"Leo Lichtman" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:
[email protected]...
>
> "The Queen of Cans and Jars" wrote: (clip) i think that it's
aesthetically
> and functionally inferior (clip)
> ^^^^^^^^^^^
> Can anyone comment on the effect on handling of the high center of gravity
> of a rack-mounted crate vs. the lower center of panniers? Seems to me the
> panniers would be less leable to "wag the bike."
>
I never did any controlled tests, but:
1. If you hang stuff off the crate, which is an easy temptation when you are
bringing home groceries, the stuff will swing, and that can be a control
problem. But that's high weight swinging, not high weight stable. Swinging
weight is bad anywhere. It's less likely you will be tempted to have
swinging weight with panniers, because of their design. (Note Ron Hardin's
instructions clearly emphasize stability.)
2. I'm a big guy (200 lb), and did not have any big handling problems not
related to #1. The most I ever carried on the milk crate was 61 pounds
(crate and backpack together) for about 15 miles. That was a lot. While
commuting, I often ride with one pannier, which doesn't seem to cause me any
balance problems even if there's a bunch of papers in the pannier; maybe I'm
not very sensitive to this sort of thing.
3. In general, simple physics suggest that low weight is easier than high
weight, and that's my subjective opinion as well. But stability doesn't
override everything else, or we'd all be on trikes.
4. There is one remaining problem, and that's getting on and off the bike.
Ordinarily I would swing my leg around the back, but that's hard with the
rack in the way. It made me wish for a mixte frame that would be easier to
step through.
for some reason i thought it had been fairly local; i didn't realize