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From: Frank Krygowski <frkrygow@sbcglobal.net>
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.tech
Subject: Re: belt drives
Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2025 11:00:15 -0500
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On 1/29/2025 1:37 AM, Roger Merriman wrote:
> Frank Krygowski <frkrygow@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>>
>> I think for equivalent loads, having the weight in a large saddlebag
>> (like a Carradice) affects handling less than having the weight in
>> panniers. Maybe that's because the added weight is closer to the center
>> of mass of the bike+rider.
> 
> I’m sure yes, my old MTB which is converted into my main commute bike,
> having just two panniers it felt particularly if laden very rear heavy, and
> definitely effected the handling, adding a bar bag, plus being more
> convenient made it feel a lot lighter even fully loaded as the handling or
> rather the weight was in the right places.

I think it matters less for normal road riding or touring, compared to 
off-road. I've always felt my Cannondale touring bike perfectly handled 
four panniers plus a handlebar bag. Like the bike was designed for that 
- which it was.

The Bike Friday is a bit of a strange animal. We've toured on them 
pulling trailers, but that introduces complexities and faff. For our 
next trips to Europe I arranged tall Rick Steves backpacks
https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/classic-backpack
vertically on a rear rack above the 20" rear wheel, also fastened to the 
back of the saddle.

While rolling, that was fine. But the lack of a top tube meant we had to 
take care to not lose our grip on the bars while standing at a stop, 
else the bike would tip.

I delivered newspapers for many, many hundreds of miles as a teenager 
with a huge front basket weighted with many pounds of papers, so I'm 
fine at handling front loads. For future Friday tours, I'm thinking 
about the Rick Steves bag mounted on a low rack above the front wheel.

-- 
- Frank Krygowski