Gunnar Bikes :)

[Catrin]

Ask Waterford if they can tell you what the "trail" is on their proposed design. That number will help you figure out how the bike is likely to handle.

Thanks - Jonathan may have even mentioned it when we spoke this afternoon but I didn't note it though I got the others. I am going to start a spreadsheet that compares all of this between the Trek, my LHT and what I know of the Gunnar design. I really like that I have direct access to the frame designer, and that I need to sign off on the design (literally) before I am committed to it

Added: I have started my spreadsheet, and I now see just why the Trek was too large for me, even the new "XS" version of the 2011 7.6 FX WSD would be too long for me...it is helpful to be able to compare the numbers even if I don't fully understand what I am looking at.

[Bike Chick]

You learn a lot when you start shopping and comparing bikes, don't you? Congrats on your new Gunnar, Catrin. I think shopping for a bike is almost as much fun as riding it. No wonder some of us hoard bikes

[Catrin]

You learn a lot when you start shopping and comparing bikes, don't you? Congrats on your new Gunnar, Catrin. I think shopping for a bike is almost as much fun as riding it. No wonder some of us hoard bikes

Yep - and I was quite shocked to see how different the measurements were for my Trek 7.6 FX WSD when compared with my LHT. No WONDER the LHT fit me so much better than the Trek - and the LHT is by no means a WSD! From what I can tell, Gunnar does not have a stock size for either Sport nor Crosshairs that come close to what they are recommending for me.

I just returned from my LBS where I got a few more of the recommended measurements to help me have an intelligent conversation tomorrow with Waterford when I call for the sales pitch and the difference in handling between the proposed custom design and my LHT.

I did specifically ask for the trail. They are recommending an upgraded Waterford road fork, and it has a rake of 50 with a trail of 54.7. I cannot find the trail on Surly's site for the LHT.

I found that the trail on my old Trek was 7 cm, while I am assuming that the trail measurement for the Gunnar is in mm, so it would be 5.47 cm on the Gunner. I wish I could find a comparable measurement for the LHT. Can't find the rake for the Trek, but the rake for the LHT is 45, compared with the rake of 50 for the Gunnar. I do understand what the rake is.

Edited: I did find a site that explains trail and rake (and relationship with head angle and wheelbase) - and it explains that as the rake increases, trail decreases. That makes sense to me, and the rake is certainly increased on the Gunnar over the LHT and, I strongly suspect, the Trek...I also remember that I needed 40 acres to turn the Trek around while the LHT requires much less space even though it has a longer wheelbase.

[indysteel]

Google "rake, trail, bicycle" and you'll get a better explanation than I can paraphrase.

[Catrin]

Google "rake, trail, bicycle" and you'll get a better explanation than I can paraphrase.

I found some interesting discussions at Bike Forums & TE ...I am starting to get the idea

[Catrin]

Deposit is made, designed has been signed off on, frame and fork are expected in 5-6 weeks. Now it is time to start obsess....errrrrr....thinking about components In order to kick-start the discussion, after talking about assorted options today my fitter is going to put together an initial parts list that we will discuss next Friday. The final list won't be the same, but it will get the discussion started.

This is getting quite exciting!

[Catrin]

After reading assorted threads on various sites re: compact double vs triple, I've decided that I really need to get a test ride of some kind so I can feel what it is like to shift a compact double. This isn't the best of test riding weather, for sure, so a trainer at the LBS seems better than nothing.

My LBS has no shortage of road bikes with double cranks, but I need something with trigger shifters. Thankfully they have ONE FS mountain bike with a compact double that is probably small enough for this purpose. If we can get the saddle down far enough for the test. Of course it will likely have a different crankset than I would choose, perhaps, but at least it will give me an idea on how it might shift differently from my triple. MY LHT has an 11-34 cassette, so the rear cassette shouldn't differ unless it has an 11-36 - and I don't think many bikes come with that yet outside of the Fargo and Niner bikes.

So this Friday will be interesting