built the bike a bit too front heavy

bobpzero
bobpzero Posts: 1,431
edited May 2011 in MTB buying advice
does it really matter? any suggestions for parts worth changing, apart from adding breeze blocks to the rear end.
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Comments

  • blister pus
    blister pus Posts: 5,780
    can have it's benefits being firmly planted at the front, but you can see the flip side to it. only a problem if it really is a problem to you. light front wheel, light front tyre can make a big difference.
  • bobpzero
    bobpzero Posts: 1,431
    wondering maybe a heavier cassette and/or heavier seatpost would help balance things a bit. have been told to change the 50mm stem to at least a 70mm. think i was mainly focused on keeping the front wheel on the ground for steep climbs tho then forgot id lightened the rear end a bit too much.
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    Not sure how you figure its front heavy, every hadtail is front heavy due to the weight of the forks (circa 15% of the bike), besides your weight is so much more that that of the bike its where you position your weight that counts!

    A longer stem puts MORE weight on the front, so really bad idea!

    Simon
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    so bobpzero what do you think is making the front heavy?
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    How is it front heavy? It would have to have significant excess mas at the front to cause issues.
  • blister pus
    blister pus Posts: 5,780
    got iron rigid forks and a tractor tyre on
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    bobpzero wrote:
    wondering maybe a heavier cassette and/or heavier seatpost would help balance things a bit. have been told to change the 50mm stem to at least a 70mm. think i was mainly focused on keeping the front wheel on the ground for steep climbs tho then forgot id lightened the rear end a bit too much.
    WTF? Hell no. NO, NO, NO, No.
    Increasing weight will solve NOTHING (not that I'm entirely convinced there's anything actually wrong).

    It doesn't matter how much weight you have on the front or rear of a bike, it's not going to cause it to loop out or nosedive. You, the RIDER controls that.
  • blister pus
    blister pus Posts: 5,780
    There's a personal sweet balance spot though, between too heavy and not being able to lift the front end comfortably over objects when it's needed. if you can't solve it through wheel or tyre change then I don't know what's going on
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Bollocks. If people can lift the front end of a DH or Freeride bike, then no, you cannot make any bike too front heavy.
  • blister pus
    blister pus Posts: 5,780
    which is why i said it's personal you prick
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    looking through the spec I feel he has built himself the wrong bike.

    there is nothing heavy about that build.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    which is why i said it's personal you prick
    Insults aside, how will adding weight to the rear make the front lighter Mr Genius?

    Simon
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • blister pus
    blister pus Posts: 5,780
    which is why i said it's personal you prick
    Insults aside, how will adding weight to the rear make the front lighter Mr Genius?

    Simon

    I never said anything about "adding weight to the rear making the front lighter" - Mr Genius.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    which is why i said it's personal you prick
    I still disagree. for a pushbike to be so heavy at the front that it made it hard to lift it, you'd need to be particularly wimpy, or the bike would have geometry that was completely absurd.
  • blister pus
    blister pus Posts: 5,780
    I sometimes go out with a group , mixed ability type set up, one of the 19 yr old lads, average build but crap stamina and after 10 miles or so can't lift his front end up to pick his way over a group of small rocks going up and over on a slight incline. Give him dads expensive "weigh fuck all" Zesty and he can just about it. some people are really weight sensitive - "wimpy" if you like and deffo down to fitness but there it is a reality. and something he is currently working hard on.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Sounds like he's going about picking the front up all wrong.
  • blister pus
    blister pus Posts: 5,780
    anything over 10 miles and he's done, it all goes to pot, so it's like the good skills he does actually have just drain out of him and by the time he hits any rough patch on an incline it's like he can';t hold it altogether - laboured breathing (as opposed to nice and rhythmic), sweating etc. then he gets frustrated and gets off and walks for bit till he can get on flat bit. he'll get there stamina wise but it doesn't help he loses concentration when frustrated
  • bobpzero
    bobpzero Posts: 1,431
    :oops: i started it so id better finish it. im taking the clippy pedals off then im putting & keeping the flat pedals on until i understand being in control, maybe put a dh tube in the rear.
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    which is why i said it's personal you prick
    Insults aside, how will adding weight to the rear make the front lighter Mr Genius?

    Simon

    I never said anything about "adding weight to the rear making the front lighter" - Mr Genius.
    Why thank you, but what you now talkm about has absolutely nothing to do with the OP's observations so is frack all use really.

    Bobzero, why a dh tube in the rear? why exactly do you think your bike is to heavy at the front, you haven't said!

