Bike not handling correctly - thoughts!

Andy Magic

Right, this one is wrecking my head. I recently travelled abroad and brought my race bike, however it's not handling as it did before. It's extremely sensitive when cornering or going around roundabouts. I noticed this when I was away, I've checked the measurements (seat post / stem / bars) and they are as they were before I left, I also had them marked. Anyway my guess is the skewers in the wheels might be bent? They run perfect and feel straight but the reason I'm thinking it's these is the bike box i use I tighten the wheels on the inside with the skewer.

Anyone ever experience this, the skewer doesn't look bent or anything but cornering on the bike is absolutely awful.

magicbastarder

no damage to the frame or forks?

Eamonnator

Headset torqued correctly? not too loose or too tight.

cajonlardo

If you can, get someone else to test ride it. You can get something like that in your head and it will happen because you expect it to
I had a bike prone to speed wobble. Despite being decades riding and also shop experienced mechanic, when another rider took it downhill like a demon there was no wobble. He returned the bike and put it down to pilot error

magicbastarder

Eamonnator wrote: »

Headset torqued correctly? not too loose or too tight.

interesting - i have ridden a bike with what turned out to be a loose headset and it felt fine until braking. never considered an overtightened one to cause issues.

Gerry

I think most of the time, this would not even be possible, but I'm just going to say it as fork designs vary.. fork backwards?

Wishbone Ash

Can you change the wheels from another bike to see if it makes a difference?

Andy Magic wrote: »

... I tighten the wheels on the inside with the skewer...

Not sure what you mean??

Eamonnator

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Can you change the wheels from another bike to see if it makes a difference?

Not sure what you mean??

On some travel bike boxes , the wheels are held in place by the skewers, which are placed trough holes in the side of the box and tightened..

Eamonnator

magicbastarder wrote: »

interesting - i have ridden a bike with what turned out to be a loose headset and it felt fine until braking. never considered an overtightened one to cause issues.

An overtightened headset could cause the steering to be stiff and perhaps cause the rider to overcorrect..

Miklos

My first thought would be the headset being either too tight/too loose.

magicbastarder

i suspect the OP would know whether the headset has recently been adjusted though? which is why i'd be concerned about damage to the frame or forks during travel.

Miklos

magicbastarder wrote: »

i suspect the OP would know whether the headset has recently been adjusted though? which is why i'd be concerned about damage to the frame or forks during travel.

I was just thinking it’s a fairly common thing to have to flute around with if you’re travelling with your bike. Depending on the bikebox or whatever he might have to take the stem off or flip it round to fit in.

Andy Magic

I never thought of the headset being overtightened. It’s definitely not loose, it was in the bike shop getting a once over the day before I left. I’m going to try a different set of skewers today and then a different set of wheels if that doesn’t work. I’ve looked over the bike and there’s no damage to it. Thanks for the replies,

Type 17

If one fork blade is bent or the wheel is mounted incorrectly, the steering will pull to one side(?)

Stick a finger into the gap on each side between the front tyre and the fork blades - if the gap is different, the front wheel is mounted incorrectly in the fork drop-outs, or the forks are crooked.

If the forks are bent back (bike dropped on its nose during transit), then the steering will feel twitchy and horrible.

TheBlaaMan

Its worth a really thorough examination of the frame. Some cracks etc may not be obvious when 'passively' viewing the bike, stopped or parked up, and only come into play when you are underway. Bend and twist ever part you can, especially both forks, rear seatstays, main triangle elements. Hopefully there wont be, but as this occurs only after a trip abroad, you need to check.

TheDocMan

Check the skewer springs are in correctly, ie. The narrow part of the conical spring facing inwards on both sides. If not they will obstruct the wheel axle sitting correctly in the fork drop outs and cause wheel to be misaligned and track poorly especially when turning

triggermortis

I’d definitely look at the headset torque first. I removed my stem and bars to take my bike on holiday last year and the first ride showed me that I hadn’t put it together properly and was too loose. Not a great feeling to get on my first descent...

cdaly_

I had a bike in a roof-rack crash on one occasion. Wouldn't steer straight afterwards due to bent fork. It wasn't obvious looking at it except that the wheel wouldn't sit correctly centred in the fork.