I have a nervous falcon.

[Illaveago]

I have a 1960s Falcon which is being a bit twitchy on the steering.The only position that I feel in total control is when I am in the racing position with my hands behind the brake levers.Sat upright with my hands on the brake hoods or on top of the bars makes me feel uneasy. If I was to release one hand to look over my shoulder it becomes very twichy almost to the point of producing a Tank Slapper.
I have checked the steering head bearings and they seem fine and there isn't any play .I was running a pair of 700 by 7/8ths and tried a 27 by 1 1/8th on the front which made a slight improvement.
The frame looks straight with no sign of damage. To me it behaves as though the steering head angle is too upright making the steering too direct, a bit like a mountain bike.
Has anybody any ideas ?
Thanks Geoff

 

[Illaveago]

Falcon Black Diamond & BSA

• Illaveago
• 14 Jul 2015

It's the one on the left.

 

[mjr]

The Falcon Majorca I describe in another topic is also twitchy. I'm pondering trying a shorter stem but I don't know if that will help or not, so I'm watching your topic with interest. Sorry I don't have a helpful comment yet

 

[Illaveago]

Thanks for your reply I was thinking along the same lines as my stem seems rather long in comparison to my other bikes. I have a spare set of drops with a short stem so I could swap them over and see if there is any difference.

 

[sittingbull]

I always thought a shorter stem increased twitchiness

 

[Illaveago]

I honestly don't know! If it was a car I would say that it had too much toe in, if it was a motorcycle I would say that the steering rake or head angle was too steep. It is interesting that 2" cycles share a similar problem. In the picture it shows the Falcon next to the BSA ,if anything I would have expected the BSA to have the problems as it was repaired after crashing into a car, the frame was bent, both top tube and down tube. This I believe should have made the cycle very twichy, but the previous owners never complained. In fact of the 2*cycles the BSA performs the best. Please excuse the strange punctuation my tablet is at will to do whatever it feels like.

 

[Illaveago]

I just had a thought ! If I was to print off a photo of the 2 bikes , by using the horizontal lines of the garage door I could compare the angles of the front forks.

 

[sittingbull]

Narrower bars will make handling twitchy too, possibly behind your one handed tank slapper.

 

[mjr]

I always thought a shorter stem increased twitchiness

I was thinking part of my problem is that I feel a bit stretched out... but it's been a few years since I had a bike this shape.

 

[sittingbull]

I always tweak my fit to the bike sometimes over months. When relaxed on the hoods maintaining a straight bodyline a glance down should see the flats of the bars directly in line with the front axle (obscuring it). Ideally this will be with a 90mm stem to give my preferred level of directional response.

 

[raleighnut]

Are the forks standard, they look very 'straight' for a 60s bike. Also it would have had 27 inch wheels when new so they may have tried to design in 'lively' handling with the bigger wheel which is too much with the 700c ones.

 

[Illaveago]

Thank you for all of your comments. I will take them in and mull it over. The original wheels were steel and over the years have become rusty. What I find very interesting is that mjray has a similar problem. These Two bikes are separated by a number of years and as both bikes suffer from the same problem would seem to rule out frame and fork issues with either bike.
As mjray said the riding position is a bit streched but not uncomfortable. Riding with my hands on top of the bars or on the brake hoods doesn't feel very safe.
I have a set of 27 inch wheels which I could take off another bike to try.

 

[stevevw]

I always thought a shorter stem increased twitchiness

Yes they do, you want a longer stem and or wider bars. Or just ride the bike, you will soon relax in to it then think all your other bikes are sluggish.

 

[Illaveago]

I've almost been through a badge on it already. I am sure that at the time it looked like a hedge, but this computer knows best. I think it needs sorting?

 

[mjr]

Is there something about falcons that subjects us to bizarre autocorrects?