'weird' sensation when riding (is it the wheels?)

[MattTuck]

So, I've been having this feeling a bit last season and a bit more this season, I only have one bike, and it has mismatched front and rear wheels. Front is a low spoke count, rear is a 32 h open sport laced to 105 hub. Nothing fancy, but a crash made me swap out the original back wheel.

I've noticed that when under power (more so when out of the saddle) the rear wheel seems to feel too stable. In other words, it feels like I'm dragging an anchor behind me, in terms of it's desire to track very straight. explained another way, it almost feels like there is TOO MUCH gyroscopic effect, and it feels 'hard' to lean the bike over, for instance in a turn, or when sprinting. The bike feels like it wants to stay 'upright' and stable, which makes the whole bike feel a bit squirrelly when you're trying to get it to move around a bit underneath you and it won't go.

So, not sure what is the cause of this, it seems to be more prevalent when out of the saddle, going up hill, when I'm in a head wind, when I'm in a tail wind. Although those may or may not be coincidences that I am interpreting as a pattern.


Has anyone experienced anything like this? Ideas?

I run conti gatorskin 23s at about 100psi front, and 110 psi rear.

[Black Dog]

It sounds like you are riding a bike. It is hard.

[ahumblecycler]

What bike - manufacturer and model
What size?

[MattTuck]

it's a lemond zurich, circa 2002, size 56

[MattTuck]

It sounds like you are riding a bike. It is hard.

It IS hard, lol. But I don't think that is the reason for this 'feeling' I've been riding the same bike since 2003 without the experience I'm describing, and have just recently noticed the 'feeling'.

I'm guessing you don't think that buying a new set of wheels (matching) would help, given your response.

[vqdriver]

internet guessing is tough. if you're sure it's in there properly, i'd just borrow another wheel and see if you notice a difference.

[Black Dog]

Borrow a wheel from someone and see if there is a difference. This does sound strange indeed. Make sure there is no brake rub and that the wheel is centred and aligned properly in the frame.

[MattTuck]

internet guessing is tough. if you're sure it's in there properly, i'd just borrow another wheel and see if you notice a difference.

If you mean "is it in the drop outs correctly?" the answer is yes.

I've not had much experience with hubs or fixing wheels. It is true though, but could it be a problem with the hub? a broken axle? I dunno.

[vqdriver]

in the dropouts yes, but also eyeball to see if it's centered in the stays and brakes just to rule out the simple stuff. i'm not familiar with the 02 zurich so i don't know if they're vertical dropouts or adjustable.
but if you think it's the rear wheel that's an issue, the quickest test would be to try a "known good" one for comparison.

[cmg]

bearing drag? are the 105 hubs ball and race with adjustment or cartridge bearing? are the pawls working? does the hub need grease, it would if it's loose balls. brake draging? transferred tires/tubes from crashed wheel or did you get new ones? are you using the same model tire/tube combo as before? as you can see the possibilities are endless.

[wallymann]

bearing drag? are the 105 hubs ball and race with adjustment or cartridge bearing? are the pawls working? does the hub need grease, it would if it's loose balls. brake draging? transferred tires/tubes from crashed wheel or did you get new ones? are you using the same model tire/tube combo as before? as you can see the possibilities are endless.

back in the day when i could sprint, after i did a sprint workout i noticed something similar. after some debugging i found that the axle was broken, which i of course attributed to my massive power! ;-)

[bart998]

Check the wheel for true, bearings for play, and for a broken axle. Sounds like the wheel shifts and drags when put under load...

[slowandsteady]

Check the wheel for true, bearings for play, and for a broken axle. Sounds like the wheel shifts and drags when put under load...

+1 one of these sounds like it might be the culprit

[regularguy412]

You might also check for the brake pads rubbing the rim under load. Just a thought. When you're heeled over in a turn or rocking the bike while climbing, a little flex and tight pads may cause the drag you feel.

Mike in AR:beer:

[archashwell]

Hmm . . . "crash" requiring replacing rear wheel: bent frame or dropout?, cracked dropout?; broken axle was already suggested, though that wouldn't be related to crash.

[mnoble485]

What is this thing you call "sprinting"?

Mike

[MattTuck]

update to the situation. I went to belmont wheelworks this morning and had a mechanic look at the wheel. he gave it an all clear ...

then on my ride today a spoke broke

so take it for what you will. maybe that symptoms as experiencing was actually just a spoke about to break