Touring - Bike jitter when braking hard on the front

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Baz
07-20-04, 03:55 PM
Hello all you mechanically inclined bike addicts,

I've got a brand new touring bike, and I absolutely love the feel, but when I'm braking hard on the front I sometimes get a strong longitudinal jitter devellopping. I haven't ridden a bike with a rigid fork in a very long time, so I'm not sure if this is something I should expect or if it's something that can be tuned out. Would it help if I toed in my brake pads a bit more? I'm running Paul Touring cantis. Does it have something to do with tire pressure?

Let me know if you have any suggestions.

- Baz

AlanK
07-20-04, 04:25 PM
I doubt if it has anything to do with tire pressure. I was having the same problem on my bike several months ago, really bad. The front end would shake violently when I braked. I'm not sure what causes it, but it can probably be adjusted. It might also be related to the brake pads. Some pads don't slow the tire down, but rather grab it suddenly.
mike
07-20-04, 04:36 PM
It sounds like your headset is loose.

AlanK
07-20-04, 04:44 PM
It sounds like your headset is loose.

Duh! Boy, I feel stupid. Yeah, that's another likely cause.
roadfix
07-20-04, 05:14 PM
....or try toeing-in your brake pads....
rnagaoka
07-29-04, 04:36 PM
Hello all you mechanically inclined bike addicts,

I've got a brand new touring bike, and I absolutely love the feel, but when I'm braking hard on the front I sometimes get a strong longitudinal jitter devellopping. I haven't ridden a bike with a rigid fork in a very long time, so I'm not sure if this is something I should expect or if it's something that can be tuned out. Would it help if I toed in my brake pads a bit more? I'm running Paul Touring cantis. Does it have something to do with tire pressure?

Let me know if you have any suggestions.

- Baz

I had exactly the same problem when I test rode my Fuji Touring (with Avid shorty cantis). They fixed it by toeing in the pads and wiping down the rims. The mechanic said there is a factory coating on the new rims that need to be cleaned off. Not sure about this, but it cured the stuttering 100%.

--Ron
MichaelW
07-30-04, 10:57 AM
Could be a lose cantelever arms.
Revtor
07-30-04, 01:14 PM
could be a flexing fork resonating... my aluminum rigid fork does this.
~Steve
Istanbul_Tea
07-30-04, 09:31 PM
I'm betting $100 on it being pads needing toe'd in.

Same exact thing happened on my Rivendell Atlantis.