drifting/crashing problem!

[Lee]

I have this problem where if I try to ride with no hands, my bike veers hard to the left. Almost to the point where I can turn a super sharp 180 (I'm not Evel Kenievel). This doesn't happen on any other bikes, just mine. Bike seems to be straight and no issues with the wheels that i can see.

Any help?

 

[C.S.]

Usually the fork is bent sideways. If so, you have to bend the legs one by one in the direction the bike tends to go. Put your foot in the forkcrown and pull/push near the dropout, easy, just bit by bit. It could be twisted, but that is easy to spot.

 

[Anonymous]

The whole frame could be tweeked too.

 

[JoeyMac]

or you are lopsided :lol:

j/k, couldn't resist

 

[Walker]

Check your headset races for pitting.

 

[RawBert]

try checking your chainline and the position of your rear wheel, i had that problem on my fixie

 

[Walker]

Any luck Lee?

 

[Lee]

hey Walker!

well....I took the wheels off as well as the springer. Eyeballed the frame and the springer for a good 1/2 hour and they both look straight to me. I put on another set of wheels with a stright fork and it rode perfectly straight. So then I took off the front fork, put on the springer with the back up wheels.....rode straight. Put my regular wheel on the springer.....straight. When it came to the rear however, it started drifting again. So I'm thinking the rear of the frame might be a little bent although I can't really see it.

Thanks all for the help! I'm still working on it!

 

[Walker]

Just do the string trick to check your frame alignment. Take a pice of kite string, fishing line or something. tie a loop in one end. with your rear wheel out hook the loop over one drop out, pull the string around the headtube and back to the other drop out. either secure it or just hold it in place while you check the distance of the string from your seat tube. if you have calipers or a machinists ruler that would be the most accurate but a tape measure will work too. The side with the larger spacing would be the side that the rear triangle is pulled.

 

[ej599]

Maybe you got a NASCAR frame. :lol: Sorry, I too could not resist.

 

[Daddyar]

I had the same problem with a bike with a springer too, and I never could go straight with it either. I think it's the forks on my bike, cuz I swapped some regualr forks on, and it would track perfectly straight with no hands.

 

[bikebuilder]

This is helpful. I had (have) the same problem with my Krate. It pulls really hard to one side. It will pull until the fork hits the frame. I had no idea why. I can ride my swingbike no handed. I guess I 'll go check my springer and work my way back. Thanks for the thread.

 

[The Heron]

Interesting... Similar problem with my Typhoon (maybe not as dramatic, but noticable). I compensated by coasting slightly tilted (against the drift) while bracing the top bar against corresponding knee. This bike had a repop springer which was completely jury-rigged and a bent rear wheel. In the last week, I've switched out the springer -- for a BMX style tube fork -- and replaced the rear wheel with a brand new aluminum wheel. I rode it briefly today but haven't try it hands-free yet.

.... Are your wheels on straight? I'm horrible for getting the back wheel crooked (There's an idea for a "How To" Thread). I can imagine this being a factor.

 

[The Heron]

Maybe you got a NASCAR frame. :lol: Sorry, I too could not resist.

:lol: .... There you go! Turn it into a track-racer!