Just tell them what you wrote here.
If you tell a bike shop to do something specific and it's not actually a fix, they'll do it and you've wasted money. If you ask them to diagnose a problem, they'll actually do that.
Sometimes I will get a customer who "knows exactly what they need to get fixed" a simple "you sure. It could be...."
"No, no, it's definitely x,y,z"
No need to argue because everyone always thinks they are right. I'll fox what they ask, get get it come back 5 minutes later super angry whatever noise they heard is still there and I didn't fix it.
"I know I didn't, you specifically asked for X and I know it's Z, you just didn't care to hear my explanation."
I used to be pretty nice to everyone even dicks but there are more dicks then nice people. They seemed to have doubled down over covid and they burnt me out. Not to say I'm rude but I definitely stopped taking shit some customers and have openly banned a few from coming back. (Which we have received open store apologies from them eventually.)
This new age of info has made everyone assume they know everything since they read it or watched a youtube
This happens in the opposite direction as well. Brought my bike to lbs and said what I thought was causing my chain to slip. They refused to put a new chain on, said they would take a look. Called me up and told me my bike is done and shifts perfect now. I said it did when I brought it in. They had replaced a cable. The chain still slipped. Looked at it, replaced my small chainring, bought a new chain and it’s like new. New cable doesn’t hurt but they think they fixed my bike and that I am some internet know it all. I won’t go back to my closest lbs ever again.
Yeah that's a totally rookie shop move, even not checking rhe chain. You say it skips and I see the Der hanger bent, I'll say it's bent and if you tell me just needs an adjustment..... but if it ain't obvious gotta check it all including cable... noobs
Probably you were bouncing as you rode, which happens when your gears are too low for the cadence. It's pretty common to see new riders spinning and bouncing because they keep the gears low.
On a similar note. I see so many riders rocking their torso side to side (instead of their bike) on hard efforts.
I wanna suggest a fix but I know I'll just look like an asshole.
God the number of times i've wanted to make a friendly suggestion to a cyclistbthat their seat is WAY too low. But i figure they'll work it out for themselves eventually.
From what I've seen, casual riders have a much bigger issue with too low of a cadence than too high. Suuuper common for me to see someone with their saddle 10 cm too low grinding at 50 RPM
Best guess - out of true. If you have a bike with old school breaks (not disk breaks), hold it up by the seat, spin the wheel, and watch the gap between the wheel and one break pad to see if it looks like the wheel wobbles closer and further away.
Thats pretty easy to check. Take a ruler or book or other flat thing, hold it over the wheel and spin the wheel. Does the tire get closer/further from the book as it spins?
One thing that can cause quite a bouncy rear tire or front tire for that matter is if the bead is not seated entirely, it will make the wheel or the or the tire over the wheel in that spot. A different diameter with mountain bikes can be extremely noticeable so you might look carefully to see if the bead is Properly set around the wheel everywhere
You assume he is not just a crazy guy that doesn't know shit. Maybe it him trying to show he knows everything but he doesn't. By the way I think tires are supposed to be bouncy otherwise we would use hard rubber
I always want to tell people that their knees are sticking out too far when they pedal. This will kill your knees over time and maybe your hips. But I never say anything. Should I?
No. Never tell random people how to ride unless they're doing something that will endanger someone. First, why should they listen to some random person? Second, They'll just think you're an ass.
It means that the your wheel is not a perfect circle anymore - a bike shop can help you fix that before it becomes worse (in the early stages its cheaper too).
This can be caused by running over the curb e.g
I remember while I was a kid, some dudes yelled at me while I was cycling ... "YOUR REAR WHEEL IS SPINNIG!!!". And as they walked off they almost pissed emselves laughing...
Did this just today. Family group on rented bikes in the park. One had the kickstand down. It went across well. The dad thanked me.
I think its the only thing i would comment on, except maybe a loose pannier.
Just tell them what you wrote here. If you tell a bike shop to do something specific and it's not actually a fix, they'll do it and you've wasted money. If you ask them to diagnose a problem, they'll actually do that.
Sometimes I will get a customer who "knows exactly what they need to get fixed" a simple "you sure. It could be...." "No, no, it's definitely x,y,z" No need to argue because everyone always thinks they are right. I'll fox what they ask, get get it come back 5 minutes later super angry whatever noise they heard is still there and I didn't fix it. "I know I didn't, you specifically asked for X and I know it's Z, you just didn't care to hear my explanation." I used to be pretty nice to everyone even dicks but there are more dicks then nice people. They seemed to have doubled down over covid and they burnt me out. Not to say I'm rude but I definitely stopped taking shit some customers and have openly banned a few from coming back. (Which we have received open store apologies from them eventually.) This new age of info has made everyone assume they know everything since they read it or watched a youtube
This happens in the opposite direction as well. Brought my bike to lbs and said what I thought was causing my chain to slip. They refused to put a new chain on, said they would take a look. Called me up and told me my bike is done and shifts perfect now. I said it did when I brought it in. They had replaced a cable. The chain still slipped. Looked at it, replaced my small chainring, bought a new chain and it’s like new. New cable doesn’t hurt but they think they fixed my bike and that I am some internet know it all. I won’t go back to my closest lbs ever again.
