logo Bikeride
  • Events
  • Repairs
  • Reviews
  • Giveaways
  • Forum
Join / Sign in
  • Search Forum
  • Members
  • New Posts
  • My Profile
  • Private Messages

New: Take part in the December 2019 BikeRide Giveaway for a Lobster Lock

Welcome guest! Register or sign in to participate in the cycling discussions.

Bike Forums   ›   Main Sections   ›   Bicycle Repairs and Mechanics   ›   Bike Tire Skidding Left and Right

New Reply
Bike Tire Skidding Left and Right
canadianliberal
New Member
**

Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 8

#1
08-21-2008, 01:21 AM
Yesterday, I pulled out my bike after a month of non-use. The tires were flat, so I pumped them up today and I was riding my bike and the rear tire started to skid, it does so randomly. Does anyone have a suggestion as to why this is the case?

  Find
  Reply
Alex Ramon
Admin
*****

Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 594


Location: Canada
#2
08-21-2008, 01:44 AM
By skid, do you mean the rear wheels locks up completely?

  Website   Find
  Reply
canadianliberal
New Member
**

Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 8

#3
08-21-2008, 01:51 AM
I don't think it locks up, but rather just slips of the right then off the left and very random intervals. Like the whole rear end of the bike will slip, and I will hear it doing so and feel it as well.
Maybe another way to describe it is that it pulls hard in either direction.

  Find
  Reply
Alex Ramon
Admin
*****

Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 594


Location: Canada
#4
08-21-2008, 01:57 AM
Does the rim wobble from side to side when you pick up the rear end and spin it in one place? Does it spin freely? Does it feel loose if you jiggle it from side to side?

  Website   Find
  Reply
canadianliberal
New Member
**

Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 8

#5
08-21-2008, 02:58 AM
Doesn't seem like it wobbles and the wheel does seem to be spinning freely. But I did tighten the wheel and reinfalte the rear tire and it seems to have reduced the problem. I went for a bike ride and it now only seems to happen when I make a turn or change lanes. I am just trying to narrow it down now the problem. Could it be the wheel being lose or the tire not being properly inflated (the guage on my pump is broken).
I am also wondering if it could be the brake. The rear brake is tighter than my front brake, so could it be touching the tire just a bit.

  Find
  Reply
Alex Ramon
Admin
*****

Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 594


Location: Canada
#6
08-21-2008, 06:22 AM
It might be an inflation problem. If the pressure is too low the tire could shift while you're riding. It would be worth investing in a tire pressure gauge to be sure.
If you think the rear brake might be causing the problem, lift up the rear of the bike and spin the rear wheel while watching the rear pads to see if they are rubbing on the rim.
  Website   Find
  Reply
canadianliberal
New Member
**

Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 8

#7
08-21-2008, 05:12 PM
So I tried it out again this morning. I put it on a stand and tried to spin it freely and it started slowing down and it stopped randomly. I remember you mentioning something about the wheel spinning freely.
I also notice the wheel was wobbling just a tiny bit. Not much maybe a millimeter or two. You really need to focus on the wheel to notice it.
Any suggestions you could make with that information?

  Find
  Reply
AlanK
Member
***

Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 12

#8
08-21-2008, 07:15 PM
Are you sure your axle isn't moving around?
Check that the wheel is actually aligned properly on the frame. I had a little problem a couple of weeks back I thought I had the rear wheel on right and it was actually off a bit. I didn't ride it for more then a few minutes till I figured out something was wrong. I stopped gave up the intended ride and worked on it till I realized the wheel wasn't actually sitting right.
Now I didn't have any skidding but I noticed I couldn't spin the cranks in reverse without the chain coming off. I turned it over and while spinning the wheel I noticed the resistance at certain points in the rotation. Don't recall what made me decide to check the wheel alignment. But I did check it and after a few tries I found the right spot.
Something to consider too is are your brakes catching as the wheel wobbles and rotates, even if it only seems slight to you. You could see if loosening your brake cable, assuming you don't have disk brakes, to see if that reduces the resistance in the spinning...
Who knows your spokes could be loose too, sounds like it is possible you have multiple issue...

  Find
  Reply
canadianliberal
New Member
**

Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 8

#9
08-21-2008, 11:18 PM
Good news, it appears to be fixed. Looks like that the gauge wasn't the only thing broken on my pump, the pump it self is not pumping too well. I borrowed a friends air compressor for his car and pumped up my bike to 75 psi and it seems to have done the trick.
Now it was raining so it felt like it slipped once when it went over a bump on the road, but I wasn't certain if it was slip. Usually before the slip was quite abrupt and I was certain that was the case. But none the less it does look like the bike is in good working order. I am going to have someone else give the bike a try and see if they notice any slipping just to be sure.
As for the wobble, I took a look at a few other bikes and they all appear to have the same wobble but none of there actually slips. The wobble as I said it not too extreme it was a few millimeters at most.
So it was tire pressure all along, whoops.
Thanks to everyone for there help.

  Find
  Reply
New Reply


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  Bike tire replacement michaelcogburn.c 1 4,766 02-16-2016, 11:12 PM
Last Post: DaveM
  Free permanent Bicycle flat repair: tire within a tire Ares 4 10,306 02-11-2015, 04:54 PM
Last Post: elmore leonard
  How Critical Of An Error Is This With My Bike Tire Replacement? straightbangin 4 6,861 02-09-2015, 04:31 PM
Last Post: straightbangin
  Loose bolt on left crank arm 9734Chris 24 85,745 01-03-2015, 05:43 AM
Last Post: spanner_152
  Threaded Left Crank Arm (Pedal thread) square_eyes 7 7,896 09-29-2014, 11:03 AM
Last Post: square_eyes
  Older Giant Acapulco Left crank arm falling off dierad53 1 5,828 06-30-2014, 04:13 PM
Last Post: nfmisso
  Carrera Subway 2 Left Crank Replacement- Help Needed petko8680 9 12,997 03-12-2014, 07:38 AM
Last Post: Joe_W
  Left side spokes breaking Alfine 8 xophere 3 6,170 01-21-2014, 08:48 PM
Last Post: 1FJEF
  Left pedal clicks Elle 8 7,818 08-19-2013, 12:07 PM
Last Post: Elle
  Left arm loose, new bike. Grievous Turian 18 18,177 06-15-2013, 02:58 AM
Last Post: nfmisso

Forum Jump:

Login

Lost Password?
Subscribe to our newsletter
logo Bikeride
About
  • About us
  • Forum
  • Giveaways
  • Advertising
  • Contact
Events
  • Find Event
  • Add Event
Reviews
  • All Bikes
Repair Guides
  • Video Tutorials
  • Torque Specifications
Let’s be friends

You can send us a note too.


Privacy Policy   Terms of Use

© 1996 - 2019 bikeride.com

Linear Mode
Threaded Mode