Do I need a narrower front tyre?

neilrosser
neilrosser Posts: 236
edited July 2013 in MTB general
Rode the blue at Swinley and on the tighter turns I felt I had to put in quite alot of effort to get around. Is it a case of putting on a narrower front tyre on just dealing with the issue, and manning up 8). I run Bonty 2.35 XR4 team issue F&B.

Cheers :)
Trek Fuel EX8
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Comments

  • YeehaaMcgee
    YeehaaMcgee Posts: 5,740
    edited July 2013
    I don't see how a narrower front tyre could make any difference, to be frank.
    What do you mean "a lot of effort" anyway?
  • turnerjohn
    turnerjohn Posts: 1,069
    surely the reduced grip of a smaller tire would make things harder ?
    could try running pressures higher...but then you loose grip...would speed up the handling....or a shorter stem and wider bars !
  • neilrosser
    neilrosser Posts: 236
    I was always under the impression having a narrower front tyre than the rear, would mean as the bike is leant over it would turn in quicker, as it does on motorcycles, that's one of the reasons they have wider rear tyres, and obviously for more grip. Or have I been mistaken believing this for the past fourty odd years. Lack of grip isn't my problem, it's just the effort required to turn in quicker.
    Trek Fuel EX8
  • YeehaaMcgee
    YeehaaMcgee Posts: 5,740
    Er, nope, the reason motorcycles have large rear tyres is to handle the power being put down.
    The lower the power of the bike, the less the difference in size from front to rear.

    I still don't understand the effort you're talking about - particularly since MTBs aren't generally leant over very far into corners.
  • neilrosser
    neilrosser Posts: 236
    Sorry, should of said raised corners, berms, which help you round anyway. If that makes any difference, sounds like it doesn't though :?

    EDIT: Think I may be getting confused with smaller diameter front than rear....or maybe not :?
    Trek Fuel EX8
  • pesky_jones
    pesky_jones Posts: 2,890
    I'd say you need to try and lower the bike beneath you and you'll be able turn better. Don't know if this is what you should do but it's what I think I do ha
  • YeehaaMcgee
    YeehaaMcgee Posts: 5,740
    neilrosser wrote:
    Sorry, should have said raised corners, berms, which help you round anyway. If that makes any difference, sounds like it doesn't though :?

    EDIT: Think I may be getting confused with smaller diameter front than rear....or maybe not :?
    Well a smaller diameter front will make the bike's handling quicker, because it steepens the rake (or head angle, as it's called on pushbikes)
  • neilrosser
    neilrosser Posts: 236
    So unless I change to a steeper head angle, I've just got to work harder :)
    Trek Fuel EX8
  • YeehaaMcgee
    YeehaaMcgee Posts: 5,740
    Well, I dunno. Can you actually explain what you mean?
  • neilrosser
    neilrosser Posts: 236
    Get a different bike with a steeper head angle is what I mean, which by the way isn't going to happen. So I've just answered my own question. So I will have work harder on the corners, or probably the right thing to do would be to choose a better line into them.
    Trek Fuel EX8
  • YeehaaMcgee
    YeehaaMcgee Posts: 5,740
    sigh. It might not be a case of working harder, it might just be a case of doing it properly. I still don't understand what you mean by it being hard work.
  • neilrosser
    neilrosser Posts: 236
    Ok lets try to explain, because like you I'm getting bored now :wink: .
    I enter a corner in what I think is the correct line, but halfway through the corner,I find myself getting higher on the bank, and risk going over the edge, so I have to force the bike around quicker by either turning the bars more and leaning more. If that doesn't make any sense, then don't worry....thanks for trying to help me :lol:
    Trek Fuel EX8
  • YeehaaMcgee
    YeehaaMcgee Posts: 5,740
    On bermed corners? Sounds like you just aren't leaning enough, it's common, since getting big lean angles on berms feels quite unsettling at first.
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Pretend they're like a wall of death and get horizontal whilst going vroom vroom and screaming yeehaa.
    (Not Mcgee though, that would be sick.)
    I don't do smileys.

