I was in a pack sprint yesterday on our clubride and was lead out nicely so when I jumped into the wind and passed everybody I was doing about 65 km/h. I went full out for another 200 m to the finishline ( roadsigns) in my drops. What I noticed was how wobbly my front wheel felt going hard like this when I was in the drops. If it had felt more stable I feel I could have put some more power into the pedals.
So here is my question. Does this instability simply come from me being in the drops or could it be that my handlebar and/or front fork is too weak. I ride a Trek 5200 with original handlebar and fork.
I was in a pack sprint yesterday on our clubride and was lead out nicely so when I jumped into the wind and passed everybody I was doing about 65 km/h. I went full out for another 200 m to the finishline ( roadsigns) in my drops. What I noticed was how wobbly my front wheel felt going hard like this when I was in the drops. If it had felt more stable I feel I could have put some more power into the pedals.
So here is my question. Does this instability simply come from me being in the drops or could it be that my handlebar and/or front fork is too weak. I ride a Trek 5200 with original handlebar and fork.
Some others will poo-poo but I had this problem because the fork was uneven. Crashed me once in a race, happened again on a training ride and threatened to on descents forcing me to brake until I replaced the damn thing. It was enough out of line that I had to carefully position the wheel between the brakes whenever I put it on or it would rub. Wouldn't track straight no-hands either. The wobble at speed in any cross-wind could get ferocious. If this sounds like you...
I was in a pack sprint yesterday on our clubride and was lead out nicely so when I jumped into the wind and passed everybody I was doing about 65 km/h. I went full out for another 200 m to the finishline ( roadsigns) in my drops. What I noticed was how wobbly my front wheel felt going hard like this when I was in the drops. If it had felt more stable I feel I could have put some more power into the pedals.
So here is my question. Does this instability simply come from me being in the drops or could it be that my handlebar and/or front fork is too weak. I ride a Trek 5200 with original handlebar and fork.
Some others will poo-poo but I had this problem because the fork was uneven. Crashed me once in a race, happened again on a training ride and threatened to on descents forcing me to brake until I replaced the damn thing. It was enough out of line that I had to carefully position the wheel between the brakes whenever I put it on or it would rub. Wouldn't track straight no-hands either. The wobble at speed in any cross-wind could get ferocious. If this sounds like you...
Gulp.... I hope that's not my problem. I can ride no hands easy enough and have no problems putting the front wheel on. Also no wobble when going fast with hands on top or on the hoods. It felt more like my legs where cranking away too hard for my material, or that I was not used to balancing my bike in this position or speed. Can a carbon fork really come unaligned like that?
I was in a pack sprint yesterday on our clubride and was lead out nicely so when I jumped into the wind and passed everybody I was doing about 65 km/h. I went full out for another 200 m to the finishline ( roadsigns) in my drops. What I noticed was how wobbly my front wheel felt going hard like this when I was in the drops. If it had felt more stable I feel I could have put some more power into the pedals.
So here is my question. Does this instability simply come from me being in the drops or could it be that my handlebar and/or front fork is too weak. I ride a Trek 5200 with original handlebar and fork.
Some others will poo-poo but I had this problem because the fork was uneven. Crashed me once in a race, happened again on a training ride and threatened to on descents forcing me to brake until I replaced the damn thing. It was enough out of line that I had to carefully position the wheel between the brakes whenever I put it on or it would rub. Wouldn't track straight no-hands either. The wobble at speed in any cross-wind could get ferocious. If this sounds like you...
Gulp.... I hope that's not my problem. I can ride no hands easy enough and have no problems putting the front wheel on. Also no wobble when going fast with hands on top or on the hoods. It felt more like my legs where cranking away too hard for my material, or that I was not used to balancing my bike in this position or speed. Can a carbon fork really come unaligned like that?
No, mine (Kestrel) were made that way, probably in misaligning the dropouts. No drift riding no hands? Tire perfectly centered in the U with the skewer open? Maybe or maybe not your problem.
I was in a pack sprint yesterday on our clubride and was lead out nicely so when I jumped into the wind and passed everybody I was doing about 65 km/h. I went full out for another 200 m to the finishline ( roadsigns) in my drops. What I noticed was how wobbly my front wheel felt going hard like this when I was in the drops. If it had felt more stable I feel I could have put some more power into the pedals.
So here is my question. Does this instability simply come from me being in the drops or could it be that my handlebar and/or front fork is too weak. I ride a Trek 5200 with original handlebar and fork.
I think you were just unfamiliar with the position. Your weight distribution was different. I've felt the same (sounding) thing. Try some practice and if that doesn't work, look for other causes.
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I think it could be the wheel flexing due to the application of your mighty forces. Wheels are not very strong laterally ( esp when compared to vertically) and when you have the bike tilted sideways and are honking on the handlebars pulling up on one side and pushing down on the other, you are pushing on the wheel sideways.
"Per Elmsäter" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
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David Ryan said:
"Per Elmsäter" wrote: > > I was in a pack sprint yesterday on our clubride and was lead out nicely so when I jumped into > the wind and passed everybody I was doing about 65 km/h
What in the world are you doing sprinting so fast, 39 mph?
Don't you know that men your age (52) can't do that?
All kidding aside, that was a great effort, congratulations, you'll be ready to ride with me before too much longer! ;->
"Per Elmsäter" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
David Ryan said:
"Per Elmsäter" wrote: > > I was in a pack sprint yesterday on our clubride and was lead out nicely so when I jumped into > the wind and passed everybody I was doing about 65 km/h
What in the world are you doing sprinting so fast, 39 mph?
