Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Buckling fork?

So I have a new bianchi pista (pretty much stock with 105 front brakes) and I noticed that when I use the front brake at the slower speeds the fork just buckles.

Has this anything to do with the track design (and the fact that it was not really meant to have breaks). Is something loose or are their some not so great parts that need to be looked at?

the round (as opposed to bladed) fork found on your Pista isn't designed to handle the stresses of braking. So, that's that. The brake can be used, but in emergency situations only. prepare to bend your fork after repeated use or take the damn thing off.

Do you mean the fork moves forward under the pressure? If so your headset might be a loose. Mine does it all the time.

it's the headset. adjust them properly every once in a while. Don't they have some super crap headset on stock pista? I don't think pista has round fork blades, and even if it did, forks themselves shouldn't buckle like that at low speed.

As others have said - your headset is loose. It's not hard to adjust it on your own.

http://www.parktool.com/repair_help/howfix_headthreadless.shtml

The Pista has a crappy basic Aheadset. It's okay - adjust it regularly, lube it regularly. Replaced mine with a FSA.

Can you descibe what you mean by 'buckling'?

Its a steel fork, even with rounded blades, so I would doubt that the fork is the issue. The Pistas are built like tanks and I doubt you could damage the fork by just mounting a brake on it. Plenty of folks here ride Pistas with brakes with no problems.

Sounds like either your headset is loose, or poorly installed, or your brake is poorly mounted or you're just not used to the way vibrations etc are passing though your frame. Track geo makes things seem a lot more twitchy. But its hard to say without a little more description.

If you bought the bike new take it back to the shop you bought it from and talk to them.

it's the headset. adjust them properly every once in a while. Don't they have some super crap headset on stock pista? I don't think pista has round fork blades, and even if it did, forks themselves shouldn't buckle like that at low speed.

the pista has round fork blades.

the round (as opposed to bladed) fork found on your Pista isn't designed to handle the stresses of braking. So, that's that. The brake can be used, but in emergency situations only. prepare to bend your fork after repeated use or take the damn thing off.This has got to be one of the most inaccurate posts I have read on here in a long time. Ignore this "information". If your fork was at risk of bending from braking I certainly won't be riding it - period.

jslopez - Your headset is loose. A simple adjustment that will make your ride much smoother when corrected.

I guess there's a language issue here - I think jslopez means "bucking" as opposed to "buckling" - large differences. Bucking - a sort of jarring rocking. Buckling would mean the fork is folding and ultimately cracking and breaking beneath you.

You can fix a bucking fork.

You will get rid of a buckling fork at the consequence of potential death.

On the pista, the fork is drilled for a brake, so I think that bianchi would design and consider the forces which would be applied to the fork under braking.
You won't have a problem running a brake on the pista.

So I have a new bianchi pista (pretty much stock with 105 front brakes) and I noticed that when I use the front brake at the slower speeds the fork just buckles.

Has this anything to do with the track design (and the fact that it was not really meant to have breaks). Is something loose or are their some not so great parts that need to be looked at?



Your headset is loose.... loosen the stem, tighten the stem cap bolt until there's no play in the fork (don't overtighten) and then re-tighten the stem...

I had the same shiznit happen to both my Pista and Poprad.

It's useful to have the forums, and also get a little bike maintenance manual!

This has got to be one of the most inaccurate posts I have read on here in a long time. Ignore this "information". If your fork was at risk of bending from braking I certainly won't be riding it - period.

jslopez - Your headset is loose. A simple adjustment that will make your ride much smoother when corrected.

ive seen more than one case where a pista's forks have been bent slightly or have become far too flexy after long term front brake usage. several chicago mechanics advise against running front brakes on the pista. and they will mention that the round forks are not designed to run a front brake with lots of use.

oh...and after 2 weeks of running a front brake on my pista two years ago, i would never do it again.

ive seen more than one case where a pista's forks have been bent slightly or have become far too flexy after long term front brake usage. several chicago mechanics advise against running front brakes on the pista. and they will mention that the round forks are not designed to run a front brake with lots of use. I dare you to post those statements on the frame builders list (http://www.phred.org/mailman/listinfo/framebuilders) and see what the pros have to say about that. Where's Thylacine?

