I love my frontrack, but as soon as I have reasonably heavy loads (3-4 kg) on it, my bike's handling is terrible. It feels as if the handlebars twist slightly when I steer. However, the screw connection to the fork is rock solid. Could this be due to the material itself? Somehow, the steering feels very sluggish… or is that normal?
The bike usually handles very well and i use it daily!
by bro_nica
5 Comments
This is normal
Added weight on the front wheel will dramatically change the bike’s handling. It’s a bit more sensitive than people expect usually.
3-4kg on a bike that weighs maybe 15lg is significant percentage of weight that’s now been added to the front. It’s something to get used to, or shift the weight elsewhere e.g. Backpack, or back rack.
It’s normal. You may be able to mitigate it with a different (low trail) fork, but the sluggishness never really goes away under load.
I know that Effect.
Sadly this is the case for many 90ies MTB conversions.
It is the relationship of low trail forks, short stems and swept back handlebars. A longer stem, Dropbar or straight handlebar or a longer fork with a bigger crown height would help to fix this.
Sadly contrary to the high trail 80ies Klunker geometry (68° head angle or less), many MTBs of the 90ies had pretty aggressive head angles (up to 72degrees), closer to road bikes of the 80ies or modern gravel bikes. They also preferred small but stretched out frames with long stems and seatposts and a very racy, stretched forward geometry.
When we convert these to modern Klunkers, we tend to prefer a larger frame than what people picked back then to get at least some stack height. The larger frame then has too much reach, so we need the shorter stem or a swept back bar to make it fit.
But combine the low trail fork and short stem with a swept back bar and your steering becomes twitchy. Now add some weight in the front of the steerer and your bike wants to constantly steer you astray.
Your rack is very large and puts the center of gravity very far forward. This does not go well with 90ies MTB geometry. In my experience with these kind of frames the center of gravity of the rack and load should never be in front of the Axle of the front wheel. These frames are fine with smaller racks that are wide and mounted as closely to the headtube as possible.
This rack would be no problem on an old Klunker or dutch gentlemans bike with 64-68degrees head angle, or high trail fork.
The Crust Clydesdale fork was invented to counter exactly that geometry problem and puts the center of gravity of a big loading platform right above the front wheel.
Adding weight to the fork and bar system always adversely affects handling, this is especially so if the weight is high up.
This is why tourers traditionally have big rear panniers and small low rider front panniers.
Large front baskets are very convenient but at the cost of handling.
Frame mounted front baskets like the steco samba improve things a fair bit as the weight isn’t felt half as much through the handlebars.