Don't you know that men your age (52) can't do that?
All kidding aside, that was a great effort, congratulations, you'll be ready to ride with me before too much longer! ;->
Dashii
Actually I think I'm ready for you now. I just got back from a six day stage race ( recreational ). We rode 120-145 km per day for six days with one resting day in the middle of the week. One of the days I averaged 35 km/h over 145 km. It was a great week with about 200 riders from mainly Sweden and Denmark. The start was in one big field so you just kind of place yourself in the front or further back depending on how fast you want to go. The first 30-40 km was usually at a very high pace just to break up the field.
"Per Elmsäter" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Dashi Toshii said:
"Per Elmsäter" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
David Ryan wrote: > "Per Elmsäter" wrote: >> >> I was in a pack sprint yesterday on our clubride and was lead out nicely so when I jumped >> into the wind and passed everybody I was doing about 65 km/h
What in the world are you doing sprinting so fast, 39 mph?
Don't you know that men your age (52) can't do that?
All kidding aside, that was a great effort, congratulations, you'll be ready to ride with me before too much longer! ;->
Dashii
Actually I think I'm ready for you now. I just got back from a six day
stage
Quoted message said:
race ( recreational ). We rode 120-145 km per day for six days with one resting day in the middle of the week. One of the days I averaged 35 km/h over 145 km.
Yes I think that you are! That's an excellent time/speed for that distance. Were you riding with others of about the same ability as you?
Quoted message said:
It was a great week with about 200 riders from mainly Sweden and Denmark. The start was in one big field so you just kind of place yourself in the front or further back depending on how fast you want to go. The first
30-40
Quoted message said:
km was usually at a very high pace just to break up the field.
"Per Elmsäter" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Dashi Toshii said:
"Per Elmsäter" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]... > David Ryan wrote: >> "Per Elmsäter" wrote: >>> >>> I was in a pack sprint yesterday on our clubride and was lead out nicely so when I jumped >>> into the wind and passed everybody I was doing about 65 km/h
What in the world are you doing sprinting so fast, 39 mph?
Don't you know that men your age (52) can't do that?
All kidding aside, that was a great effort, congratulations, you'll be ready to ride with me before too much longer! ;->
Dashii
Actually I think I'm ready for you now. I just got back from a six day stage race ( recreational ). We rode 120-145 km per day for six days with one resting day in the middle of the week. One of the days I averaged 35 km/h over 145 km.
Yes I think that you are! That's an excellent time/speed for that distance. Were you riding with others of about the same ability as you?
No they were much stronger than me. I was really huffing and puffing, just hanging on with my fingernails. Every time somebody had finished a pull and was dropping back behind me, they'd comment on me still being there 😉
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
It was a great week with about 200 riders from mainly Sweden and Denmark. The start was in one big field so you just kind of place yourself in the front or further back depending on how fast you want to go. The first 30-40 km was usually at a very high pace just to break up the field.
Thanks for the link, very interesting, do you have a profile of the route?
Yes I do. Unfortunately it isn't digital yet. I am trying to get hold of one though. The worst climbs are about 22%. As a matter of fact. Why don't you contact them directly saying that you've heard of this week and that you are interested for next year. They've done this for about 14 years now and are having problems getting enough people to help., so they where really worried they might not get it off again next year. A little international input won't hurt 😉 BTW the whole week cost SEK 950 which is approximately 100 Euro. This included starts and feedstops during the race. Camping is dirt cheap and other lodgings can be found near by.
"Per Elmsäter" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Dashi Toshii said:
"Per Elmsäter" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Dashi Toshii wrote: > "Per Elmsäter" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > "]news:[email hidden]... >> David Ryan wrote: >>> "Per Elmsäter" wrote: >>>> >>>> I was in a pack sprint yesterday on our clubride and was lead out nicely so when I jumped >>>> into the wind and passed everybody I was doing about 65 km/h > > What in the world are you doing sprinting so fast, 39 mph? > > Don't you know that men your age (52) can't do that? > > All kidding aside, that was a great effort, congratulations, you'll be ready to ride with me > before too much longer! ;-> > > Dashii
Actually I think I'm ready for you now. I just got back from a six day stage race ( recreational ). We rode 120-145 km per day for six days with one resting day in the middle of the week. One of the days I averaged 35 km/h over 145 km.
Yes I think that you are! That's an excellent time/speed for that distance. Were you riding with others of about the same ability as you?
No they were much stronger than me. I was really huffing and puffing, just hanging on with my fingernails. Every time somebody had finished a pull
and
Quoted message said:
was dropping back behind me, they'd comment on me still being there 😉
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
It was a great week with about 200 riders from mainly Sweden and Denmark. The start was in one big field so you just kind of place yourself in the front or further back depending on how fast you want to go. The first 30-40 km was usually at a very high pace just to break up the field.
Thanks for the link, very interesting, do you have a profile of the route?
Yes I do. Unfortunately it isn't digital yet. I am trying to get hold of
one
Quoted message said:
though. The worst climbs are about 22%. As a matter of fact. Why don't you contact them directly saying that you've heard of this week and that you
are
Quoted message said:
interested for next year. They've done this for about 14 years now and are having problems getting enough people to help., so they where really
worried
Quoted message said:
they might not get it off again next year. A little international input won't hurt 😉
OK, done, I'll let you know what I find out.
Quoted message said:
BTW the whole week cost SEK 950 which is approximately 100 Euro. This included starts and feedstops during the race. Camping is dirt cheap and other lodgings can be found near by.
