Frame Flex

[jakefm]

About 6 months ago I bought a nashbar frame and built it up as a second bike well my first bike got stollen so no Im riding it more and have notices a lot of flex, when I ride out of the saddle I feel flex and have to retrim the front deraileur. I built the bike up with a cheap nashbar crank so I was wondering if you guys could maybe give me some ideas wich might be at fault frame crank or both, before buying I read that this frame was heavy but stiff. I can say that its definantly heavy. If its the frame Id like to remedy it with a new and cheap frame, this may be a pattern of bad decisions but at least they are relatively small bad decisions. Im looking at the leader 735r its gotten some positive reviews but not a lot of info and I remember reading some negaitive feelings about Leader in general a while back so any help/advice/stop buying cheap stuff you moron would be greatly appreciated.

btw Im riding a 105 groupset right now with downtube shifters except for the nashbar crank and bb

To give a little clearer picture pretty big guy 6'2" 205 lbs not fast but pretty strong

 

[531Aussie]

is the Nashbar frame steel? What is it?

if you're talking about a steel Merckx Leader, and you don't like weight, they are probably the heaviest frame going around!!

 

[jakefm]

Sorry for the lack of information no the nashbar frame is aluminum, here it is.
the frame I am looking at is Leader USA model 735R, weight really isnt a concern im just looking for an inexspensive solution for the present time. Stiffness is really what id like id rather it border on painful than flexy. Id love a stille Merckx but thats well outta my pay grade

is the Nashbar frame steel? What is it?

if you're talking about a steel Merckx Leader, and you don't like weight, they are probably the heaviest frame going around!!

 

[capwater]

Built a 105 beater with that same frame. At 185, no problems with flex. It's a pretty traditional straight tube frame, probably made by the guy in China that makes many name brands. Welds aren't the prettiest (compared to my Klein), but it is a perfectly functional frame. Picked it up for about 85 bucks.

 

[artmichalek]

Frame flex usually doesn't affect the fd trim. The cranks and derailleur clamp are close enough together on the frame that if the frame flexes they move more or less together. Most of the flex that you're seeing is probably coming from the bottom bracket spindle. Do you have the square taper or ISIS version of the crankset? Also, is it a double or a tripple?

 

[jakefm]

Its a double ists nashbars ISIS bottom bracket. I was thinking that the frame may be involved because I have downtube shifters and it seems that flex between the BB and the shifter boses would change that lengthe and cause the FD to go out of trim otherwise i guess its just the chainrin hitting the FD wich dosent seem like it would be happening.

Frame flex usually doesn't affect the fd trim. The cranks and derailleur clamp are close enough together on the frame that if the frame flexes they move more or less together. Most of the flex that you're seeing is probably coming from the bottom bracket spindle. Do you have the square taper or ISIS version of the crankset? Also, is it a double or a tripple?

 

[jakefm]

If anyone is still watching this I just put on a new 105 crankset and its a world of difference much better feel I dont recomend the nashbar crankset at all particularly if you bigger. Some frame flex still exists I have to retrim the front derailer if I try and power out of a standstill but thats not a deal breaker.