Oh **** Moment

[NeoCaesar]

I had a really sketchy moment yesterday when turning in busy traffic -I was turning quite a sharp left so leaning over quite a bit, as I came out of the turn I started putting power down and my front wheel lifted off the ground completely. As I was still off centre the wheelie nearly threw me off sideways.

My question is: Is this a handling aspect of my bike, under-performing tyres or sheer lack of competence on my behalf?

My bike is fitted with Conti commuter tyres which I have always cornered confidently on.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

probably a combination of all 3 and likely the weather conditions as well... (sorry!)

both my husband and I have noticed since moving from a fully laden expedition bike (which weighs 22kg before anything else) to a road bike weighing 10kg that we are having to be more careful with apply power because of the handling.

without knowing your bike and your experience with said bike, it is hard to say though but I would go with my first thoughts...

 

[NeoCaesar]

I have been cycling mountain bikes for more years than I can think and took to a road steed last September. I think I was just wanting someone to come along and tell me to buy new tyres so I could justify it to myself. :-)

 

[Matt1705]

Buy new tyres, winter is coming

 

[Red Light]

If your front wheel is off the ground then no tyre in the world will provide you with any grip. So cross the tyres off the list as the cause.

A wheelie is caused by not enough weight on the front of the bike to compensate for the torque you are putting through the pedals (unless you had the bike cranked over hard enough that your inside pedal grounded and lifted the front wheel). The answer (and its something you learn in mountain biking) is to make sure your weight is forward on the bars and/or wait until you are pointing straight before you start to crank it hard. Putting it in a higher gear helps too as its harder to wheelie from pedalling alone in the higher gears.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Its either too much power, stand it up before leaning into your stroke, or too small a gear, try using a bigger gear, I've done the same thing myself on the odd occasion.

 

[RWright]

Do you have a back rack that was loaded down?

 

[Big boy]

was the police after you at the time, ..
Sounds like next time wait until the bike is upright, as the others said while the front wheel is airbourne.
No tyre change will help unless its filled with lead.

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

Happened to me too at a busy RBT coupla months go.
Was rebuilding my roadie from Sora tipple to 105 double so or my MTB with donut tyres for 4 weeks.
1st dy commute on the new setup, taking a dive at an opportunity o ft out at the RBT next thing I knew I was trying o negotiate on one wheel.
I just wasn't expecting the torque output from the new groupset and lighter bike.

 

[Matt1705]

Slightly off topic, but I saw a guy on a unicycle a few weeks ago.

Baffles me how they stay in control, let alone Upright lol

 

[NeoCaesar]

Do you have a back rack that was loaded down?

Rack buy not loaded.

I guess while cornering so sharply I was just too unbalanced to handle the torque.

 

[HovR]

I agree with Red Light. You basically did a wheelie.

If you put a lot of torque through the back wheel and are pulling up on the bars, or don't have much weight towards the front of the bike, it's possible for the front wheel to come up.

Shift more weight forward or change gear/go slower.