    Simon
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • blister pus
    blister pus Posts: 5,780
    which is why i said it's personal you prick
    Insults aside, how will adding weight to the rear make the front lighter Mr Genius?

    Simon

    I never said anything about "adding weight to the rear making the front lighter" - Mr Genius.
    Why thank you, but what you now talkm about has absolutely nothing to do with the OP's observations so is frack all use really.

    you either have a reading and comprehension skills deficit. or your user name "The Beginner" really is applicable.
  • Every single post on this thread is an epic fail except for the ones Yehaa and the Beginner have posted.

    Why the fuck would you struggle to pick your front end up?! If people can get a DH bike over stuff, you would have to be a faggot of Graham Norton proportions to be unable to get a set of XC forks over a kerb.

    Also, how would weighing the back down solve anything?! It's not like a see-saw! The fulcrum point lifting the front would be the rear axle, so a DH tube solves precisely nothing. Also, what would a heavy seatpost solve? Are you going to fill it with lead shot or something? Weight in the middle of the bike high up is just all round bad!

    There is no problem here to start with. The solutions being given are just all round scary! :shock:

    And when Yehaa offered a realistic post, calling him a prick because you can't offer a counter argument is just the hallmark of a moron.
  • bobpzero
    bobpzero Posts: 1,431
    edited April 2011
    to add a bit of stability to the rear?
    because im not putting my body weight over the rear tyre. think i need to eat more steak.
  • blister pus
    blister pus Posts: 5,780
    edited April 2011
    Every single post on this thread is an epic fail except for the ones Yehaa and the Beginner have posted.

    Why the fark would you struggle to pick your front end up?! If people can get a DH bike over stuff, you would have to be a faggot of Graham Norton proportions to be unable to get a set of XC forks over a kerb.

    Also, how would weighing the back down solve anything?! It's not like a see-saw! The fulcrum point lifting the front would be the rear axle, so a DH tube solves precisely nothing. Also, what would a heavy seatpost solve? Are you going to fill it with lead shot or something? Weight in the middle of the bike high up is just all round bad!

    There is no problem here to start with. The solutions being given are just all round scary! :shock:

    And when Yehaa offered a realistic post, calling him a prick because you can't offer a counter argument is just the hallmark of a moron.
    and right on cue. another clueless who can't read or understand pipes up
  • No mate. You probably weigh between 60-100kgs. Bike weighs between 10-20kgs.

    The stability comes from your body position. If you want to bias your weight more to the back, use a layback seatpost.
  • blister pus
    blister pus Posts: 5,780
    actually there's a ton of information missing from the op
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    bobpzero wrote:
    to add a bit of stability to the rear?
    because im not putting my body weight over the rear tyre. think i need to eat more steak.
    Again, NO. YOU are the heaviest thing on the bike. Move your bodyweight around to balance the bike.
    You do not need to add weight anywhere.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    If it's the bike in the OP's signitaure I can't work out what's front heavy.

    Even with Flows and those forks it can't that heavy.

    I'm wondering if it's more a bike fit issue. Either that or do some press-ups.
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    How about helium in the front tyre?
    Or hydrogen to make it more interesting.
    I don't do smileys.

    There is no secret ingredient - Kung Fu Panda

    London Calling on Facebook

    Parktools
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    'Too front heavy' isn't very helpful
    It could mean
    1) Lifting the front over obstacles?
    or
    B) the front dropping when the whole bike is airborne?

    If '1' then adding weight to the rear will do precisely zero to solve the 'problem'.
    If 'B' then it may have some tiny, tiny effect, but as yeehaa and others have said, the main thing affecting that is your bodyweight.

    So for both of them, don't add weight, think about where your body is instead, try a shorter stem or a layback seatpost.

    And describe the actual problem :wink:
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."
  • bails87 wrote:
    'Too front heavy' isn't very helpful
    It could mean
    1) Lifting the front over obstacles?
    or
    B) the front dropping when the whole bike is airborne?

    If '1' then adding weight to the rear will do precisely zero to solve the 'problem'.
    If 'B' then it may have some tiny, tiny effect, but as yeehaa and others have said, the main thing affecting that is your bodyweight.

    So for both of them, don't add weight, think about where your body is instead, try a shorter stem or a layback seatpost.

    And describe the actual problem :wink:

    If B, all things accelerate downwards at roughly 9.81 M/S2, ignoring wind resistance, irrespective of mass. Therefore a heavy front end won't drop significantly quicker than a light front end once both wheels leave the ground.The only issue would be on take off, with the combined rider and bike weight being biased forwards during launch. Again, this isn't a big effect, and is more than offset by rider position.