Having just fitted lighter tyres + tubes, taking 200gm each off each wheel set up this has now made bike feel more skittish; should I go back to heavier setup for a more stablle and controlled bike??
no, sort the geometry out. longer stem or shorter fork.
Longer stem would sort the lifting front end, or even moving your saddle slightly forwards on the rails.
Or if you don't want to make adjustments, just get more weight forwards on the climbs.
As for the skittishness you could try slightly lower tyre pressures, or slower rebound on the fork.
Having just fitted Fox 120RLC ,,,,,,,,
rims are same 717s tyres / tubes changed and lighter
To both of the posts above - eh?
To the OP - tyre pressures ok?
To both of the posts above - eh?
you initially posted to say the front end was lifting, not just skittish.
yes I know and it is lifting on climbs...for some reason (clumsy fingers on keyboard??) my post ended up as garbled when I saw it.....sorry for confusion.
summary bike climbs faster, front end lifts rather too easily on climbs (forks not locked out), bike then feels skittish.
Thanks for any advice!!
get use to it, and then look to save more weight
What a ****ing stupid question, do whatever you want!
GW thanks for that useful input, (not) appreciated
ok but why would the tires make the front end lift? I could understand them making it feel skittish downhill but not climbing.
A high tyre pressure would make them bounce off of things make it more likely to lift. Where as lower pressures would stick to the ground more.
I guess it steeper stuff that its lifting on, make sure you are sitting right on the nose of your saddle pushing your biek onto the ground. Its all about getting your balance right between keeping the front end down, and getting grip on the drive wheel.
What kind of bike is it?
Van Nic Ti Zion, with Fox 120RLCs---very light. Maybe I should knock a few psi out of tyres (40psi at moment but I weigh 12.5st). Forks are longer than intended travel, but crown / dropout height very close to previous 100mm used, and with 2-3cm sag I can`t see it affecting geometry / handling too radically?
Just live with it - it will feel normal after a few rides.
I'd stick with it for a few rides to see - you'll almost certainly get used to it.
Drop the pressure a bit, but it's not the tyres/wheels that are causing the front end to lift. Sort your technique out, drop your elbows, and sit forward on the climbs.
Def drop the pressure unless you're running really narrow tyres. I'm 14.5st and run 5psi less than that tubed and even less tubeless