One way to handle wheel flop ...
Here is how I am handling wheel flop with my Cruzbike conversion.
I connected short, stiff upholestery springs between the steering tube's lower bracket and the front rim of the seat.
I inserted a small, flat angle bracket into the clamp at the base of the steering tube, just above the headset. The angle bracket is a flat, L-shape used for wood projects. It has two holes on each arm. The two holes on the side against the steering tube do not line up with the two bolts in the clamp (note -- the bracket is jutting out from the steering tube). I cut off the hole that is farther from apex of the angle of the bracket. So, the bracket became a true L shape with the base of the L against the steering tube. The L is essentially lying on its back, like an astronaut, with its head pointed toward the seat.
Again, what was the 'vertical' part of the L is now horizontal and pointing toward the rider. It has a hole in it, two actually. Now, drill a hole in the front rim of the base of the seat. Put a bolt through this hole, such as a small eye-bolt. Or, bolt a bracket to the seat that gives you one open hole that is pointed toward the steering tube.
Now, you have two open holes that are about 8 centimetres apart. Visit the hardward store and get some short, stout springs, such as upholestery springs. They need to be very stiff (high spring rate) as they are working on a short lever arm. I actually used two short stiff springs hooked together to span the gap. You may need to use a long screwdriver to get the springs hooked up between the two holes.
With the springs in place, wrap the springs and any other exposed hardware in foam (such as the foam insulation for hot water pipes). That protects your family jewels from the exposed metal.
These springs are stiff enough to keep the front wheel from flopping much when walking the bike. They also slow down the steering response at low speeds in a good way. Further, they have almost no impact on steering at higher speeds.
For twitchiness at low speed, you actually need a steering damper. I have not made one of those yet. Basically, you need a piston in a cylinder with a small hole in the cylinder. Then, when you turn the handlebars slowly, the air in the cylinder escapes with little resistance. When you turn the bars quickly, the hole provides resistance. There is a company that makes a hydraulic steering damper for bicycles, but it works only on short stems, not the extended one on a Cruzbike.
Hope that is enlightening ... to someone.
Will
.jpg)
