al sharff wrote:

I bought an Independent Fabrication steel Crown Jewel used - it's a
stock frame (non custom) with an IF steel fork - straight blades.

It has very "twitchy" steering when I'm in a descending tight corner.
I tend to oversteer in those situations. The bike feels like it pulls
into the turn to a point where I'm about to loose control.

To compare I have a Trek 5200 (new in 2000, 60cm frame) that I use the
same wheels on and has almost the same fit. The only major difference
I can find with my tape measure is the IF has 42cm handlebars while the
Trek has 44cm. I never notice my cornering problem when I'm on the
Trek.

Anyone have opinions on how I can "smooth out" (or slow down, or make
it less responsive) the high speed cornering on the IF bike? Will
different forks make a difference - any advise on what to go to? Any
other changes that make make a difference in handling?

you can try monkeying about with different forks, but given that the
frame appears to be standard diameter steel tube, i wouldn't hold out
much hope. i'd stick the trek personally. or get a big tube aluminum
frame. big diameter tubes are very torsionally stiff and pretty much
eliminate this kind of problem. modern thin wall steel tube, especially
in standard diameters, is not very stiff.