Bike pulls hard right after LBS cut steerer tube

Apr 9, 17 10:18

Post #1 of 28 (7362 views)

I built up a new bike with a carbon fork/alloy steerer tube and rode it for a week without incident to make sure the fit was where I wanted it. Yesterday I took it to my LBS to have the steerer tube cut as I don't have the proper tools for the job. Now when I ride the bike at slow speeds and take my hands off the bars, the front wheel immediately pulls hard right. I should note that they did a crap job - my headset was too tight when I got it back and the bars were binding, one of my stem bolts were stripped, nothing was torqued to spec, and my front brake lever wasn't readjusted. I took the headset apart and reinstalled it, I removed the front wheel and inspected everything. Nothing is rubbing, and it all looks straight. There are scratches at the bottom of the fork which makes me feel they placed it on the concrete floor when they repositioned the star nut.
Before I call the owner today, I thought I'd check here to see if you had any thoughts about what might have happened. Could they have bent the forks somehow? Or maybe the headset was messed up? It's hard to adjust now - even with it boarderline too lose, I still feel it bindings slightly when I turn the bars right. Thanks!

Last edited by: 317: Apr 9, 17 10:18

Re: Bike pulls hard right after LBS cut steerer tube [317] [ In reply to ]

Apr 9, 17 12:43

Post #2 of 28 (7243 views)

Maybe check that it's cut to the correct length for the spacers/stem (couple mm below the stem or spacer above the stem with more tube)

Loosen everything (stem bolts and headset bolt) make sure the bearings are installed correctly, make sure you've got a few mm of something above the top of the steerer tube, check then tighten headset bolt, lift the front, holding the fork in one hand and the downtube in the other, and push/pull the fork feeling for play. Likewise look for binding turning the bars (also check rear brake cable length as it sometimes fools people into thinking the headset it too tight if the cable is too short) then line up and re-tighten the stem bolts.

I also assume that it's not a carbon steerer tube, right? (No star nuts in carbon steerers)

My Blog - http://leegoocrap.blogspot.com

Re: Bike pulls hard right after LBS cut steerer tube [317] [ In reply to ]

Apr 9, 17 12:54

Post #3 of 28 (7223 views)

A hacksaw and a steerer tube cutting guide cost about $25.

Re: Bike pulls hard right after LBS cut steerer tube [317] [ In reply to ]

Apr 9, 17 12:57

Post #4 of 28 (7216 views)

Another vote for checking the rear brake cable housing, it may be pulling/pushing your bars if not cut to the correct length.

Re: Bike pulls hard right after LBS cut steerer tube [SBRcoffee] [ In reply to ]

Apr 9, 17 14:04

Post #5 of 28 (7115 views)

SBRcoffee wrote:

Another vote for checking the rear brake cable housing, it may be pulling/pushing your bars if not cut to the correct length.

This. It would explain pulling to the right.

It may or may not explain the binding though. Take it all apart and check the bearings cups crown and compression ring.... BTW the cap bolt should be torqued into the star nut about 2nm just enough to compress everything. And replace that stripped bolt. You don't want to have to drill it out in the future.

Re: Bike pulls hard right after LBS cut steerer tube [317] [ In reply to ]

Apr 10, 17 5:44

Post #6 of 28 (6802 views)

May seem silly, but have you tried a different front wheel?

Re: Bike pulls hard right after LBS cut steerer tube [jimatbeyond] [ In reply to ]

Apr 10, 17 6:35

Post #7 of 28 (6695 views)

jimatbeyond wrote:

A hacksaw and a steerer tube cutting guide cost about $25.

Tubing cutter costs about half as much.

----------------------------------
"Go yell at an M&M"

Re: Bike pulls hard right after LBS cut steerer tube [317] [ In reply to ]

Apr 10, 17 7:26

Post #8 of 28 (6618 views)

Thanks for the replies everyone. The bike is back at the shop and the owner is looking into it today. I have a feeling one of his part timers thought he could fix it and didn't know what he was doing.

Things I did that didn't remedy the situation:
-try a new front wheel
-flip original front wheel to check the dish
-disassemble and reassemble headset
-disconnect rear brake and loosened housing
-disconnect front brake and loosened housing (on separate test ride than the rear)
-check rear wheel alignment
-check alignment of stem to wheel
-check seat alignment

Nothing worked, so I'd imagine they did something to either the front fork or the headset, and it's just too slight for me to see.

As for why I don't have the tools, I build up a new bike at most once every few years, and instead of paying $25+ on new tools that will likely just sit there for a few years, I pay my LBS $5 and support them in the process. Yeah $5 isn't much, but it's something and they usually do a great job. I'm not too worried about them making it right. I was just stumped and thought this may have happened to someone else.

Re: Bike pulls hard right after LBS cut steerer tube [klehner] [ In reply to ]

Apr 10, 17 7:28

Post #9 of 28 (6615 views)

All you need is a hacksaw, you have to be a numpty to not be able to cut straight for an inch.

