Pedalfaraway said:
Countersteering is an effective method on road bikes, and possible on a Mtn bike if you are on terrain with extremely good traction(Roads). High speed desending on a Mtn bike usually reqires that you shift your weight back to unweight the front wheel so if can "float" over obstacles. Unweighting the front wheel and attempting to countersteer will result in a scratched bike and lots of scabs. Keeping the front wheel weighted enough for countersteering to be effective will result in capauting over the handle bars, and more bike scratches and scabs. Its kind of a mute point as it has verry little to do with the question asked.
Q. Is the Moots good enough for my tracer.
A. Absolutley. Moots makes some of the best products on the market, and is certanily on par with anything else you could buy. Assuming it is the proper size.
Q. What is the advantage on a stiff front end.
A. Steering precision.
Never disagree with me
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I don't know how else to say this except, you're wrong. Don't take it the wrong way. It's nothing personal. But you seriously have no clue what you're talking about. :skep:
I've been in a few downhill and crosscountry races over the past 10 years. Heck, I've even done a few clinics with "Insane" Wayne Croasdale and Joe Lawwill. Countersteering is indeed an effective means of cornering at high speed. Note, I said high speed. Not slow or medium speed while dodging boulders. High speed through rocks (babies heads sized or larger) doesn't generally entail turning. I concur, you keep your weight back and float or launch over the rough. But hey, you're the seasoned expert. You already knew that.
Let's review the original question:
Could someone explain the advantages of having a stiff front end on a bike? Well, I'd say I cited 3 examples of when a stiff front end (stem/fork/wheel) would be advantageous: Climbing/sprinting, rough descents, high speed turns. Since you disagree with the high speed turns part, let's discuss.
Anytime you reach 12-15 mph or greater, you aren't really turning the h-bars for direction changes. Whether you realize it or not, you are actually leaning the bike and countersteering. Albeit, the countersteering isn't as dramatic as one experiences on a motorcycle, but it's still countersteering.
If you are turning the handlebars in towards the apex of the turn, and have actually made it through the turn, you're a moron and have fooled yourself into believing that you went faster than you really were.
"Keeping the front wheel weighted enough for countersteering to be effective will result in capauting over the handle bars"...hmmm. Are you sure you want to stick with that statement? 'Cause I'd be more than willing to turn a blind eye to that one. Aw heck. Let's have a good laugh with that one too.
I happen to enjoy riding my hardtail singlespeed with a rigid fork more than any of the other bikes in the stable. So if that statement were true about any of the bikes I ride, it'd be true for the rigid SS. BZZZZZ! Wrong again. I happen to countersteer with my RIGID singlespeed on high speed corners with brake bumps and ruts. If I didn't weight the front end, the front wheel wouldn't have any traction and I'd probably wash out the front end when I leaned the bike into the turn. Now I didn't say I lean out over the front end. I just make sure I apply enough pressure on the handlebars (i.e. weighting) to keep the front tire biting. I still bias my weight to the middle-rear of the bike.
I'd highly recommend you challenge anything that I've said that doesn't sit right with you. God knows, even though I may act like it, I'm no expert on the topic. Go ask the local Sport/Expert/Pro racer at your LBS. Or maybe even pose an inquiry on the XC racing board. Who knows, you might learn something.
Oh yeah. Never challenge my authority.
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