I didn't realise bicycles were so different to ride

[Aston]

In the last year I bought and restored, with a lot of help from LBS, a Thorn Club Tour, which is a little small for me, but nothing insurmountable, it's a joy to ride, Brooks saddle, relaxed touring position and butterfly type bars. I saw a Dawes 501 for sale locally, enquired and was gifted it it's aluminium, carbon forks and a nice Deore transmission. I needed to replace the brakes before riding it and a few touch ups to the frame. Really as a bike to ride into town/leave locked when shopping without worry.

I've just returned from a very short ride and it feels horrible, jumped on the Thorn to check, which felt just so comfortable and controlled in comparison. The bars and seat heights are broadley comparable, maybe the bars on the Dawes are a bit lower, it also has more reach and higher standover, so much weight on my hands, doesn't help I have painful arthritis on left wrist.

The question is, do I take the Dawes to LBS and ask them to fettle it, the rear gear change could be smoother, but otherwise everything works, maybe try the Brooks on it? Or is it more systemic than that, steel vs aluminium/carbon or geometry... which I don't understand. Currently I'm minded to try and sell it

My riding has been local rides up to 20 miles, one time camping, and I would like to venture further with a tent next year.

Think I've moaned on enough... thoughts?

Thank you

Having just added the photos the bars on the Dawes do look lower, maybe I should try a different stem

 

[Webbo2]

Two things that stand out. Your bars are much lower on the Dawes and your saddle points up on the Thorn.
The ( much) lower bars on the Dawes are probably the source of your discomfort.

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

The ride feeling from the tyres could also be a factor, I'm struggling to make out specs of the Thorn tyres, but the Discovery looks to have a Marathon rear of some description. Which while more puncture resistant, could make the ride feel harsh and a bit sluggish through higher rolling resistance.

Is it just me, or are the Thorn tyres very similar size, but the rear of the Discovery is much bigger than the front tyre?

 

[MontyVeda]

those two stems will feel very different.

After thirty years on an MTB, getting a Brompton earlier this year just felt so very different; twitchy on the steering. It took some getting used to, then going back onto the MTB the steering felt sluggish to the point of checking the headset wasn't stiff. It wasn't, it just felt so very different. I love them both for different reasons.