Ken- And I bet the Trout has far smoother a drive train and shifting with it's longer stays.
> John, and list:
>
> Eleven years ago, I was fitted for a Seven and this weight distribution
> idea was part of the fitting's concept. I must say that for me, with a
> climber's physique and the lighter upper body, what was arrived at was
> quite different than what I had ever ridden on a stock frameset, either
> European-made or American. They positioned me with a longer-than-normal
> stem and very steep head angle, so as to bring more of my weight quite a
> bit forward and onto the front wheel's load. Had to get used to gobs of
> toe overlap, but the resulting weight distribution really changed things
> up in a way that I happen to like so much that the bike remains my
> favorite handling bike ever.
>
> In reality, there is another way to go this direction of forward weighting
> the bike a bit and that is to move the center of gravity forward by
> positioning the rear wheel backwards more with long chainstays. That is
> how my other favorite handling bike, a subsequently-acquireed vintage
> Eisentraut, did it.
>
> Ken Wehrenberg, Santa Barbara, CA but heading back to MO soon
> _______________________________________________
Andrew R Stewart
Rochester, NY