Front End Stability
DCR00
Posts: 2,160
Evening all
Been deliberating my choice of front tyre for the last few weeks. I recently changed from a 2.2 Ron Evo to a 2.4 Mountain King folding. I chose the wider Conti thinking it would be more of all all rounder and shifted the Ron to the back.
Having ridden the MK 2.4 at Cannock twice now and once at Llandegla, im not overly happy with it. Feels twitchy in fast corners (washed out first time at Cannock resulting in a painful OTB), and doesn't inspire confidence, so am thinking that maybe i should go back to the Ron (albeit in 2.4 flavour)
Coinciding with this was a change in bike frame, moving from a short travel HT to a 120mm FS, and changing the stem from the 100mm Race Face on the HT to a 70mm KCNC stem (same 640mm flat bars)
Do we think that the new stem is causing the twitchyness up front or the tyre choice ? or both ?
Should i shift back to the 100mm stem ?
I read so many good reviews about MK tyres, which makes me think its my stem choice (the OEM stem would have been 90mm)
Been deliberating my choice of front tyre for the last few weeks. I recently changed from a 2.2 Ron Evo to a 2.4 Mountain King folding. I chose the wider Conti thinking it would be more of all all rounder and shifted the Ron to the back.
Having ridden the MK 2.4 at Cannock twice now and once at Llandegla, im not overly happy with it. Feels twitchy in fast corners (washed out first time at Cannock resulting in a painful OTB), and doesn't inspire confidence, so am thinking that maybe i should go back to the Ron (albeit in 2.4 flavour)
Coinciding with this was a change in bike frame, moving from a short travel HT to a 120mm FS, and changing the stem from the 100mm Race Face on the HT to a 70mm KCNC stem (same 640mm flat bars)
Do we think that the new stem is causing the twitchyness up front or the tyre choice ? or both ?
Should i shift back to the 100mm stem ?
I read so many good reviews about MK tyres, which makes me think its my stem choice (the OEM stem would have been 90mm)
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Comments
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most likely the stem . It acts as a larger leaver. I'd swap the steam over first then see what it's like0
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You changed pretty much everything it's possible TO change, don't be so quick to write off the tyres.
Although, Contis and wet Llandegla don't play well together.0 -
Could be the pressure the tyres are being run at... maybe play around with it, or could be due to the shorter stem, possibly try some wider bars/revert back to the longer stem?0
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I wont be the stem, dropping down to 70mm from 100mm should smooth the steering out, not the symptoms you have stated.
Also, it could be your having a bit of a mental block, purposelly making yourself feel unconfident until you get used to the bike. I did that when I first got a FS, and once I got used to it, my "problems" just disappeared.0 -
MountainMonster wrote:I wont be the stem, dropping down to 70mm from 100mm should smooth the steering out, not the symptoms you have stated.
Also, it could be your having a bit of a mental block, purposelly making yourself feel unconfident until you get used to the bike. I did that when I first got a FS, and once I got used to it, my "problems" just disappeared.
at speed yes, but surely moving my weight back by 30mm would unweight the front wheel making it less planted, and hence more twitchy in corners ?
you could be right about the confidence thing. The new bike "feels" the same as the HT in terms of riding position, but it handles very differently0 -
another thing to consider is that i have slackened the head angle further by running 130mm forks (the FSR is a 120mm frame), so running a shorter stem than OEM has probably unweighted the front end even more
given that the OEM stem length is 90mm, then running a 100mm stem with 130mm forks is probably spot on
annoyingly, the rear brake hose isnt long enough to run a 100mm stem....
interesting article here about geometry and handling
http://www.dclxvi.org/chunk/tech/trail/0 -
i dont know the answer to your problem, but i experienced a similar thing today. ive recently swapped my parts over from a 100m hardtail to a full susser im also running 130mm forks on a frame designed for 120mm and a shorter/higher rise stem than orignal with riser bars.
i had the same stem/bar setup on the hardtail and it felt fine but when swapped to the full susser im also feeling light at the front end, my nobby nic wash sliding much more than i remember on the hardtail (given i was running higher pressure than normal experimenting with tubless but still) its also really easy to lift the front wheel accelerating hard out of turns or short sharp uphill climbs. i think the bob of the suspension exagerates this when i accelerate the rear suss dips steepening the head angle further.0 -
Give yourself time to get used to a FS it feels and handles totally differently to a HT.
Try swapping one item at a time that way you can pin point the problem.0
