Road cycling newbie - fishing for advice

[B-B-BikeyStrike!]

You think? I actually hate disc brakes and only have them on my MTB as v-brakes no longer seem to be an option on anything above a basic model. For me they just don't have any 'feel'. You pull them and there's nothing, nothing, nothing, locked. And I've yet to find anyway to adjust where that biting point is.

Maybe you need to get decent disk brakes, the Avid Three's on my Bad Boy have really good modulation once you get used to it.

 

[B-B-BikeyStrike!]

I just went on my first proper ride - braving the icy North-Essex country roads.

One thing I noticed going downhill (on the drops) - the steering lost some of its composure. It couldnt keep a very straight line, is was as if the forks were a bit floppy. Is this normal. There was a tiny bit of play in the headset, but I dont think that accounted for the floppyness.

Is this normal? Am i too used to the alloy forks on my Badboy? Or is is this a characteristic of Carbon forks?

 

[B-B-BikeyStrike!]

Anybody?

 

[Tollers]

I just went on my first proper ride - braving the icy North-Essex country roads.

One thing I noticed going downhill (on the drops) - the steering lost some of its composure. It couldnt keep a very straight line, is was as if the forks were a bit floppy. Is this normal. There was a tiny bit of play in the headset, but I dont think that accounted for the floppyness.

Is this normal? Am i too used to the alloy forks on my Badboy? Or is is this a characteristic of Carbon forks?

Not normal. Im more confident on my carbon roadie than my badboy.
There shouldn't be ANY play in the headset.....but thats easily fixed! On the other hand....a road bike has a different feel. Maybe it takes a bit of time and developing technique.

 

[B-B-BikeyStrike!]

Not normal. Im more confident on my carbon roadie than my badboy.
There shouldn't be ANY play in the headset.....but thats easily fixed! On the other hand....a road bike has a different feel. Maybe it takes a bit of time and developing technique.

You might be right - i've read a bit about this on the net, and its not uncommon yet no one really knows why it happens. Something to do with frame elasticity and centrifugal forces of the wheel. Relaxing my posture helps apparently, and lying a knee against the top tube.

I'm going to go down a couple of hill tomorrow and try this out.

 

[Tollers]

Try tightening up your headset first.....if you stand over bike, apply brakes and move forewards and backwards, there should be no play in the headset.

Im not convinced about cetripetal forces or frame elasticity. There are too many variables andi dont know how you have your bike set-up. I recommend experimentation.