Fork Shuttering while braking

[BmanX]

I noticed on my new Redline bike that when I am braking hard that the fork will shutter. I tried to watch what was happening while I was braking yesterday and it looks like the front brake is locking up and causing the fork to shutter. Maybe it is not locking up but it sure is alarming when all of a sudden the whole front ends shutters violently. Any ideas as to what is happening?

[Griswald4x4]

Check headset adjustment, thats usually whats it is under breaking, otherwise it could be some kind of sped-shimmy. Make sure someone who knows how to adjust a headset is doing the adjusting

[BmanX]

The headset is adjusted correctly and was double checked again. There is no play in that sucker. I was thinking it could be the fork doing it. I actually have a carbon fork on the way and will have the whole assembly apart again when the fork is installed and will double check it all.

[mike]

what type of headset is it?

[elmar schrauth]

I THINK ITS A FORK PROBLEM
a lot of riders have that problem
in our germen forum there is big diskussion about that

you can change frontwheel,or change brakepads, to check
i think you use shimano or similar cantis , right?

best way seems to be: to change to mini v-brakes.
i sold a lot of mini v-brakes to riders with that problem


other way is using a stiffer fork like kuota ,sintema mud

elmar

[BmanX]

I am using the Tektro Oryx brakes. They do seem to be grabby but I was thinking is was the fork as well. I have a carbon Redline fork on the way for the bike and think it will be better than the aluminum Redline fork that is currently on the bike.

I have had two different set of rims on the bike and it does the same thing with both. It just seems like the forks have a lot of movement in them. I thought about the headset being the problem and last night took the whole thing apart and re-installed it and there is no play at all in the headset.

[jeremyb]

sounds like maybe the brake pads are toe'd in too much, take some toe out of them and see what happens...

jeremy

[BmanX]

Not sure if I can toe in the pads that came with the brakes but I am looking into getting some of the ones that I can toe in and that I can replace just the pad. I will have to double check when I get home from work. Thanks for that suggestion, I did not think about that.

[elmar schrauth]

yes , you can toe in the orynx brakes
elmar

[BmanX]

Hello,

Yes I realized that when I got home yesterday. Totally forgot about the brake set up do to lack of sleep.

I am pretty sure that my new forks are in today so I will set it all up today and see what happens on the first ride.

[Cush]

Front fork shutter on a cross bike is almost always caused by brakes and brake pads that exert too much force on the rim. If you look at any of the early Mafac cantilevers, you'll see that they have much smaller pads and less leverage. The modern cantilever like Spookies are much more powerful. The solution is to use the right brake pad. I use some ceramic pads that are guaranteed not to squeal and they eliminated all of the shutter.

[jeremyb]

bman---any pics of the redline fork on your bike?

[Cush]

Morati titanium cross forks don't have an shutter problems providing the proper brake pads are used and they're only 587 grams. Lots of compliance with these forks. It's fun to watch them soak up the bumps. I'm not sure why carbon fiber is so popular since the forks are very stiff and can suffer catastrophic failure.

[BmanX]

Just heading into the garage to do my windtrainer workout for the night. I will take a couple of pictures of the fork and bike. Still a bit of a tank at 20.1lbs but it is my work in progress. Everything on this bike other than the frame and forks was either left over from all my other builds or second hand stuff. Sub 18 is the goal for sure.

[520 Dan]

Morati titanium cross forks don't have an shutter problems providing the proper brake pads are used and they're only 587 grams. Lots of compliance with these forks. It's fun to watch them soak up the bumps. I'm not sure why carbon fiber is so popular since the forks are very stiff and can suffer catastrophic failure.

Yeah, it is "fun" watching your Ti fork flex...I have a Morati and a Alpha Q, and I'm pretty sure Morati ti forks have had pretty catastrophic failures as wel.