I commuted in on mine this morning (opposite end of the spectrum from Rusty: 700c 62cm). Couple of hours of roads and gravel, pannier full of laptops and clothes. Also doubles up for various other duties: touring, shopping, towing, holiday all-rounder, winter bike, you name it. Would be near enough an ideal “gravel plus” bike if I took the mudguards, rack and dyno light off it. I’ve had 2″ knobby tyres in it (WTB Nine Line) even under the guards, so it’s pretty versatile.
How does it feel?
Fine and dandy. Neutral. Won’t give you goosebumps but will do almost anything you ask of it.
I’m looking at the chainstays and they are loooooong (460mm). Does it feel dull when not loaded?
Not enough to bother me, I’ve done several unloaded and lightly-loaded road rides on it and, sure, it’s no super-sensitive and eager race puppy like my old CAAD9 was, but you can still have enough fun on twisty descents.
I’m currently using a Surly Troll, which based on mountain bike geometry, and it’s great and love the way it feels really fast (even if it’s not!) but when there’s heavy stuff on the back it gets pretty ‘waggy’
That’s going to be the case with any steel bike unless it weighs as much as the moon. (OK, Surlys aren’t light, but the tubing profile’s still only normal oversize.) Or at least, it is in my sort of frame size; it may be less of an issue on smaller ones. If you stay seated it’s not a problem, so you just whack low enough gears on there for whatever load you’re lugging, and put up with a bit of wagging on the occasional bits of standing.
