Q:R.C. Q:R.C. Perhaps I’m just a little too dense, but I don’t know what these terms mean in relation to bike handling. Guru of Gears, can you please explain?RC: It’s a good question as the terms are often misused by the industry (MBA included). The classic form of Understeer is when the rider has to turn the handlebar too much in order to turn the bike around corners. Pushing when the front tire slides firstis the most obvious sign of Understeer. Oversteer refers to the front tire sliding or drifting first when cornering. This forces the rider, or driver, to turn the handlebar in a lessening direction, or in the opposite direction, to compensate. Neutral handling is the best. If the bicycle is traveling at maximum speed and the driver is correctly leaned into the turn, it will result in a zero or nearly zero steering angle at each handlebar. Because traction is evenly distributed between the tires, neutral handling allows for maneuverability. The bicycle can corner without affecting its balance while still being maneuverable to some extent. A neutral-handling bike can be adjusted to tighten the cornering radius. It will then drift the wheels in a temporary manner until it reaches the desired speed. The new radius can then be tracked (very useful).
