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[Closed] Why does my bike lean to the right when I take my hands off the bars?

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[#1053599]

Klein Attitude - with vertical drop outs and Pace forks. Wheels built by my fairly incompetent self, but both seem to be dished and true ok. Wheel bearings all well adjusted. No play in the headset. Tyres on and pumped up. Skewers nice and tight and wheels fitted ok.

So why does the bike 'hang' to the right when I take my hands off the bars? That can't be right, can it?

It's not like it's trying to steer right, in fact I've no idea where it's trying to steer, but to ride along in a straight line the bike pitches itself over slightly at an angle on the right hand side.

Answers on a postcard please.. ๐Ÿ™‚


 
Posted : 19/11/2009 7:28 am
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Your right butt cheek is bigger than the left.
It's true.
I have a Sports Science degree.
Glutus Maximus inbalance. Have you noticed how people walking down the road texting end up walking diagonally until they walk into something/some one/the road? It's because they're no longer subconciously correcting their butt cheek inbalance.


 
Posted : 19/11/2009 7:43 am
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Is the headset running freely with no tight spots?
Frame or fork,slightly out of alignment?


 
Posted : 19/11/2009 7:45 am
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Sorry - a double shot of caffeine this morning and I got all giddy. It's far too early for that kind of arsing about.


 
Posted : 19/11/2009 7:52 am
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...funny thing is - actually believed you! ๐Ÿ˜ฏ

JGG.. I'm pretty sure the frame's straight, but how does a fork go out of alignment and how could I tell..?


 
Posted : 19/11/2009 8:25 am
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I get this as well sometimes, its not the bike, its you. I always thought it was somthing to do with leg length.


 
Posted : 19/11/2009 8:32 am
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Your wallet is in your right pocket?


 
Posted : 19/11/2009 8:32 am
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Have you tried dressing to the left?


 
Posted : 19/11/2009 8:33 am
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lol @ barca.. funny


 
Posted : 19/11/2009 8:41 am
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I would be inclined to say it's something saddle related! Could your saddle be slightly twisted to the side?


 
Posted : 19/11/2009 8:54 am
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bara's idea was amusing, but (no pun intended) possibly closer to the truth. You may have a leg length inequality. Also, it's much harder to get a human body totally balanced than you may realise. I've just witnessed some really funky stuff about this at an aikido seminar.


 
Posted : 19/11/2009 8:59 am
 nonk
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i reckon you should check the dish of your wheels.yknow where the rims are relative to the the axl ends.thats usually the bother.


 
Posted : 19/11/2009 9:24 am
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it will be to do with your body weight. I've found if I coast along hands off the bars and I lean my head to the left the bike goes left, lean it too the right, bike goes right, try it...


 
Posted : 19/11/2009 9:58 am
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Is it leaning from vertical but still going in a straight line, or is it turning to one side? If it's the former, then I'd say body weight, or something like that, if it's the latter, then your wheel's not a true as you'd like to think...

Not really worth worrying about either way though.


 
Posted : 19/11/2009 10:02 am
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I reckon Onzadog is right its probably you rather than the bike. I have a fairly imbalanced body due to knee injury which makes my hip and back etc go all out of alignment, tried getting it all straightened by chiropractor but I just end up going back to my wonky "norm". I also find it hard to ride hands off in a straight line now and the bike leans to one side all the time.


 
Posted : 19/11/2009 10:25 am
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Sounds like either you or the bike is imbalanced BUT it can be resolved fairly easily by fitting a Lefty fork, thus restoring the balance. Of course then you have the issue of weight at the front left and at the back right (right buttock), so the bike may end up going crabwise.


 
Posted : 19/11/2009 10:39 am
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i get it all the time... surely its just right hand left hand dominance? One side of your body being stronger than the other and taking more control of balance? Thats how it feels to me when I get it. I certainly know my right arm is slightly stronger than my left arm, when doing reps in the gym left is first to go. Surely my whole right side is slighlty stronger?


 
Posted : 19/11/2009 11:52 am
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including the right arse ๐Ÿ˜‰


 
Posted : 19/11/2009 11:53 am
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During handsfree riding, on one bike I track straight, and on the other I always end up having to fight the tendency for it to veer left.

So it could well be the bike.


 
Posted : 19/11/2009 12:03 pm
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Left camber on the trail/road could cause turn to the right.
Stiff or too short brake hoses, or poploc cable on one side pulling the steering one way? - And remember if the bike falls to the right, you must have given the steering a kick to the left to start it off!


 
Posted : 19/11/2009 12:09 pm
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or poploc cable on one side pulling the steering one way?

He-he, itll only pull if the stem/bars arnt attached to the fork :0)


 
Posted : 19/11/2009 12:12 pm
 jedi
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dont take your hands off the bars!

simples


 
Posted : 19/11/2009 12:23 pm
 nonk
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get him an invoice sent out for that jedi. ๐Ÿ˜€


 
Posted : 19/11/2009 12:28 pm
 jedi
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pmsl ๐Ÿ™‚ ๐Ÿ™‚


 
Posted : 19/11/2009 12:31 pm
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[i]He-he, itll only pull if the stem/bars arnt attached to the fork :0) [/i]. Er.. OOps - Naturally I was referring of course to the asymmetrical air resistance! ๐Ÿ˜•


 
Posted : 19/11/2009 12:38 pm
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Surely the first question is does the bike do that for another rider? Or, is this true whichever bike you ride?


 
Posted : 19/11/2009 12:41 pm