Re: [CR]Balance

(Example: Production Builders:Peugeot:PX-10LE)

From: "goodrichbikes" <goodrichbikes@netzero.net>
To: <PBridge130@aol.com>, <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
References: <190.37f82be7.2f25e343@aol.com>
Subject: Re: [CR]Balance
Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2005 12:51:21 -0600


Peter Bridge posted- sounds to me like a bad relationship between head angle and trail, combined
> with your own tendency to lean to the left.

My reply-

Yes and No. The relationship between head angle and fork rake/offset determine trail. Trail is best described as a self-centering force. As long as the trail numbers are in an acceptable range (High 40's to low 70's) the wheel will self center okay. Most bikes for the last 70 plus years have followed this formula so I wouldn't think trail to be the problem. With that said, different people do like different amounts of trail and this can affect how people perceive a bike handles. But what I see is Ted e. Baer (is this a real name or an alias) complaining about a bike veering rapidly to the side. This could be many different things including the rider but generally it's from one or both wheels not being vertical. In the rear, this means one drop out is higher than the other. With the front wheel, it can be the fork is out of alignment and/or one blade is longer than the other. Also head tube twist will cause the bike to veer to the side. Ideally the wheels should track in the same line relative the the frame centerline and perpendicular to the crank axis but this misalignment doesn't typically rear it's ugly head while sitting up, coasting and taking your hands off the bars. This isn't to downplay the importance of this facet of alignment just that I don't think it contributes to the proplem Ted axed about. YMMV.

Curt Goodrich
Minneapolis, MN