Questions tagged [handling]
The handling tag has no usage guidance.
30 questions
7
votes
5
answers
2k
views
Drop bar maneuverability in a gravel bike
I'm considering getting my first gravel bike, and I'm wondering how much more difficult/limited (if at all) the maneuverability of a drop bar bicycle is, compared to a flat (riser) bar.
I've gone to ...
- 225
5
votes
4
answers
2k
views
BB drop vs BB height from stability perspective
While I have heard that a lower bottom bracket tends to give more stability, I'm confused as from which point of reference yields such an effect, from the wheel axle (BB drop) or from the tire contact ...
- 1,315
3
votes
3
answers
564
views
What do "capsize", "wobble", and "weave" mean when referring to bike stability?
Some research into (uncontrolled) bicycle stability (e.g. Jason K. Moore, Human Control of a Bicycle, 2012) models the dynamic behavior of some bikes and determines "critical speeds" for &...
- 301
2
votes
2
answers
1k
views
What parameters affect how easy it is to ride no hands?
I've been practicing riding hands free (when I've got a safe traffic-free opportunity of course). This is partly because I'm trying to learn to ride a unicycle and hands free balance is a skill I can ...
- 62.4k
11
votes
2
answers
3k
views
How does fork offset affect bike handling?
Some forks come in a variety of different fork offsets for the same model.
How does replacing the fork designed for the bike with:
A fork with smaller offset, everything else the same
A fork with ...
- 3,349
1
vote
1
answer
110
views
Steering Dynamics Question
as I contemplate reducing reach by either 1/ shortening my stem or 2/ shortening my dropbar's reach, I have some questions about whether approach 1 or 2 will have a greater difference on my bike's ...
- 321
0
votes
1
answer
89
views
Front wheel shimmy
I have a trek Allant 7+. When I set the pre-load to minimum I got a terrible shimmy. It seems OK
when pre-load is set to max. I weigh 195 lbs. Could the pre-load affect the shimmy like that? It is ...
5
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Steering dampers
I'm curious about steering dampers on bicycles. Does steering damper really helps on rough terrain. What brands and types of dampers exist on market(in EU)? Does damper requires maintenance of any ...
- 197
1
vote
1
answer
154
views
Counter-intuitive steering in crosswinds with hands off the bars
It should not be surprising that it is difficult to ride in a straight line with both hands off the handlebars when there is a crosswind.
However, I find it most unintuitive, that for example if ...
- 170
10
votes
1
answer
10k
views
Bike unstable (difficult to ride without hands on bars) after changing fork after collision
After a low speed collision with the front of a car in which a cars bumper met the side of my fork (I was in a track stand-esque stance) my fork was bent slightly so I replaced it with a (inexpensive ...
- 429
2
votes
1
answer
248
views
handling and steering difference for stem/bar reach combinations?
I was wondering what the steering/handling differences would be (if any) between the two combinations below? Assume rider's hands are on bar hoods.
Combo 1 = 90 stem and bar with 80mm reach.
Combo 2 =...
- 21
0
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Problem with suspension fork
I am having trouble with my bicycle which is a Giant Terrago FS1.
I have posted a video on YouTube which might help to explain the situation better, as it might be better than words.
Due to the ...
- 101
1
vote
2
answers
1k
views
Anyone have Open Bars or similar on a Surly Cross Check or Straggler?
I read around the Internet that many people use a Cross-Check/Straggler as a basis for a relaxed-ish commuter bike. But I'm told by my LBS that running Open Bars or similar on one of those frames is ...
- 690
-2
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Descending with deep section front wheels
Would a deep section front wheel improve stability and control in descends? And if yes would the benefits outweigh the potential danger of side winds? (We usually don't get more than 15kmh winds here)
- 1,468
2
votes
0
answers
207
views
What handling differences should I expect when moving from a bike to a Recumbent Trike? [closed]
I have been riding a normal bicycle, I just purchased a used Sun EZ-3 SX Delta Trike. I only have about a dozen miles on it on a few short trips.
