Sluggish handling in the corners?

[cyberknight]

I have found my Boardman road comp to be sluggish in the corners at speed.

When out with the fast club run it feels the bike just wants to run wide , its not i do not have the confidence but the bike just feels like it does not want to take the bend at that pace .
I did fit some blizzard sport tyres as a winter option, would these be a factor ?

Another issue i have read about is bike size, i ride a small (52-53 ) frame and i have read that the short geometry can affect handling.The bike has a seat tube angle of 73, head tube of 72.5 degrees with a 45 mm fork rake and a 54 cm top tube.

 

[Zoiders]

How long is the stem?

 

[cyberknight]

110 mm deda stem , it was 100 mm but i was to cramped and changed it to match the cockpit on my commuter.

 

[Zoiders]

Going longer with the stem is going to make a bike under steer slightly.

 

[cyberknight]

Interesting, i would not have thought it would have made it that bad as it is only a 110 mm not a really silly length, should i go with the stem provided and maybe drop stem a spacer to make the effective length a bit longer as the drop is only about 4 cm .

 

[fossyant]

You are probably thinking about it too much.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Steep gemoetry will make the bike steer more sharply rather than run wide.

What bike did you have before the Boardman?

 

[cyberknight]

I ride a virtuoso all week with rack and panniers.

Could it be i need to ride the bike more as the difference between the two is amazing.

 

[cyberknight]

Have you checked the tyre pressures?

Check them the night before a ride, pump to 110 psi , only drop maybe 10 psi over the week.

 

[PaulSecteur]

Do you counter-steer?

It sounds backwards, but give it a go (on dry roads to start with). Stat of gently, then build up once you get used to it.

If you are going to the left, lean to the left but push the bars slightly (and I mean slightly, especially to atart of with) to the right, you should feel the bike "Drop in" to the left.

I know its on motorbikes here, but it work on pedal bikes to...


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_A8k58ysSw

 

[cyberknight]

Do you counter-steer?

Only seems to be a problem with this bike , i ride all week and i don`t feel i am not in control at the same and faster speeds.I think i am going to put it down to to many miles on other bikes and i am not used to the feel of the bike when i stop drooling and ride it

OOH and i thought you were going to give mercia CC a go ?....

 

[jonathanw]

May sound simple...but as you surmise, could it be the tyres. My wife has a Spesh tricross sport and the tyres that it came with made it feel very sluggish. With 30mm Schwalbe Marathon racers, it was much speedier and responsive.

Just a thought

 

[cyberknight]

May sound simple...but as you surmise, could it be the tyres. My wife has a Spesh tricross sport and the tyres that it came with made it feel very sluggish. With 30mm Schwalbe Marathon racers, it was much speedier and responsive.

Just a thought

In my OP i did say i had put some blizzards on (as a cheap replacement winter tyre), might have to go back to the conti ultra sports .

 

[jonathanw]

In my OP i did say i had put some blizzards on (as a cheap replacement winter tyre), might have to go back to the conti ultra sports .

Even if it doesn't help, it won't cost you anything to try. Hope this does sort it out, as there's nothing more frustrating than your pride and joy not living up to expectations.

 

[cyberknight]

Thanks for all the replies , i will go and have a play and hopefully i will solve it.