First shimmy today...

[Michael]

I have ridden this downhill many times on the way into work over the last couple months. My usual habit is to coast ~ 30mph on the hoods.

Then, reach to the barcon to downshift in preperation for the next climb.

 

Today, lotsa winds in this area. Gusty and fast.

When I reached down to the drop for the barcon - BBBBBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. Massive front end shimmy.

 

All I could do was to hold on tight and apply the front brake gently. I didn't want to move my right hand at all.

Thankfully, it settled down and all was well.

 

I guess my shifting my right hand to the right barcon (while left hand is on the left hood) destabilizes the front end enough that with the wind hitting me at that time was enough to disrupt the front end.

 

I have done this descent before many, many times and the bike always descinds like a rock - very stable. I think I will take it slower from now on.

[PATRICK MOORE]

What bike?

I've had bikes develop moderate shimmy at certain speeds; on the '03 Riv just recently, as a matter of fact but it went away very quickly -- no idea why it came or went. Ditto for the '95 Riv; again, after a week or so, it went away. Both at about 18-20, IIRC.

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[Garth]

What's your frame Michael ?

[Michael]

55cm Bleriot.

 

 

Maybe the floppy ebd of the Longboard Fenders caught some wind, too.

[Aaron Young]

Another possibility: maybe the headset is getting a little loose?

Aaron Young

Vancouver, WA

On Saturday, December 22, 2012, Michael wrote:

55cm Bleriot.

 

 

Maybe the floppy ebd of the Longboard Fenders caught some wind, too.

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[dougP]

Holding one knee against the top tube dampens out shimmy, but it's hard to remember to do at that moment of terror.  My 58 cm Atlantis will do that with certain loads but fortunately at lower speed.  Shimmy seems to be a mystery.

dougP

[Michael]

You know what...now that you mention it I knew the knee trick, too, but was too scared to remember it or move an inch anyway! Ha ha!!

I just froze like a statue when the shaking started.

If the wheel had been turning any further in its oscillations, I am sure I would have lost it.

 

I think it was the high wind gusts this morning grabbing my wheel and fender. I can see how the fender could have started vibrating in the gusts this morning and the vibration being enough to turn my front end into a paint mixer.

 

It never happened before on that hill. I think I was at 31mph. That was my top speed for the day on tthe cylometer, anyway.

Makes for a fun story, but not fun at the time. Terrifying is right.

 

Now that I think about it, it wasn't smart for me to go down the hill like that with the high winds this morning. Just open farm fields to the left and right of me on that road. Made myself open to blasts of wind in that stretch of road.

 

Of course, you vets probably think I am a wuss or something. I am sure that you mega milers are used to shimmy and how to avoid/control it.

 

 

[Garth]

I gotta say in praise of the Bombadil design ... whether it's the heavier tubing and the double TT and the whole design or whatever .... but it is rock solid at any speed , any condition.  I LOVE that !!!!!!!