Better warn Sheldon Brown, he might have a lawsuit on his hands for selling customized Pistas with front brakes (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/bianchi04/pistase.html).

Can you imagine the legal liabilities they'd have to deal with by putting brake holes on forks that are going to bend after 2 weeks of riding with a brake????????

That is ridiculous to think that they'd set themselves up for lawsuits like that.

I've been using a front brake on my Pista for 2 months, and I'm a freakin' 210lbs. and my fork is fine.

You were probably riding with a loose headset crusty.






ive seen more than one case where a pista's forks have been bent slightly or have become far too flexy after long term front brake usage. several chicago mechanics advise against running front brakes on the pista. and they will mention that the round forks are not designed to run a front brake with lots of use.

oh...and after 2 weeks of running a front brake on my pista two years ago, i would never do it again.

I can actually see the fork bend on my Fuji track bike with front brakes. No the headset is not loose. The fork is different. The frame and cranks are different. It really is designed as a track bike and to be ridden on a track, and not a road bike. A lot of it is different.

So anyway, bad wording aside (I should have just used knocking as it felt like there was that sound around the headset when I would brake.

Per the advice here I've adjusted the headset and all is good again. I'm wondering how much I'll be needing to do this and how a better headset would help solve the problem.

I dare you to post those statements on the frame builders list (http://www.phred.org/mailman/listinfo/framebuilders) and see what the pros have to say about that. Where's Thylacine?

Better warn Sheldon Brown, he might have a lawsuit on his hands for selling customized Pistas with front brakes (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/bianchi04/pistase.html).

This was my experience. My headset was adjusted properly. Im 6'4'', 215 lbs, and at that time i was riding the 59cm Pista frame. I felt the front fork flex a lot under normal braking conditions, and flex a LOT on fast descents and on downhills. Mechanics at two Chicago LBS told me that they did not recommend front brakes on that fork, as it was not designed for lots of braking forces.

Track bikes with track forks are not designed to run front brakes. Are they drilled? Yes. Do they work, sure. But in a best case scenario, track bikes don't have front brakes. Period.

glad it was headset adjustment problem since
its a cheaper solution than buying a new fork.

on that note I got a new fork for my pista &
it definitely improves the performance. much
stiffer. the stock fork definitely flexes a bit.
I imagine it is perfectly fine to ride though

jeff

This was my experience. My headset was adjusted properly. Im 6'4'', 215 lbs, and at that time i was riding the 59cm Pista frame. I felt the front fork flex a lot under normal braking conditions, and flex a LOT on fast descents and on downhills. Mechanics at two Chicago LBS told me that they did not recommend front brakes on that fork, as it was not designed for lots of braking forces.

Track bikes with track forks are not designed to run front brakes. Are they drilled? Yes. Do they work, sure. But in a best case scenario, track bikes don't have front brakes. Period.

:beer:

Exactly.....

My Fuji and your Pista apparently have lightweight track forks. There are probably some real track bikes or plenty of conversions out there with forks or road bike forks that don't flex as much. Some riders are sensitive to small changes in bike handling or the "feel" of the bike. Some riders may get on the same bike and not notice it too. I can notice the "feel" of the stiff cranks and the stiff fast frame too. It is so stiff on the road it's almost uncomfortable. This is THE bike for a sprint!! But this bike out corners my top of the line road bike. I love this bike!
It leads to confusion when one wants to generalize and think some things are all the same. But it's easy to do.

I have to admit, before I owned a bike built to be a track bike from the factory, and logged enough miles on it to get to know the bike............I never understood this. Riding a track bike without a front brake you would not know about this either.

I did not understand that a bike engineered to be a track bike was that different. Some things you just have to experience for yourself.

Im 6'4'', 215 lbs
dude, you grew a whole foot! I remember when you were 5'4" 215lbs.
I guess PBnJs are good for you.

