Dear Nick and The List,
Ouch! An unsupported statement like that is kind of a cheap shot against any bike - but particularly against a long-established framebuilder of J.P. Weigle's reputation, it deserves a better explanation, Nick.
Many factors can create a bike that doesn't have that hard-to-define "sweet" handling characteristic that an experienced rider will usually want to seek out.
Indeed, proper handling and the "right" level of stiffness trumps weight every time(or at least it SHOULD, IMHO).
Perhaps the bike was not the right size, or designed for someone else, or the stem was extra-long/short, or the headset was defective or worn out.
And sometimes a rider is so used to a poor handling, or poorly designed / fitted bike that when they do get on a well-designed or better-fitting frame - well, it feels so DIFFERENT to what they are used to that they think the new bike is not "right". Welcome to the wonderful SUBJECTIVE nature of human beings . . .
Good thing that I'm not bothered by that subjectivity foible. Just as long as everyone accepts my feeling that BLUE bicycles have always had a faster "feel" than most RED bicycles. I've brought this up with a number of ex-racers and old-timers and we usually always agree. Green seems to be in-between.
The ones that don't agree - well they're just crazy, that's all. You just can't talk sense to some people.
Nice day, time for a ride -
Mike Fabian
San Francisco