Upgraded wheels led to twitchier ride?

topcattim

My winter bike has always been a bit more twitchy than my summer bike as it has a longer stem. Santa kindly bought me some new wheels for my summer bike, which means that I downgraded my previously "best" wheels (Shimano R550s) onto my winter bike.

I went out for my first ride on them today and noticed it was smoother and more responsive. But was it just my imagination or would the change also have made it seem twitchier. I found myself worrying a bit about toe overlap which I never have before.

Maybe I just need to get used to the bike feeling different?

JWSurrey

Different wheels will ride differently.
I found my deep rim low spoke count wheels to feel more crashy than my handbuilts - which I prefer - With lighter rims, they spin up faster.
A radial front wheel will allegedly feel more direct than a cross-spoked front wheel.
Reducing your rotational mass will make a wheel feel more lively.
If you're riding smaller diameter tyres, that'll make a difference too - maybe bouncing more over the surface?
sheldonbrown.com has some interesting info. on wheel design.