New Bike - Shoes hit fron wheel!

[sleuthey]

Hi there.

I have recently got myself a new mountain bike as an incentive to get back into regular cycling after not having done much for the last year. I have bought a rather tidy and original looking Felt FS800 (2003 model), picture attached. I took it out for a short 3 mile ride tonight and had a few dangerous moments at cycle path crossings when my shoes came into contact with the front tyre (when steering)! I have never experienced this before on any other bike, even my Trek Hybrid with size 700 wheels. I have size 9 feet and was not wearing bulky shoes. I am not a fan of pedal cages so there any thing else that I can do about this? What is the most likely cause?:

- Angle of Forks or vertical bar?
- Size of Crank?
- Nobly tyres?
- Length of top bar?

Spec: 21.5" frame, Forks Insync 323d 70mm travel, tyres 26*1.95.

Thanks in advance.

 

[gbb]

If thats your bike in the photo sleuthy, no wonder. Your front fork's on back to front. Thats why your feet are hitting the wheels....

 

[monkeypony]

lol!

. Whoever you bought that from needs a slap!

 

[Fab Foodie]

Agree.
The stem needs loosening and ythe fork rotating through 180 degrees. The brake should be facing forward not under the frame. Somebody needs shagging with a rag-mans trumpet for selling it in that condition.

As others have said, 'toe-overlap' is not uncommon and you soon get used to it. I (and others) ride fixed-wheel bikes with toe-clips and toe-overlap without incident.

 

[festival]

Plonker.

 

[DiddlyDodds]

Did you buy it from
Coco the Clown C/O Billy Smarts Circus

 

[darth vadar]

You know what they say about people with big feet...

>

>

>

> Big shoes !!!

 

[rusky]

Plonker.

Well, that was helpful

I would suggest getting it fully checked over by a LBS to ensure there's nothing else potentially life threatening.

 

[Rouge Penguin]

This a wind up?

 

[sleuthey]

This a wind up?

Hi

No its not a wind up! Im amaized that I have got 9 replies overnight - thanks to all.
I bought the bike locally from a private seller and they even gave me the original manual - they seemed professional ie nice house, well spoken etc.
I collected it on Sunday but only got a chance to take it out yesterday due to the bitter Easterly wind we had mid week.
I am a competent DIY cycle maintainer and have the Haynes Manual so will have a go at ratating the Forks.
I know there is the recomendation of leaning into corners and getting used to it however the main problem I had was when turning 90 degrees to cross a road to the path on the other side.

Thanks again

 

[GrasB]

I've seen people do this because of the whole disc brakes are dangerous with quick release thing. From my view the problem is low quality QR leavers not the brake trying to pull the wheel out of the drop out (the QR leavers I've had open on disc brakes have also opened on V-brakes).

 

[steve52]

I am a competent DIY cycle maintainer ????? yet you didnt notice the forks were on backwards,

 

[numbnuts]

my Pace forks are like that and no mine are not on back to front

 

[sleuthey]

I am a competent DIY cycle maintainer ????? yet you didnt notice the forks were on backwards,

Sometimes it takes a second eye to spot these things so its a good job we have forums like this to enable that.

I am used to maintaining my Hybrid and my Girlfriends Raleigh and its the first time I have ridden a bike of this style hence I was unsure what was normal and what wasnt. Eg. it has lower Handle Bars, suspension and a none adjustable seat angle (all which I found different). Therefore without being a professional mechanic, salesman or designer it did not dawn on me that the Forks were fitted incorrectly.

Numbnuts - Thanks, it is reassuring to hear there are bikes out there that are supposed to be like this.

 

[Norm]

It's very easy to rotate them, sleuthey, there's only two bolts either side to clamp onto the steerer and the one in the top.

However, it's also very easy to displace the bearings, washers etc in the headset. Make sure you don't let the forks move downwards at all after you have unbolted the stem, it's a pain to get them back into the right place and you're steering will be as stiff as a ... well, a very stiff thing, if they are displaced.