Oh boy- fun thread.
First- if your headset is loose- get it properly adjusted before you ruin it... Or worse- before you ruin the head tube on your frame!


I guess there's a language issue here - I think jslopez means "bucking" as opposed to "buckling" - large differences. Bucking - a sort of jarring rocking. Buckling would mean the fork is folding and ultimately cracking and breaking beneath you.

You can fix a bucking fork.

You will get rid of a buckling fork at the consequence of potential death.

Language differences? At first I thought you were talking about ******** Biork! Bucking can be good...

This was my experience. My headset was adjusted properly. Im 6'4'', 215 lbs, and at that time i was riding the 59cm Pista frame. I felt the front fork flex a lot under normal braking conditions, and flex a LOT on fast descents and on downhills. Mechanics at two Chicago LBS told me that they did not recommend front brakes on that fork, as it was not designed for lots of braking forces.

Track bikes with track forks are not designed to run front brakes. Are they drilled? Yes. Do they work, sure. But in a best case scenario, track bikes don't have front brakes. Period.

That shows how much Chicago bike mechanics know ;) Seriously though, a lot of steel forks flex when braking pressure is applied. It's very evident with grippy brakes, esp. cantis. That doesn't mean that it is bad though, steel can flex quite a bit without stress damage. Have you every watched your bottom bracket shell when you are sprinting? It may be true that the Bianchi Pista forks aren't optimal for use with brakes, but if your "best case scenario" involves riding on the street, then I don't think you have the right to use that kind of punctuation. Anyone would agree that the best case scenario is having the confidence to stop when you need to, and for some riders that requires a front brake.

We should set up a deathmatch between the 2 chicago mechanics who say
the pista fork is tough enough vs the 2 that say it isn't. It'd be super fun
'cause they could weld their own Thunderdome. I will bring cookies & punch.

jeff

We should set up a deathmatch between the 2 chicago mechanics who say
the pista fork is tough enough vs the 2 that say it isn't. It'd be super fun
'cause they could weld their own Thunderdome. I will bring cookies & punch.

jeff

Don't forget to call OLN TV..

Don't mention the fact that both sides are probably both right. It would typical product manufacturing to have more than one type of fork on new Pistas right from the factory. They could have realized one type was weaker. They could have had different forks or tubes in stock. The tube or fork supplier could have been out of one type and they had to get something else. It could be a million things. When you are involved in new product design and manufacturing you learn that all sorts of things change what the final product is like. Sometimes for no good reason. All they had was fork crowns that were pre drilled. OK use them.. The sales department says...."We can sell more bikes if we sell them drilled for a front brake ". Then they do that.
You just never know.

We should set up a deathmatch between the 2 chicago mechanics who say
the pista fork is tough enough vs the 2 that say it isn't.
Two mechs enter, one mech leaves.

I know where my money will be. IN THE BAR CASH REGISTER! WeeeeeeHoooooooooooooooooooooooo!

sheesh... how the hell did i get wrapped up in this crap? i hate brakes. i despise them. and look what happens when i simply repeat what some assclown told me when i bought my bike three years ago? damn assclowns. i hope assclowns isn't censored.

sheesh... how the hell did i get wrapped up in this crap? i hate brakes. i despise them. and look what happens when i simply repeat what some assclown told me when i bought my bike three years ago? damn assclowns. i hope assclowns isn't censored.
How did you know that I like to cover my butt cheeks with white paint and red lipstick? I can even hold a rubber squeeky ball above my "mouth"! It's really funny when I wear the Groucho Marx glasses and stick a cigar "in there".
Wait- were you at Mardi Gras too?

How did you know that I like to cover my butt cheeks with white paint and red lipstick? I can even hold a rubber squeeky ball above my "mouth"! It's really funny when I wear the Groucho Marx glasses and stick a cigar "in there".
Wait- were you at Mardi Gras too?

nah, not at mardi gras. i must have seen some pics of you last time i was in the shop. yo, you gotta learn to keep your personal pics BEHIND the merchandise...behind.