Bike doesn't feel right

itboffin
itboffin Posts: 20,072
edited October 2011 in Commuting chat
I've mentioned this before on here but seeing as most of the old skool have moved on defo not buried outback of the morpeth I'll repeat it again.

I have several road bikes I ride regularly, trouble is my nice bike "Ribble Carbon Sportive" always feels odd, kinda like I'm to big or something. it's a 52cm which is their medium, I normally ride a 54-56cm however all the geometry match almost spot on, i've set up the bike as per my pro bike fitting at the bike whisperer.

I just don't get it ..!? why does it feel odd?

:evil:
Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.

Comments

  • Wrath Rob
    Wrath Rob Posts: 2,918
    Its Ribble Crabon and therefore floppier :wink:
    FCN3: Titanium Qoroz.
  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    Longer stem making steering a bit twitchier?

    When I haven't used my Scott for a while it feels a bit odd due to be being lighter and stiffer than the bikes I'm riding on the commute.
    FCN 2-4 "Shut up legs", Jens Voigt
    Planet-x Scott
    Rides
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,072
    JonGinge wrote:
    Longer stem making steering a bit twitchier?

    When I haven't used my Scott for a while it feels a bit odd due to be being lighter and stiffer than the bikes I'm riding on the commute.

    I put a shorter stem on after the alps, beginning to think that was a mistake, the bike is hellishly light for a bloater like myself, not much fun when its windy like today.

    oh! and shut it Rob or i'll set the PF on you good n proper :twisted:
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    JonGinge wrote:
    Longer stem making steering a bit twitchier?

    Other way round :wink:
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,072
    similar geometry or not?
    http://dl.dropbox.com/u/11924437/geometry.tiff
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,929
    edited October 2011
    First day back on the bike after 2 weeks paternity leave and it felt bloody weird this morning - like 'd never ridden it before. How often is regularly? Is it just unfamiliarity? The lack of weight would make quite a difference to the handling too.

    ETA: Another thing that makes quite a noticeable difference for me is the angle of the bars - tilt them up a degree or two and the riding position changes quite noticeably, the handling feels quite different with weight forward on the bars or more upright.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
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  • EKE_38BPM
    EKE_38BPM Posts: 5,821
    Carbon you say? Did you leave it out in the rain?
    FCN 3: Raleigh Record Ace fixie-to be resurrected sometime in the future
    FCN 4: Planet X Schmaffenschmack 2- workhorse
    FCN 9: B Twin Vitamin - winter commuter/loan bike for trainees

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  • essex-commuter
    essex-commuter Posts: 2,188
    Carbon you say? Did you leave it out in the sun?
  • Jay dubbleU
    Jay dubbleU Posts: 3,159
    EKE_38BPM wrote:
    Carbon you say? Did you leave it out in the rain?

    Melted ? Or possibly shrunk :wink:
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    dalys-bike.jpg??
    _
  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    bails87 wrote:
    JonGinge wrote:
    Longer stem making steering a bit twitchier?

    Other way round :wink:
    Depends if you understeer into a tight bend :lol:

    Yes, you are correct
    FCN 2-4 "Shut up legs", Jens Voigt
    Planet-x Scott
    Rides
  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    dalys-bike.jpg??
    A Dali pastiche out of the Vandal school of art?
    FCN 2-4 "Shut up legs", Jens Voigt
    Planet-x Scott
    Rides
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,072
    This bike lives in the house, dry & away from sunlight :lol:

    I kid not :oops:
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • prawny
    prawny Posts: 5,445
    Oddly, my bikes always feel far too long for me when they're on the turbo even with a riser block.

    Probably would be the shorter stem, quicken the steering right up.
    Saracen Tenet 3 - 2015 - Dead - Replaced with a Hack Frame
    Voodoo Bizango - 2014 - Dead - Hit by a car
    Vitus Sentier VRS - 2017
  • FoldingJoe
    FoldingJoe Posts: 1,327
    Same as my Ribble Sportive (52cm).

    I must admit, mine feels twitchy compared to my Kona (54cm), but then there probably is a few kgs weight diff, but the Ribble does have a 100mm stem and the Kona a 110mm.
    Little boy to Obama: "My Dad says that you read all our emails"
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  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,072
    I started the build with a spare 120mm then went 110,100 and now 90 I think I need a 95 on that bike, dunno why as all the measurements are spot on.

