What are the major differences among the wheelbase lengths?

In article <[email hidden]>, Pat says...

Quoted message said:

What I mean is that some people prefer long wheelbase and others short wheelbase. I can see that
the short would be faster but maybe a bit twitchy whereas the long would be more stable but also
heavier. Am I right? I don't see many mentions of the medium wheelbase models.

You'll probably get as many different opinions as replies to this question. Bentrider Online has
about as good a description of the differences as I've seen.

I own three bents. A SWB Vision, a CLWB (or MWB) Vision, and a LWB RANS V2.

The SWB is kind of like a salom ski, responsive, quick, and fun. More easily transported and stored.
But at least with the Vision it feels less stable at speed. Newer designs of SWB are a bit longer
than the 42" of my bike, closer to 46" or even 48", and those (like the Bachhettas) do feel more
stable at speed. Great for club rides.

The CLWB, or MWB, are great around town bikes or commuters. I don't know what it is about the design
or weight distribution, but the bike just feels easy to control, and to start and stop. Easiest of
all for beginners to learn to control.

The LWB is sort of like a GS ski. Long and stable, less responsive, hard to store and
transport. Possibly slower than the SWB of equal quality. Great for cruising, but a pain to
turn, start, and stop.

OK, I will now sit back and wait for everyone to disagree.

Steve Christensen Midland, MI

"Pat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

What I mean is that some people prefer long wheelbase and others short wheelbase. I can see that
the short would be faster but maybe a bit

twitchy

Quoted message said:

whereas the long would be more stable but also heavier. Am I right? I

don't

Quoted message said:

see many mentions of the medium wheelbase models.

thanks,

Pat in TX

We have a long and a short wheel base RANS that my wife and I ride. I prefer the long wheel base,
and she prefers the short. I find that I hit my leg turning with the short wheel base model, but
other than that there is no big difference.

Doug Thomas

I have two Bentechs, one LWB and one SWB, and a Rans Tailwind (CLWB). Which do I prefer? It depends
on the riding conditions. The Rans is the bike I have wipped out on several times, which I attribute
to the 20-inch wheels and the fact that it is also the bike I use on the most severe riding
conditions - rain, rough trail, etc. The USS, LWB seems the most stable, comfortable ride, but I
seldom use it when tight turns and agility is required. The SWB is the fastest (it weighs the
least). It is the road bike for the century rides, which is over pavement and may involve hills or
mountains. The CLWB has the fat tires and was used on the Erie Canal ride two years ago. You can get
by on a blue stone dust surface with the bike. However, big wheels would be better.

"Twitchy" is determined by a number of factors (trail, vertical and longitudinal center of gravitiy,
fork flop, etc.) not the least of which is just the subjective reaction of any given rider. Note
that you can vary the handling qualities of any LWB, SWB, and CLWB design to obtain whatever feel
you desire by adjusting other offsetting physical parameters.

"Pat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

What I mean is that some people prefer long wheelbase and others short wheelbase. I can see that
the short would be faster but maybe a bit

twitchy

Quoted message said:

whereas the long would be more stable but also heavier. Am I right? I

don't

Quoted message said:

see many mentions of the medium wheelbase models.

thanks,

Pat in TX

"Samuel Burkeen" <[email hidden]> writes:

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Note that you can vary the handling qualities of any LWB, SWB, and CLWB design to obtain whatever
feel you desire by adjusting other offsetting physical parameters.

<snip>

On this one point, I heartily disagree. There are several decidedly different aspects of handling
and they are all interrelated. It is essentially impossible to change just one without affecting
some of the others, and one may also have conflicting objectives which are just simply not
simultaneously obtainable. These phenomena are not limited to the design of bicycles - tradeoffs and
compromises characterize the design of all manufactured items.

You must be running for office. 🙂
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