New Bike Blues

[Mark B]

My "extra" ring in my triples - all of them - is the big one. It only sees use when the rear wheel is higher than the front.

-Dan

I like that.. I may have to steal that from time to time.

Where I live in Southern California, we're right at the foothills of the San Bernardino mountains and right along the Santa Ana River. No matter where we go, we get a mixture of uphill and downhills and a fair amount of river grade. Going west is usually a slight downhill, with the river grade and hence, my 52 sees some use. Going north and east, the baby ring sees more use.

Mark

 

[JerSam]

Okay guys - just bought a S30 from Ted here in Louisiana (thanks to the resale forum here) - initial impression after 50,000 miles and 10 years on my Challenge Furii - "man this new bike is unstable and hard to ride fast!" Why can't I lock the headset so I can really push hard and not have to have a death grip on the handlebars. After 90 miles on this thing my forearms are starting to look like Popeye's! I should be able to take one hand off the handlebar to signal turns while pedaling, but I can't on this bike. When I am clipped in - I can't really pedal around turns anyway so lets lock the headset and I'll just lean into the turn. This bike needs a triple with a 52T on the crank - I can fix that - nothing worse than a "pilot induced shimmy" when I am out spinning my pedals at high speed!

Please tell me what you guys think and what I could do to make thing better.

Thanks

 

[ratz]

Please tell me what you guys think and what I could do to make thing better.

Welcome aboard JerSam.

After only 90 miles and from the sounds of it not having worked on the slow speed stuff your situation sounds like a very familiar journey many of us had early on. The good news is you can learn from the rest of us and do it faster and easier.

So out of the gate I will promise you two things.

1. If you do this following slow speed stuff you will get better fast.
2. If you try to learn by going fast in a straight line you will struggle.

So head over here http://cruzbike.com/forum/threads/spring-time-learning-to-ride-time.10889/

If you like videoes see post #1 of that thread, if you like straight and simple written instruction see post #2. If you want proof it works read the entire thread. it contains some of the best tips we have. They will tell you how to relax and let the bike come to you. And yes the drills sound silly, but they work. (every-time I teach someone I'm in the parking lot doing spread eagle and figure 8's with the newbies. I already ride a bent, so who cares if I look silly everyone already is staring)

 

[DavidCH]

Gosh... now where did I put that plastic bag with the old dirty triple crank?

Guess that might find itself on a T50
LOL

(But clean though)

 

[ReklinedRider]

Please tell me what you guys think and what I could do to make thing better.

JerSam, welcome also, and see above, the ratz-authored learning to ride tips are the real deal. I learned to ride a Sofrider before he put them out; even after a year of riding my Cruzbike I went back and did all the exercises and saw a lot of improvement. So head for the nearest parking lot!

And where in Louisiana are you?

 

[JerSam]

Thanks guys - I live near Ft Polk and ride 30 miles a day back and forth to work on 171. I hear what you guys are saying, and I did try the open palms fingers pointed forward today on the way in...and it helped. But I can't help but think how much more stable this bike would be if I could lock the headset - don't get me wrong - I like the workout and my upper body is getting stronger - I just want more stability so the cracks on the shoulder and the trucks blowing by don't shake the bike so much. I will continue with the exercises - (I've got the figure 8 down and I can start on a steep hill fine) - I just want more stability at higher speeds.

 

[ratz]

I will continue with the exercises - (I've got the figure 8 down and I can start on a steep hill fine) - I just want more stability at higher speeds.

You may have the handlebars too far back; if you have room between your legs and the bars try moving the handle bars forward 5mm at a time by shortening the boom length. As a compliment you can move the headrest out further so you sit further back and hence the arms get straighter and you have less leverage which reduces oversteer.

A side photo of you on the bike is always helpful.

 

[Balor]

Thanks guys - I live near Ft Polk and ride 30 miles a day back and forth to work on 171. I hear what you guys are saying, and I did try the open palms fingers pointed forward today on the way in...and it helped. But I can't help but think how much more stable this bike would be if I could lock the headset - don't get me wrong - I like the workout and my upper body is getting stronger - I just want more stability so the cracks on the shoulder and the trucks blowing by don't shake the bike so much. I will continue with the exercises - (I've got the figure 8 down and I can start on a steep hill fine) - I just want more stability at higher speeds.

This is steering inertia you are experiencing, due to weight of the front triangle plus your legs. It takes a while to get used to it, but you will (may take a few month, though). It may never get as effortless as on a fixed bottom bracket, you still have to be 'on edge'... I have about 5k miles on my (DIY, mind) MBB and while I've completed 200 km and 300 km brevets on one, but high-speed descents (especially with trucks blowing by, yup) are still somewhat scary.
Still, I do not regret riding MBB at all - climbing and sprinting feels MUCH better on one. The fact that you do not have to worry about heel strike and can have BB very low (at least in my case) is very good, too - my feet go numb on a high BB.

 

[Balor]

You may have the handlebars too far back; if you have room between your legs and the bars try moving the handle bars forward 5mm at a time by shortening the boom length. As a compliment you can move the headrest out further so you sit further back and hence the arms get straighter and you have less leverage which reduces oversteer.

A side photo of you on the bike is always helpful.

By the way, Ratz, what about steering damper experiments you've said you've been conducting? Have you tried CaneCreek Viscoset? Seems like an unconstructive and relatively low-cost solution.

 

[ratz]

By the way, Ratz, what about steering damper experiments you've said you've been conducting? Have you tried CaneCreek Viscoset? Seems like an unconstructive and relatively low-cost solution.

Experiments with both anti flop and dampeners have been done; both work; challenge now is making an anti-flop that doesn't look like a hack; and a dampener that isn't ridiculously expensive. I can ask Jacob to chime in. If the get green lite they would like be add-on options since they drive up the cost of the bikes. Frankly my un-official opinion is that the T50 kickstarter campaign may once and for all settle the debate on whether they are a need future standard or and add on.

I do know this if someone really wants one Jacob can share what he's tested and where to get them; both devices I have seen are mainstream stock products; and that is the point of these bikes; they were designed to work with off the shelf products and I have never had an issue saying "add" this if you need it.

 

[super slim]

Thanks guys - I live near Ft Polk and ride 30 miles a day back and forth to work on 171. I hear what you guys are saying, and I did try the open palms fingers pointed forward today on the way in...and it helped. But I can't help but think how much more stable this bike would be if I could lock the headset - don't get me wrong - I like the workout and my upper body is getting stronger - I just want more stability so the cracks on the shoulder and the trucks blowing by don't shake the bike so much. I will continue with the exercises - (I've got the figure 8 down and I can start on a steep hill fine) - I just want more stability at higher speeds.

Be patient!
And do many short exercises that Ratz has documented!