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A little off center

Old 11-06-21, 03:54 PM
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Champlaincycler
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A little off center

So, I've had a decent cycling season. Upped my mileage and overall speed. We're into November now and ,for me, I know I'm just hanging on until I transition to indoors. Any outdoor ride now is just for pleasure. around 25 miles and gives me time to look around. So, my looking around made me realize that I see only the left side of my front tire. Probably been this way for a while, just did not notice. Tried to compensate but moving my butt to the left or shoulders/hands one way vs another or head to one side is just too much work. I've a miserable spine that I've learned to live with so that's likely the issue. Just wondering if most of you look straight down at the center of your front tire , or if some look only at the left or right side like me. It only bothers me when I think about it, so to make it better I try not to notice. Pretty sure my bike is not at fault. Please tell me I'm normal.
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Old 11-06-21, 04:18 PM
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Right brained or left brained?
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Old 11-06-21, 04:46 PM
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Right handed, strong left eye. Left of center politically so maybe just hanging on to that for too long. Lots of friends that only see right but they're not cyclists, if only.
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Old 11-06-21, 05:40 PM
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One day I saw the shadow of my head on a billboard, lit up from a car behind me. It was listing to the left. For a while i focused on keeping my head straight, and that just resulted in a sore neck.

So i just ignore it, and all is well.
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Old 11-06-21, 06:31 PM
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That's interesting because I look down and see just the left side of my front wheel also. My left leg is a smidgeon longer than my right, but I kind of compensate by putting my foot further over the left pedal center. It helped a little to turn my seat just a fraction to the left believe it or not, but after 30 miles or so I start to feel an uncomfortable pinch/rub on the right inside of the upper thigh so I put it back straight. If I ignore it all is good so that's what I've learned to do. Good luck
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Old 11-06-21, 06:52 PM
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Sometimes on multi day long rides or even on a really long single day ride I’ll list to one side without realizing it. Apparently One of my arms gets really tired so I lean. To correct it I work on my posture and such that when I look down I’m centered over the top tube. On several occasions I’ve had to make it feel like I was leaning considerably to the opposite side to get it corrected. But after concentrating on it for a while I get back centered again. For me it’s important to stay centered for proper weight distribution on my hip bones and arms.

I first noticed the listing doing Ride the Rockies several years ago. It was the first day but there was close to 10,000’ of climbing the first 75 miles. One of my arms was so tired I couldn’t hardly put any weight on it.

A group of us were doing a 200+ mile single day ride a few years ago. One of our riders was 81 years old but he rode 16,000 miles a year and accustomed to doing 100 milers. After about 150 miles he was listing to one side so much we thought he might lose his balance. But he finished strong and with our group.
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Old 11-07-21, 07:24 AM
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And I thought you were perfect, jppe! My hero!
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Old 11-07-21, 07:32 AM
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Thanks,
I could stand to work on flexibility as I'm thinking this is a spine issue or a neck out of alignment. I have to do too much to correct for it on the bike, not real concerned but it does indicate that somethings off kilter. I also notice that when I look straight down over the top tube, I only see the chainrings on the drive side, the whole bottom bracket is visible on the left. I can correct for that , but still look at the left side of front tire. Good to hear that I'm not the only one.
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Old 11-07-21, 07:49 AM
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Do you wear the rear tire to one side? I do, and I've always done it. I guess I lean a little to the right, enough to wear the tire on that side.
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Old 11-07-21, 08:23 AM
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Originally Posted by Champlaincycler
Right handed, strong left eye. Left of center politically so maybe just hanging on to that for too long. Lots of friends that only see right but they're not cyclists, if only.
Yes, but do you dress left or dress right?
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Old 11-07-21, 08:45 AM
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Left
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Old 11-08-21, 08:43 AM
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I wouldn't begin to have any idea if I see one side of my front tire more than the other side. If I'm looking at my bike, then I'm not looking at the road and scenery. I don't even look at my gears. I got over that habit a long time ago.
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Old 11-08-21, 10:01 AM
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I find one starts to think about "those details" when one has little else to think about, hasn't happened to me in quite a while.
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Old 11-08-21, 04:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Iride01
I wouldn't begin to have any idea if I see one side of my front tire more than the other side. If I'm looking at my bike, then I'm not looking at the road and scenery. I don't even look at my gears. I got over that habit a long time ago.
I guess I've a ways to go for enlightenment. Thanks.
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Old 11-08-21, 07:48 PM
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Hell, I can't even SEE my front wheel. It's under my knees.

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Old 11-09-21, 09:48 AM
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I'm enlightened by your need to comment on my comment.
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Old 11-15-21, 02:12 PM
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straight on I guess






maybe a little off center but can't say for sure. maybe I leaned when I tried to tilt my head way down to take these



definitely leaning for this one cuz I wanted to get the speedo w/o a reflection obscuring it

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Old 11-15-21, 02:21 PM
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I see the right side. Also, my right knee is closer to the TT than the left. Right handed, fwiw.
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Old 11-15-21, 06:49 PM
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Went for a ride the day after the first post. Seemed to be looking straight down for the most part, a bit left but not as bad. Slid to the right on the saddle so my left cheek took more weight. I ride in a pretty hilly area and I shift constantly, realized that my right hand carries less weight and is farther forward as my trigger finger is always ready to hit the shift lever. These new brifters with disc brakes are long and I think that's part of it. Long story short it was likely due to being tired and riding in cloudy, windy, 35 degree weather and just slogging instead of pushing it . Thanks for the replies.
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