Quick question, would you expect your mountain bike to be well balanced or are there too many factors going on for this to happen? Basically I have a new Orbea Rallon which feels very sketchy cornering on the road (seems okish off road). So got home and tried the hands off the bars test and the bike dives to the right. I’ve looked at all the normal suspects, tyres are seated properly, dropped the forks out, headset bearings look fine etc. Not sure what the issue is or if you’d just expect this with mountain bikes or if I got a Monday morning special ?

Previous bike is a Kona process 153 and while it’s not exactly perfect it’s far superior to the Orbea rom a balanced perspective.

Is there anything obvious I should check ? I’m thinking at the moment that I’ve just got a bad frame.

Not had that issue, but I’m sure I ride crooked. I.e, if I’m riding along, upright in a straight line, and look straight down, I’m looking at the drive side of the bike. As if the bike is a couple of degrees off 90.

Alignment – check the front wheel is in line with the rear wheel. turn the bike over and run a straight edge from the rear wheel to the front on both sides. If the front wheel is a different dimension side to side then the frame is off.

You northern or southern hemisphere?

Alignment – check the front wheel is in line with the rear wheel. turn the bike over and run a straight edge from the rear wheel to the front on both sides. If the front wheel is a different dimension side to side then the frame is off.

Thanks, good idea, will try that later.

tried the hands off the bars test

The wha?

You northern or southern hemisphere?

Northern, should I expect it to dive to the left if I was southern 🙂

tried the hands off the bars test

Also not sure what this is..

Try the rider off the bike test.

Also not sure what this is..

With hands off the bars the bike “should” continue in a straight line with minimal correction from your legs. It’s a “trick” most people learn as a kid which has no practical application apart from letting you know something is off with the bike if it refuses to cooperate (or else workman \ tools :D)

Assuming you’re sat down pedalling with your hands off the bars, have you checked that your saddle is on straight? 😀

Bikes like that are always floppy at low speeds though, can’t ride my Capra slowly with no hands.

It must be the frame. Blame the frame; definitely the frame, ‘it’s wonky.
Edit; it’s not the frame, you need stabilisers