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Raleigh steel bike steering?

  • 12-04-2012 6:16pm
    #1
    vektarman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,923 ✭✭✭


    Well I've gone down the retro road and added a 1985 Raleigh Record Sprint with reynolds 501 tubing to the collection, it's in great condition, all the bearings are fine and even the original brake blocks have little or no wear, my only problem is, compared to my modern all-carbon bike, the steering seems so light that it seems to have a mind of it's own, if I hit a bump I have to keep a tight grip on the handlebars, there's no play in the steering or forks, tyre's are full pressure, maybe I'm so used to the carbon bike that it just takes a while to adjust to an all steel bike, oh and the handlebars are narrower too, maybe that's it.
    Anyone else got any suggestions?:confused:


Comments

  • #2
    lescol
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 648 ✭✭✭lescol


    I have a 70's Dawes which had 38cm bars, distinctly strange handling that I couldn't get used to. Changed them for 44cm bars and the bike feels "normal" now.


  • #3
    piston
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 523 ✭✭✭piston


    Definitely check the bar width. There was a trend in the 70s/80s for narrow bars. More aero possibly, but they make the bike twitchy and if you're broad shouldered like me, make it impossible to breathe properly when riding in the drops.

    Also check the headset bearings for play. Hold the front brake tight and rock the bike back and forward feeling for movement in the headset. If there is, it may be worn but probably only needs tightened. Proper headset spanners are available but you'd usually get away with adjustables (or 1 1/4" AF open end if you happen to have one). Slacken the locknut, tighten the bearing race until there is no play but the bars still turn smoothly and then hold the bearing race and tighten the lock nut up against it.

    Personally, I would take the headset apart and regrease it and probably rebuild with loose ball bearings rather than caged bearings. You will usually need 50 3/32" balls for a British headset with 25 top and bottom (24 bottom and 22 top on old French bikes) and Vaseline is a perfectly acceptable grease for this if you have nothing else available. A properly lubed and adjusted headset makes a huge difference to the feel of any bike and is often overlooked, even by the bike shops.

    Also bear in mind the bike will never "feel" exactly like your modern bike as the angles are usually more relaxed, the forks have more rake and the (usually) curved fork blades absorb bumps. It's why I prefer my old steel bikes to anything modern that I have tried.


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