why??
i recently acquired a 2011 specialized langster. the bike had very few miles on it when i got it. i have a terrible habit of riding with no hands. the first time i let go of the handlebars on this bike, it immediately started to lean left and i had to grab the bars to regain control. ive had a bike to this to me in the past, but it was an old crappy bike, unlike this new one.
what could be causing it? everything - the wheels, the bars, the seat - appear to be sstraight and flush. there is nothing else in there that would make it obvious. i have been able to ride it no hands since, but i do have to counter balance a bit.
help me understand...
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Steve Courtright on
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It may look straight, but my guess is that the frame is not straight, or a wheel is not attached to the frame straight.
I have had steel frames aligned (at Waterford) to make them perfect. It makes a difference, even if everything looks good by eye. A competent mech can do this.
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Metal is distorted when welded, so whether aluminum, titanium or steel, all frames must be built to account for the effect, and either cold set like steel or rigidly kept within QA. Aluminum does not like to be cold set so there must be careful QA. No frames are perfect out of the box, really, but perhaps yours is somewhat outside specification, especially if you can tell the difference. OTOH, a wheel could be attached to the frame slightly crooked.
Take it into a really good shop and have the frame checked out. That's my best advice! And sorry it is misbehaving, but anything like this can be improved. Bikes are really just kits until you get them the way you like.
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Permalink Reply by Anthony Swantek on -
had the same thing happen to my old bike. Front wheel needed dishing.
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Permalink Reply by Liz on -
Could also be a variation in either the saddle length or the fork pitch. A shorter saddle means that you would have less stability with hands. Additionally a straighter fork can make a bike twitchier.
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Permalink Reply by Michael B on -
Also check the headset. One my bikes had the same problem that was fixed when I discovered an ever-so-slight wobble in the headset.
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It might be fun to have a friend ride the bike and follow it down the road. If the frame or wheel is not correctly aligned, you might be able to see it going down the road sideways, like the old Chevy Nova from the '60s.
I am betting on a slight misalignment of one or more dropouts.
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Permalink Reply by John W. on -
You could try loosening the stem and tightening the top cap to seat the bearings tighter. When the bike's hanging, it'll feel harder to steer and you'll feel the bearings "lock" in place when the wheel is pointing straight, but there is no change in how it feels when you're riding. It does help keep the bar straight when you go no hands.
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I just had another thought - I wonder if a bad or tight wheel bearing on one side might make the wheel pull harder to one side. How are the wheel bearings?
I am a little skeptical that a loose headset will cause the bike to pull to one side.
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Permalink Reply by John W. on
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Couldn't hurt to tighten the headset. When my bike has a loose headset and it's hanging on the rack, I can't keep the wheel pointing forward...it keeps turning. Once the headset it tight, it points forward until I move it.
Steve Courtright said:I just had another thought - I wonder if a bad or tight wheel bearing on one side might make the wheel pull harder to one side. How are the wheel bearings?
I am a little skeptical that a loose headset will cause the bike to pull to one side.
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snip>Couldn't hurt to tighten the headset.
I agree completely.
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