So I just replaced the fork on my bike, and in doing so I kinda pushed aside the issue of compatibility between the crown race I installed in the new fork with the existing semi-integrated headset on the bike frame. Nevertheless it appeared to me a no issue as I managed to install the fork and the steerer working just fine without load. But when I gave it a test ride (thus riding it under load), the steerer feels somewhat stiff. To quote a comment I found online which does almost capture what I meant:
[Occasionally while riding on straight stretches I feel like the front wheel is pulling to one side or the other. It does not seem to have a preference as to which direction. The result feels to me similar to the sensation of trying to hold a gyroscope – it resists (slightly) my pulling against it until I reach the tipping point and then it wants to throw itself the opposite direction.](https://ask.metafilter.com/237277/Bicycle-trying-to-steer-itself-possibly-a-bike-ghost-Are-those-real)
What could be the problem here? Is it the incompatibility between the crown race and headset which I overlooked? If this is the case, the problem can be fixed by me simply either replacing the crown race or the headset, no?
On the other note, the new fork I installed is much longer by 20mm than the old one thus the HTA changed slightly but I doubt this is the cause for the steering problem.
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Thank you for any feedback and happy holidays folks.
by taktahu
2 Comments
Loose headset did that to me.
Swap the crown race to the correct one before you destroy the fork, headset, or both. Crown races are headset-specific. Hopefully the old crown race on the fork wasnt so far off that your headset cup cut a groove in the fork crown. I accidentally installed a fork without the bearing once and the cup ruined the paint on the fork crown.
Edit: what bike is this and what fork is this?