There is an answer here indicating some of the ...
- 693
8
votes
4
answers
8k
views
Aero wheel on front, regular on back - why?
I've seen a lot of riders in the city, usually fixe riders or courriers, riding bikes with an expensive aero wheel on front and a regular, cheap-looking, un-aerodynamic alloy wheel on back.
Why ...
- 5,528
3
votes
3
answers
15k
views
25 degree rise stem vs 6 degree rise stem with taller head tube - how is handling affected?
All,
I’m shopping for a new road bike with endurance geometry (more upright position and shorter top tube), 9mm drop saddle-to-bars. I’ve had a Guru fit done by a professional fitter. The main ...
- 393
1
vote
1
answer
152
views
After conversion, Paramount OS is super squirrely
All,
I have a custom made Paramount OS from 1991. I converted the bike to be my bike for family rides. To do this, I replaced the handlebars and put larger tires on the rim ~ nothing crazy, just a ...
- 11
4
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Are there geometrical differences between framesets optimised for flats vs drops, other than top tube length?
Question background:
I am on the cusp of buying a 'do it all' bike for commuting and light touring.
The bike i'm looking at (Genesis Croix de Fer 2015 model) comes with drop handlebars. I would like ...
- 41
5
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Front wheel oscillation
I'm not sure if oscillation is the right way to describe this, but when I'm riding at speed (say around 35-40 km/h) and take one hand off of the bars, the bars shimmy or oscillate – kind of like they ...
- 7,116
4
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Fundamental principles of tire friction for off-road biking
This is a two-part question.
I've been watching various videos and getting various advice about mountain bike cornering. My impression is that all of the advice cannot be true, because the advice, ...
- 357
6
votes
2
answers
5k
views
How does the geometry of cross bikes affect on-road handling?
I'm planning on getting a cyclocross bike for commuting because my road bike is suboptimal for riding in rain and snow. A bike shop employee told me that cross bikes have worse geometry for riding on ...
- 7,165
2
votes
2
answers
5k
views
How bad is handling with only front aero wheel?
I think it's obvious that the only reason to have aero wheel at front and regular wheel at rear is budget. I did some research on this and what I found was aero front wheel is more important and rear ...
- 1,373
5
votes
2
answers
3k
views
What would be the handling of a bike with reversed stem?
There are short and long stems:
What effect does changing the stem length have on my bikes handling
There are flat bars and there are curved back bars for comfort upright position:
There even ...
- 14k
15
votes
4
answers
23k
views
What are the disadvantages of more suspension travel?
Having some suspension travel is always nice, but what disadvantages are there for the bikes handling as the travel increases? This question applies to both to full and front suspension bikes.
- 4,414
1
vote
3
answers
3k
views
If I replaced the fork on my cyclocross bike with a track fork, what would be the effect on the bike geometry?
If I replaced the fork on my cyclocross bike, surly cross check, with a track fork, what would be the effect on the bike geometry? What would be the effect of the modified geometry on bike handling.
...
- 18.3k
8
votes
5
answers
10k
views
Riding with one hand
I have been riding a bike for years.
The one thing I've never managed to do is to feel comfortable about letting go of the bars with even one hand.
This is actually not exactly true, I can ride ...
- 704
70
votes
19
answers
85k
views
Do skilled cyclists really "use the front brake alone probably 95% of the time"?
Sheldon Brown's Braking and Turning Your Bicycle page states that:
Skilled cyclists use the front brake alone probably 95% of the time
and
"Generally I advise against using both brakes at the ...
- 7,165
22
votes
4
answers
1k
views
How to descend mountain roads?
What skills and techniques are required to descending at high speeds while maintaining control of the bicycle? How does this change when the roads are wet or have gravel in them?
- 2,750
14
votes
1
answer
9k
views
What effect does changing the stem length have on my bikes handling
I'm finding that when jumping my mountain bike seems to be very nose heavy no matter how far back my saddle is. What effect will moving to a shorter stem length have?
My bike, a Boardman FS-PRO came ...
- 655