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  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    And focus on the exit.
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  • YeehaaMcgee
    YeehaaMcgee Posts: 5,740
    Ok, I'm focusing on your exit. Lets see if I can make you scream my name.
  • lawman
    lawman Posts: 6,868
    Shorter stem, wider bar. More leverage and more control, what is your current setup?
  • neilrosser
    neilrosser Posts: 236
    90mm stem
    690mm wide bar
    Trek Fuel EX8
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Typical BR - throw money at it and see if what sticks.
    New bars aren't going to magically change your riding style, and Swinley is basically XC.
    A couple of people do the trail centre stuff on CX bikes, and one guy does it on a unicycle.
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  • neilrosser
    neilrosser Posts: 236
    I'm not going to throw any money at this issue.
    I've decided it's me that's the problem and I'm going to learn how to ride the bike.
    Trek Fuel EX8
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Which ones are giving problems - the smaller bowl type on Stickler or the bigger swoopy ones on the second (return) part of the blue (I can't remeber the numbers).
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  • lawman
    lawman Posts: 6,868
    He asked for a way to make the bike handle better, so I suggested a way. Yes there is technique that could be looked at, but a small change on the bike can make just as big, if not bigger, a difference.
  • YeehaaMcgee
    YeehaaMcgee Posts: 5,740
    lawman wrote:
    Shorter stem, wider bar. More leverage and more control, what is your current setup?
    cooldad wrote:
    Typical BR - throw money at it and see if what sticks.
    +Potato. That has to be the dumbest fu**ing thing I've read here in a long time, and that includes concordion's insane ramblings.

    Seriously, you tell him to change to something, before even asking what he currently has?
    What the actual hell is wrong with you?
  • Kowalski675
    Kowalski675 Posts: 4,412
    Er, nope, the reason motorcycles have large rear tyres is to handle the power being put down.
    The lower the power of the bike, the less the difference in size from front to rear.

    First part's true, second part not always. Fashion plays a large part too - a Hornet 250 runs a 180 rear, for example, and those have about as much power as a sewing machine, lol.

    Some folk do take it to extremes though:

    68524.jpg?max=640

    68526.jpg?max=640
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    It's technique, I have the same issue, and I know it's all in my head, I'm just not commiting to it and getting the bike over as I should, I 'always' run wide on the exit to turns.
    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.
  • benpinnick
    benpinnick Posts: 4,148
    Narrower tyres ? Nope. Different tyres, probably. Now Swinley is hard packed, xr4s, while excellent tyres are not putting much rubber down as they have a deepish tread and widely spaced blocks. I'd recommend some racing Ralph snake skins if you want to go fast.
    A Flock of Birds
    + some other bikes.
  • DCR00
    DCR00 Posts: 2,160
    http://www.pinkbike.com/news/strength-t ... -2011.html

    Not necessarily needed for berms, but the technique will help you rail berms as well as flat corners

    Wider bars/shorter stems/slacker/steeper angles will not make up for lack of skill
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    DCR00 wrote:
    On BR wider bars/shorter stems/slacker/steeper angles/new tyres/lighter grips/blingy pedals/anything by Hope will make up for lack of skill
    FTFY
    I don't do smileys.

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  • DCR00
    DCR00 Posts: 2,160
    cooldad wrote:
    DCR00 wrote:
    On BR wider bars/shorter stems/slacker/steeper angles/new tyres/lighter grips/blingy pedals/anything by Hope will make up for lack of skill
    FTFY

    You forgot Orange 5 in that list
  • lawman
    lawman Posts: 6,868
    lawman wrote:
    Shorter stem, wider bar. More leverage and more control, what is your current setup?
    cooldad wrote:
    Typical BR - throw money at it and see if what sticks.
    +Potato. That has to be the dumbest fu**ing thing I've read here in a long time, and that includes concordion's insane ramblings.

    Seriously, you tell him to change to something, before even asking what he currently has?
    What the actual hell is wrong with you?

    Ever heard of a thing known as an educated guess? :roll: assuming the bike is stock, it will probably have quite a long stem, which it does and relatively narrow bars, which it also does. Therefore a small setup change, say to a 70mm stem and 710mm bar would make a big difference to the bikes handling and offer the OP more control than his current setup and thanks to the shorter stem, faster steering.