have provision for a rack and panniers for that day trip you might want to embark on. There are times when you can leave the touring bike at home and reserve that for extended travels. A road bike is good only on asphalt while with an all-rounder bike you can ride anywhere.

Just to get it on the road - new brake pads. If I thought it was a keeper, then a lot more stuff that will add up to well over $200. But hey, if it's a keeper... No 8,9 or 10 speed hubs. It's the 126mm spacing with very short chainstays. It's OK, the 7 speed is fine with a triple.

25mm tires came stock and I'm sure it will fit 28mm, so no problem there. I'll have to look into the saddle bag and handle bar thing. That could work. Well, if I still like the bike after all these years.

I don't know what he was talking about and where he got the stuff I "stated" and "wanted". Too weird.
But you're right. It should be stable. It's got a trail of 63mm, for cryin' out loud. It was 17 years ago, so it's hard to say what caused the uneasiness. I guess I'll find out. My cyclocomputer I just mounted told me I hit 51mph today. I hit over 40mph at least three times any time I go out for 30 miles or more. I live in a very steep, hilly area. I'm never scared or uneasy on my DT.

I really never thought the bike was twitchy, I was just uneasy at fast downhill speeds. Very responsive and stiff. Climbs like a mountain goat. It will be interesting to see what it's like after all these years.

I'd like to thank everyone again for the info and ideas. Because of the thoughts given here, I've decided to look into aluminum framed endurance bikes and vintage Cannondale tourers. I'm pretty optimistic about the Cannondale option. It sounds like what I would really like for my next bike. The only problem will be finding the right size in the right years for an acceptable price. Man, people on Craigs List and eBay are crazy...

If you regularly hit 70k and up to 80k then you know what you are doing going fast, and will know how to compare the bikes that's for sure.

And yes, the used listing prices here have me shaking my head most times....

In the interest of accuracy, have to point out a typo that will be corrected by editing. I hit over 40mph at least three times during a 30 mile ride,not 45mph+. Most of my fast downhill runs are right between 40mph and 45mph. Now, the 51mph I supposedly hit yesterday? It is the steepest grade I have experienced so far, but I'm not believing 51mph 100% until I do it a couple more times. Cyclocomputers *do* go wonky every once in a while.

Thank you for your vote of confidence in my judgement ability. I think it will be very interesting to see how the Cannondale rides.

bottom line is that 40 or 45 doesnt make a difference, its how the bike feels and you'll know right away how that is and how you feel about how it rides. have fun.