Track Cycling - Bike handling issues

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View Full Version : Bike handling issues


goggles
02-27-06, 09:37 AM
During a recent training session at Kissena Park Velodrome on Sunday, I started experiencing some problems with my bike. Three things happened that have never occured before; going around corners my front wheel felt like it was cutting straight lines instead of hugging around the turns, second, I started hearing these metalic pinging noises coming from my front spokes and my frame started feeling wobbly.

I was wondering if something is wrong with my bike or is normal in the cold? I know that my bike is not a true track bike but I have trained here a bunch of times with no problems. My wheels and tires are less than a month old (SOMA somax wheels, Soma everwear tires) and my IRO Mark V frame is less than six months old.

I don't know what else to list. My tires were well inflated and everything was in working order. Does anyone have any ideas or sudgestions?


lotek
02-27-06, 10:01 AM
How cold was it?
Usually pinging sounds are spokes loosening if the bike felt wobbly I would
check the wheels for being out of true.
It's possible the cold cause the spokes to detension.
marty

ZappCatt
02-27-06, 10:27 AM
Did you have the wheels trued and tensioned after you got them? How many times have you trained/ridden on these wheels?
As lotek said, it sounds like detensioned spokes..


ultraman6970
02-27-06, 12:18 PM
I think the problems are the bituplins in the front wheel. what do u guys think?

yonderboy
02-27-06, 03:28 PM
Get your wheels retensioned. My Somax wheels needed it after about a month of riding.

goggles
02-27-06, 09:15 PM
Well it was pretty damn cold. Must have been in the thirties w/o windchill. Thinking about it now yonderboy is probably right. I remember feeling the spoke tension when I first bought the new wheels and even then they felt noticeably slacker than the stock IRO wheels. The trueness is still near perfect though.

Problem solved. Thanks guys!

BTW if anyone is going to Kissena this weekend I would love to meet up. I've never raced track (so probably wouldn't be a great training parter) but I really want to get into the sport and start racing there once the season starts.

Ceya
02-28-06, 09:19 PM
I maybe there this Sunday.

S/F,
CEYA!