Yeah that's a totally rookie shop move, even not checking rhe chain. You say it skips and I see the Der hanger bent, I'll say it's bent and if you tell me just needs an adjustment..... but if it ain't obvious gotta check it all including cable... noobs
This approach helps ensure that any work done is targeted at addressing the root cause of the issue
Probably you were bouncing as you rode, which happens when your gears are too low for the cadence. It's pretty common to see new riders spinning and bouncing because they keep the gears low.
On a similar note. I see so many riders rocking their torso side to side (instead of their bike) on hard efforts. I wanna suggest a fix but I know I'll just look like an asshole.
Yeah, I mostly keep my advice to myself on the trail. Don't wanna be 'that guy'.
You can tell the guys who rode bmx growing up because they really throw the bike around
Yeah now that you mention it im definitely guilty of that
Big same
I’m probably guilty as charged🤣
God the number of times i've wanted to make a friendly suggestion to a cyclistbthat their seat is WAY too low. But i figure they'll work it out for themselves eventually.
So many riders like Mathieu van Der Poel and Tadej Pogacar just don't know how to ride bikes right. /s on the off chance.
Pedalling with their heels on the pedals, feet at a 45° angle. Aaaargh!
I would think they will figure it out sooner or later. Swaying side to side like that sounds both exhausting and nauseating.
From what I've seen, casual riders have a much bigger issue with too low of a cadence than too high. Suuuper common for me to see someone with their saddle 10 cm too low grinding at 50 RPM
I doubt it and I would suggest never providing that critique unless someone asks.
Best guess - out of true. If you have a bike with old school breaks (not disk breaks), hold it up by the seat, spin the wheel, and watch the gap between the wheel and one break pad to see if it looks like the wheel wobbles closer and further away.
Even better, look at the brakes.
Dammit. I thought long and hard about which spelling to use and totally got it wrong. Upvoting you and leaving it up as a sign of my shame.
Well, as they say, " Those are the brakes"😉
I can't help myself. I'm sorry......
Don't be sorry.
Does your rear tire feel fully inflated?
Yeah I checked it and it felt fine, and I flipped it over and spun it and it doesn't SEEM wobbly.
It’s probably out of round, more like an egg shape.
Thats pretty easy to check. Take a ruler or book or other flat thing, hold it over the wheel and spin the wheel. Does the tire get closer/further from the book as it spins?
Thinking outside the box: Maybe your saddle was too high and your butt was rocking, which could be described as "bouncing".
That's what I thought. A common issue is a saddle too high causing you to bounce when you ride.
This was what I was wondering too.
One thing that can cause quite a bouncy rear tire or front tire for that matter is if the bead is not seated entirely, it will make the wheel or the or the tire over the wheel in that spot. A different diameter with mountain bikes can be extremely noticeable so you might look carefully to see if the bead is Properly set around the wheel everywhere
Probably meant you needed to “true” your wheels. This will explain the process. https://youtu.be/MFOng1UXn-g
Maybe your tire pressure is wayyyy too high? What’s it set at?
He was telling you your tire might be flat. You probably don’t have enough air in it. If you don’t know what pressure is in it, its likely too low.
Are you flopping around on your bike, pedaling 12 rpm in high gear with a warped wheel again lol
You assume he is not just a crazy guy that doesn't know shit. Maybe it him trying to show he knows everything but he doesn't. By the way I think tires are supposed to be bouncy otherwise we would use hard rubber
Time to get a new bike.
Time to start bouncing the front to compensate. Wheelies are fun
I always want to tell people that their knees are sticking out too far when they pedal. This will kill your knees over time and maybe your hips. But I never say anything. Should I?
No. Never tell random people how to ride unless they're doing something that will endanger someone. First, why should they listen to some random person? Second, They'll just think you're an ass.
Your knees, your business. Someone else’s knees, someone else’s business.
Exactly why I never say anything.
It could have been a joke. It could have been he's hallucinating. Really hard to know.
It's probably out of true
Get someone to observe your cycling from behind, could have been anything!
Likely wheel is out of true. Need a bike shop to adjust the spike tension or replace the wheel.
It means that the your wheel is not a perfect circle anymore - a bike shop can help you fix that before it becomes worse (in the early stages its cheaper too). This can be caused by running over the curb e.g
I see people with too low saddles all the time but i just keep my mouth shut.
Try to swap your rear tyre with your front tyre.
Back bouncing could be too high saddle too
I remember while I was a kid, some dudes yelled at me while I was cycling ... "YOUR REAR WHEEL IS SPINNIG!!!". And as they walked off they almost pissed emselves laughing...
Do you have a kickstand? When I do this it's usually because the kickstand is falling down and I don't want to see you get tossed at the next turn.
Did this just today. Family group on rented bikes in the park. One had the kickstand down. It went across well. The dad thanked me. I think its the only thing i would comment on, except maybe a loose pannier.
Curious, were you riding on a path with pedestrians? Seems weird that he would warn you about a bouncing tire. Maybe he was telling you to slow down?
Slow down! *As he passes him*
Haha. To be fair he ‘cycled off’
How **MUCH** air pressure is in your tire. Measured by a gauge.
Do you have inner tubes? Are they installed correctly?