check the front wheel alignment. you can't always just eyeball it, so what i usually do is stick my index fingers between the rim/tire and the fork blades to feel it.

there was a girl who came into my shop a few weeks ago with this beautiful kestrel talon with 9 speed DA complaining of this. shop manager said to check her headset, so i did and it was brindled so the fork would resist moving anywhere but straight. i checked her wheel alignment and sure enough, it was out. then i told her about the headset and she was all "OH NOES!! WHAT WOULD CAUSE TAHT!?!?!" and we explained that impacts, or crashes would do it and she said she's never crashed it. after a few moments of what appeared to be deep thought she asked "hey! i've been practicing wheelies! would that do it!?" i just shook my head and walked away to find her a new headset.

After reading BMX for a few years, I find your concern laughable!

Honestly, I bet the frame's bent. My girl's bike has the same thing going on, and I discovered that one of the seatstays has a big bend like someone stuck a stick in the back tire. It's still a sweet bike though.

he rides sans helmet, one handed, on the phone, and still has no problem with leaning right...

(my hero)

though note the shameful "gears" i think they call them, and strange mechanical doohickeys called "brakes" they say. not so sure about that nonsense.

Well, dude, you can't talk on the phone wearing a helmet.

On the other hand, he does ride a sick ass custom fitted Serrotta (all Serrotta's are custom), though I'd be more impressed if it was an Indy Fab ride.

This just goes to prove that Kerry's PR person is an idiot.

Purchased with ketchup money...

How's that? The bike thing?

Hey, the guy's a dedicated roadie, has been for a long time. In fact, he's probably a way more serious cyclist than most of us here (really). He paces well and sticks to it even under grueling conditions.

To quote the great Tesco Vee " Real men hang to the right!"

john kerry on a bicycle...
i think i like that, unfortuneltly judging by his his scrawny ass legs, perfect hair, spandex shorts, and all around dorkness i would say that a picture of him riding a bike does nothing to better the general publics view of cyclists

plus his helmet matches his bike

"we must eat freedom fries, and freedom toast, there shall be no more french influence in our beautiful patriotic land...you shall now send your bike to Herr Fuhrer in Washington, it is for the revolution, you should be proud."

I would like to announce that the Bush administration has awarded me a no-bid contract to rid our shores of these infidel French bicycles. For reasons of national security, these bikes should be delivered to me and I will see to their proper and patriotic disposal. Of particular danger are the following models: Peugeot PX10, Motobecane Grand Record and Le Champion, Mercier 300, 50's era Stellas and Uragos, Gemanianis, Vitus 979 framed bicycles, and various others. Of severe danger to unsuspecting citizens are the radical leftist bicycles made by one Alex Singer and one Rene Herse, if you are in possesion of these bikes, you are in mortal danger. Contact me immediately and I will have specially trained disposal agents come to your house and remove these insurrectionist machines from your house for proper, Bush approved disposal, at no charge to you.

On the other hand, if you have a bike boom steel rimmed clunker made in France, your best bet is a rattlecan of Krylon and some Roadmaster decals from the local walmart.

hahah, hey Pog. Let me get in on that too.

My road bike used to do the same thing, turns out the stem was about 1/2 a degree cocked. I am really bad at aligning stems/saddles... anyways straightened it out and its golden now.

yeah, but he's never shown up in the three years i've been doing the congressional bike caucus' annual spring ride. what, can't ride with company?

maybe they'll be a presidential bike caucus. maybe he'll ride through dc on the weekends. maybe he'll stop at the house to pick me up, and he'll help me decide whether to get my fixie on or my roadie on that day. we'll be best friends and we'll have skid contests and we'll see how many red lights we can run. or, hell, we'll have the secret service close off all the crossroads on 13th and we'll fly down the hill, feet up, and see how far we can roll.

John Kerry, will you be my best biking buddy? Puh-leez?

I'll bet he runs a flip-flop hub on that Serrotta.

Couldn't resist...

yeah. that reminds me of when Clinton was in office. He'd get dropped off by the SS about a block from my house then we'd jog to the Mc Donald's another block down the street. Most times he'd go behind the counter and take over the grill and make the craziest sandwiches for himself. His favorite was a double filet o' fish with a quarter pounder patty wedged in the middle and lots of canadian bacon stacked on top. After that, we'd hit the 18th street lounge, smoke stogies, drink absinthe and trade cigar bands. Sometimes he'd fall asleep in a big comfy armchair and I'd write funny things on his forehead and take pictures of him.

Maybe I can put in a good word for you. The Kerry Campaign Headquarters occupies about three floors of the building I work in. When JK's in town, I get to lock my bike next to some spiffy armored Suburbans in the parking garage. I also get the long look from the Secret Service boys. So far the building has only been locked-down three times since they moved in.

I wondered where they moved after they left their sad, we-assume-we're-losing-the-primaries building on Stanton Square. What building are they in now?

The McPherson Building. 15th and Eye.

can u pull a wheely on a ss

That's hilarious!!!! LOL!

Does Park Tools sell a straightening wall?

i would just like to stop for a second and point out why i check the fixed gear forum religiously...look what the topic was and what is now being discussed! i love it!

p.s. i bet is the headset being too tight or something along those lines because i had the same problem and i realized that with a little adjustment i was able to solve the problem.

Check your wheels or fork.

S/F,
CEYA!

I agree. I was having a similar problem and thought it was the headset or that I wasn't tightening down the nuts evenly. But I just had it looked at today and come to find out, the dropout is bent (turned) on the fork blade which is why the nuts don't tighten down evenly. They suggested a new fork unless I can deal with it. I think i can deal for a while.