Front loads on Rivendell bicycles -- how heavy?

[Patrick Moore]

I realize that different models will handle different loads differently, but I'm curious about how much weight all y'all carry in lowrider panniers -- less interested in basket loads or front rando bag loads, though interested all the same.

On my '03 26" wheel Road, which I find delightfully somewhat bit quicker to turn-in than the Ram, though almost -- not quite -- as rock solid stable in a straight line, about 20 lbs more or less equally balanced in front lowriding panniers seems to be a kind of limit; steering is heavy and you'd not want to do a slalom, but it's not bad. (This is with the 20 lb in front, nothing in back.) Better is about 15 total. 21-22 lb front load today.

I recall, as an experiment, very quickly adjourned, putting, what, at least 40 lb in front lowriders on my 56 cm single tt Sam (I had Dave Porter add lowrider braze ons). I used 1 gallon and half gallon milk jugs full of water, at about 8 lb to the gallon. No rear load.

Man! That was very odd! The bike was so stable it practically stood up by itself, but it was almost impossible to turn!

What's all y'all's experience with lowriding front loads on your Rivendells?

I once, perversely, put 56 lb of cinderblocks in a Wald Newsboy on the front of a Schwinn Traveler or somesuch, turned into a short distance grocery bike with North Road bar, fixed gear. That was different! The big problem was keeping the rear wheel on the ground. My N D Neighbor has had the bike for almost 10 years now, with rear panniers, as his short distance grocery bike.

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Alburquerque, Nouvelle Mexique,  Vereinigte Staaten

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[drew]

I put about 30lbs on a nitto big front rack on my hunq semi regularly. Sometimes also with a rear load. Sometimes not. Panniers don't quite sit at lowrider height on that rack. Feels very good/stable going straight and tracking on downhill curves. Does not feel very stable maneuvering on single or double track trails and when climbing. I attribute this to the lower speed. I've done a couple slow topples on trails that are no problem unloaded. This is almost always user error though.
By and large, the front handling has impressed me, especially since so many people talk about high trail being no good for front loads. I think I like them on the front better than the back still.

[Steven Sweedler]

Patrick, I carry 25-35 lbs. on the front of my All Rounder, using a small Nitto and  BG low rider racks with a large Ortlieb handlebar bag on the Nitto and a pair of Ort. Sport packers on the lowriders. The bike handles the load with no issues, tires are 700 x 41.  Steve

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Steven Sweedler
Plymouth, New Hampshire

[Tim Gavin]

I've used lowrider panniers on a Nitto Campee front rack on my Riv Road Standard.  I had a similar experience to you; the front end gets extremely stable but resistant to turn.  I adapted by leaning more instead of turning the bars.  I found I really liked the way that handled on tour, compared to a rear-biased load. 

But, the same bike doesn't like more than about 10 lbs on the top of the front wheel (bag or basket on a Mark's rack), unless lowriders are equipped to balance it out.

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[Patrick Moore]

Thanks for the anecdotes; interesting to compare my experience with yours (plural). I guess a great deal of "what works" comes down to "what I prefer." Me, I find that all the Rivs I've owned (5) handle "better" with rear loads if the load is "heavy" -- over 20 lb. 3 customs, Sam, Ram.

[Bill in Roswell GA]

Patrick, thanks for the heads up about how to load a Ram. I drove to Augusta last week to try out the Ram that Bill Hammond had for sale and decided to bring it back to Roswell. I have a M-13 front rack and Acorn small rando bag for the front. There are no braze-ons for low riders so anything else will be on the rear. Credit card or ultrallight overnights are all the Ram will see. 

Can't help but wonder how the Ram would handle with a low trail fork......

FWIW, the Ram is in one of my fav bike colors, metallic orange pearl. My Bianchi CX is metallic celeste pearl. Think I will sell all my other bikes because they have plain old paint of all things! 

Cheers,

Bill in Roswell, GA

[Patrick Moore]

Bill -- I'm always glad when my maunderings unexpectedly offer benefit.

To expand on the subject: I never front loads on my Ram; all my loading was by Ortlieb Roller Packers on a Tubus Fly. But the Ram handled loads up to 30 or 35 lbs with aplomb, meaning poise -- no wagging, at least none that I noticed, and no diminution of stability in straight or in turn. I think that I carried up to 10 lb more in back, and while that did affect things more, it wasn't horrible. In all, the Ram carried rear loads (with nothing in front) better than the '03 Road custom that I now use as my errand bike, though the 03 works fine. (I do have front lowrider racks o the '03 precisely for loads much heavier than 35 lb.)

Patrick Moore, who carried 25 lb home t'other day 6 miles in a single Roller Packer on the '03, without traumatic annoyance.

[ascpgh]

I rode my Rambouillet on a credit card tour TransAm trip with a Carradice Longflap. Sort of the Colin Chapman perspective of touring; it's not what you have with you on a trip but rather what you can leave behind. 

Andy Cheatham

Pittsburgh