    Anyone want to swap an almost new 90mm 3T arx team stem?
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • Rich158
    Rich158 Posts: 2,348
    itboffin wrote:
    This bike lives in the house, dry & away from sunlight :lol:

    I kid not :oops:

    Mine's made it to the bedroom, don't wan't with the ally and steel ruffians in the dining room :wink:

    The geometry is very slightly different on each frame which will make a slight difference. The other issue make be the forks, I have the same issue with my commuter and carbon. Very similar geometry but a very different feel, it had me foxed until I compared the fork offset & rake etc, then it all made sense
    pain is temporary, the glory of beating your mates to the top of the hill lasts forever.....................

    Revised FCN - 2
  • sketchley
    sketchley Posts: 4,238
    itboffin wrote:
    I started the build with a spare 120mm then went 110,100 and now 90 I think I need a 95 on that bike, dunno why as all the measurements are spot on.

    Anyone want to swap an almost new 90mm 3T arx team stem?

    Have you tried rotating the bars up (or down) a few MM. I'm no expert but it made a huge difference on mine (I raised the hood about 5mm ) when I was getting lots of shoulder blade pain and was thinking shorter stem might be needed. Also how about seat forward rather than stem backward, is it the position of your @rse in relation to the centre of the BB that's the problem?
    --
    Chris

    Genesis Equilibrium - FCN 3/4/5
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,900
    Go and buy another bike. You know you want to, you even started a hoarding bike stuff thread to justify it. N+1, you know it makes sense.

    Is that the answer you were looking for? :wink:
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  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,072
    Sketchley wrote:
    itboffin wrote:
    I started the build with a spare 120mm then went 110,100 and now 90 I think I need a 95 on that bike, dunno why as all the measurements are spot on.

    Anyone want to swap an almost new 90mm 3T arx team stem?

    Have you tried rotating the bars up (or down) a few MM. I'm no expert but it made a huge difference on mine (I raised the hood about 5mm ) when I was getting lots of shoulder blade pain and was thinking shorter stem might be needed. Also how about seat forward rather than stem backward, is it the position of your @rse in relation to the centre of the BB that's the problem?

    I have but no need as my bike fitting gave me the settings for fore-aft saddle over BB position all those are spot on as is the drop from saddle to bars, i leaning more and more towards rake and weight.
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,072
    Veronese68 wrote:
    Go and buy another bike. You know you want to, you even started a hoarding bike stuff thread to justify it. N+1, you know it makes sense.

    Is that the answer you were looking for? :wink:

    It was :wink:

    edit: plus i've just bought 2 extra bike wall mounts so I should have more floor space :roll:
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • sketchley
    sketchley Posts: 4,238
    itboffin wrote:
    Sketchley wrote:
    itboffin wrote:
    I started the build with a spare 120mm then went 110,100 and now 90 I think I need a 95 on that bike, dunno why as all the measurements are spot on.

    Anyone want to swap an almost new 90mm 3T arx team stem?

    Have you tried rotating the bars up (or down) a few MM. I'm no expert but it made a huge difference on mine (I raised the hood about 5mm ) when I was getting lots of shoulder blade pain and was thinking shorter stem might be needed. Also how about seat forward rather than stem backward, is it the position of your @rse in relation to the centre of the BB that's the problem?

    I have but no need as my bike fitting gave me the settings for fore-aft saddle over BB position all those are spot on as is the drop from saddle to bars, i leaning more and more towards rake and weight.

    If everything measure the same, then weight and flex might have something to do with, also have you tried swapping wheels with another bike it maybe them that feel different. Another option, again i'm no expert would be a shorter or longer wheelbase which would in my mind at least effect balance of the bike. You can't adjust it but might account for different feel. Maybe you'll need a slightly different position on the bike to combat difference......
    --
    Chris

    Genesis Equilibrium - FCN 3/4/5
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Rich158 wrote:
    The geometry is very slightly different on each frame which will make a slight difference. The other issue make be the forks, I have the same issue with my commuter and carbon. Very similar geometry but a very different feel, it had me foxed until I compared the fork offset & rake etc, then it all made sense

    Fork offset is what I was thinking.

    That said, when I rode the Scott in April for the first time since the Alps last September, I thought "Zoiks! This is a bit twitchy!"

    It was just because it's lighter than the Sigma and I wasn't riding with a heavy backpack.
    FCN 2-4.

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    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."

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