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Bit of a weird one here..
I've noticed that while riding I tend to lean the bike ever so slightly to the left while riding in a straight line. I've done it for a least a year (can't really remember past that) and it's starting to frustrate me a little. On longer rides this causes pain in my right wrist and I find that going down steep chutes and ruts the bike feels like it wants to slide out to the left.
Some notes I've found so far:
-I tend to lean the bike to the left in all cases, whether I'm standing, seating, pedaling, freewheeling etc..
-It happens on flats and clipped in.
-There's no mechanical issues I can spot that could cause it, ala frame alignment or stem alignment. Bike's a Mega AM.
-I can make the bike ride straight if I really try, but this makes my right shoulder/arm ache as it feels like I'm pushing down on the bars to stop the bike from leaning.
I'm wondering if there's a biomechanical issue somewhere, like a leg slightly longer than the other or a hip higher than the other? I don't think flexibility is the issue as I stretch and use foam rollers daily.
On an aside, any recommendations for a bike fit in cardiff with experience in mountain bikes? I'm not sure how much I'd get out of a road-style bike fit given I prefer flats and otherwise i'm happy with the cockpit, I'd rather a fit that looks to solve this problem.
Which side does Sir dress to?
Perchpanther could be right - try it with your schlong on the other side
You can try shortening the bars from the left side in .5cm increments. Or just move the grip, but that wouldn't be fun.
Maybe get an assessment from a physiotherapist or osteopath?
Has anyone verified that the bike is leaning over it is it just from your viewpoint as a rider?
If you look down at your bike and it looks tilted, it could just be your dominant eye playing tricks with you. Like wot spooky is getting at, I imagine.
Ride on a dry road for a while with dirty tyres, you might see a clean band of tread develop to one side of the tyre centre line and confirm the lean
Wouldnt worry about it until you start quoting trotski
I know my right arm is marginally longer the left so have to have the bars at a tiny angle (0.5deg) to make it feel right and not get shoulder ache on longer rides. It's such a small difference that I can't feel it if bars are straight or slightly to the left when on shorter rides, but can when they are to the right.
Sounds very normal. Everyone will be a little lop sided to a certain extent as we aren't made symmetrical but bicycles are 😀
Usually something like this comes a slight imbalance in the less superficial (deep) muscles around the hips which are very hard to target with normal stretches and certainly way out of range of a foam roller. If you don't have a solid base near the saddle your arms will have to work harder to stabilise I guess. Could well be an arm problem but usually these thing come from a root problem away from the source of the pain.
On an aside, any recommendations for a bike fit in cardiff with experience in mountain bikes? I'm not sure how much I'd get out of a road-style bike fit given I prefer flats and otherwise i'm happy with the cockpit, I'd rather a fit that looks to solve this problem.
I would look at getting your body checked over by a bike friendly physio rather than look for compensation on the bike first. If you can combine it with a "fit" then great but I'd look to yourself first as I say.
[url= http://www.spirehealthcare.com/cardiff/cardiff-orthopaedic-centre-of-excellence/pro-motion-dynamics/ ]Maybe somewhere like this but I have no first hand experience myself[/url]
I get the same sensation sometimes and when you start noticing it it is really annoying... I'm not sure what causes it but it could be to do with a leg length discrepancy (not uncommon I understand). I know that slightly wrong seat height can exacerbate the feeling and I think it's to do with how you sit on the bike to accommodate for the difference in leg length. I understand that having 'tighter' muscles/tendons on one leg can also give a similar feeling. I know something is up with me because I always place one foot further forward on the left pedal to compensate for the difference. I try and ignore it all and just ride though. Easier to ignore off road than on.
Other things I have found include worn suspension forks which can sag to one side
As long as you're not just going round in circles, you should practice riding no handed. A lot.