Overload front tire

[23jayhawk]

What would be the indication that you're putting too much weight on the front end when cornering? Can you overload the front tire enough to cause a washout feeling? Or will it continue to stick better, and eventually you begin to lose the rear end?

 

[jboomer]

From what I understand, a soft front end will give a "diving" sensation, as though the front end want's to tuck under (into) the turn. A stiff front end will want to wash out. Of course, somewhere in there for tuning purposes, there is a sweet spot to be found.

 

[Anssi]

Originally posted by 23jayhawk
Can you overload the front tire enough to cause a washout feeling?

It will tuck under, but that is fixed by spring rates (heavier) and damping changes (more compression damping, less rebound, external or internal), not riding technique.

 

[23jayhawk]

Thanks for the replies. From an engineering perspective, traction should increase with increasing load based on force vectors and friction coefficients, yada yada.

What I was curious about is from practical experience, does the front tire in fact continue to stick better the further up the seat you move? To the point where the back end breaks away. Sounds like the answer is yes. The reason I'm curious about this is often times when the front end goes away on me, I would have sworn I was far enough forward.

So I guess the bottom line, if you're losing the front end, you need to move up. It's good to have simple things to keep in mind for late in a race when you're tired. 

 

[Anssi]

If you're too far back, you usually won't "lose" the front end on modern bikes. Rather, the bike just won't turn and the front pushes wide.

If the front suspension is too soft and you get far enough forward, it will tuck or knife under (the wheel will point too much to the inside) and will not roll anymore, hence not turning the bike anymore, and it will eventually wash wide pretty rapidly and this is when you really lose it and go down.

 

[tedkxkdx]

To keep your tire from going over a berm or to get more weight transfered to the front end you can lightly apply pressure to the front brake.
This way your front end is not light and your body position does not have to be way forward on the bike. Once you reach the apex or part of the corner where you are hard again on the throttle your braking in the front should cease.

 

[spuddybuford]

would also depend on the type of soil you are riding in...for instance, you would not want to over-weight the front in loose sand