Re: Bike pulls hard right after LBS cut steerer tube [317] [ In reply to ]

Apr 10, 17 7:52

Post #10 of 28 (6576 views)

Bike shops where I live would charge around $40 to cut a steerer tube.

Re: Bike pulls hard right after LBS cut steerer tube [317] [ In reply to ]

Apr 10, 17 8:55

Post #11 of 28 (6494 views)

317 wrote:

-disconnect rear brake and loosened housing
-disconnect front brake and loosened housing (on separate test ride than the rear)

Smart! ;)

"They're made of latex, not nitroglycerin"

Re: Bike pulls hard right after LBS cut steerer tube [gary p] [ In reply to ]

Apr 11, 17 8:48

Post #12 of 28 (6277 views)

Stem is probably crooked.

Re: Bike pulls hard right after LBS cut steerer tube [317] [ In reply to ]

Apr 11, 17 9:55

Post #13 of 28 (6210 views)

Triathletes are notoriously poor bike handlers. Are you sure it's the bike?
</pink>

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Re: Bike pulls hard right after LBS cut steerer tube [317] [ In reply to ]

Apr 11, 17 10:15

Post #14 of 28 (6177 views)

My guess is the guy bent the steerer tube when he was stepping on it to cut it.

Re: Bike pulls hard right after LBS cut steerer tube [exxxviii] [ In reply to ]

Apr 11, 17 17:54

Post #15 of 28 (6034 views)

The guy works in a bike shop, so I think it is simply an amusing post he has made up.........

Re: Bike pulls hard right after LBS cut steerer tube [lyrrad] [ In reply to ]

Apr 11, 17 20:24

Post #16 of 28 (5942 views)

Not made up - I just haven't updated my profile in a long while. I work for the State of Wisconsin as a case coordinator for the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation. I left the bike shop about a year and a half ago.

Re: Bike pulls hard right after LBS cut steerer tube [M----n] [ In reply to ]

Apr 11, 17 20:30

Post #17 of 28 (5937 views)

Thanks for the chuckle. I'm a BMX racer turned mountain bike racer turned triathlete, so I'm one of the rare ones that can handle a bike.

As for an update, the LBS put a shim washer between the top cap and the compression ring. The good news is the headset doesn't bind anymore. The bad news is the bike still pulls to the right. The shop won't do anything further as the owner feels there is no way they could have bent anything. I'm taking it to another shop to have things measured and checked for bends later this week.

Re: Bike pulls hard right after LBS cut steerer tube [317] [ In reply to ]

Apr 11, 17 20:35

Post #18 of 28 (5929 views)

317 wrote:

Thanks for the chuckle. I'm a BMX racer turned mountain bike racer turned triathlete, so I'm one of the rare ones that can handle a bike.

As for an update, the LBS put a shim washer between the top cap and the compression ring. The good news is the headset doesn't bind anymore. The bad news is the bike still pulls to the right. The shop won't do anything further as the owner feels there is no way they could have bent anything. I'm taking it to another shop to have things measured and checked for bends later this week.

So, you're a former diver, too...

Re: Bike pulls hard right after LBS cut steerer tube [317] [ In reply to ]

Apr 11, 17 20:47

Post #19 of 28 (5920 views)

What do you want measured?

Re: Bike pulls hard right after LBS cut steerer tube [jimatbeyond] [ In reply to ]

Apr 11, 17 21:07

Post #20 of 28 (5907 views)

Measured as in checked for anything that's bent. The mechanic at my old shop is back from vacation later this week and he has a method to check if frames and forks are straight.

Re: Bike pulls hard right after LBS cut steerer tube [317] [ In reply to ]

Apr 11, 17 22:40

Post #21 of 28 (5879 views)

What method does he use to determine straightness (alignment)?

Re: Bike pulls hard right after LBS cut steerer tube [317] [ In reply to ]

Apr 12, 17 1:52

Post #22 of 28 (5829 views)

Does the front wheel swing to the side if you just pick up the bike by the frame? I think what I'd do, since you are happy with headsets, is take the fork out and roll the steerer along a table top with the rest of the fork hanging over the side. You might just see some noodling that way.

Re: Bike pulls hard right after LBS cut steerer tube [317] [ In reply to ]

Apr 12, 17 3:53

Post #23 of 28 (5787 views)

Could the frame be bent? Assuming its a carbon fork so I can not picture that the fork legs are bent or askew. David K

Re: Bike pulls hard right after LBS cut steerer tube [OddSlug] [ In reply to ]

Apr 12, 17 4:28

Post #24 of 28 (5766 views)

It does. That's a good idea. I'll give it a go tonight.

Re: Bike pulls hard right after LBS cut steerer tube [jimatbeyond] [ In reply to ]

Apr 12, 17 4:29

Post #25 of 28 (5762 views)

jimatbeyond wrote:

What method does he use to determine straightness (alignment)?

I honestly couldn't tell you. But he's an old school mechanic (he's been working on bikes in a shop for over 30 years), so I know he has some tricks up his sleeve.

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