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#1
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Frame balancing for high speeds?
I'm interested to learn if there is info out there about precision
frame and wheel balancing for high speed descents. I recently hit 58MPH on a descent and experienced a slight wobble beginning at probably the moment I hit 58. At least that is my guess, I was not watching my speedo. However, when I first felt the wobble I applied a little brake and it promptly stopped so I figure it started at my max. speed. I'd like to know this won't be a problem in the future, especially if I can take an active part in assuring my bike is in complete balance. I have plans for next summer that will include Mount Ventoux and Carson Pass descents. I want to come home in one piece. If anyone knows of such work please forward me the info on it to . In case you're wondering, or it's important, my ride is a 00' Trek OCLV 5500. Thanks in advance, -RB |
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#2
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Frame balancing for high speeds?
-RB wrote:
I'm interested to learn if there is info out there about precision frame and wheel balancing for high speed descents. I recently hit 58MPH on a descent and experienced a slight wobble beginning at probably the moment I hit 58. At least that is my guess, I was not watching my speedo. However, when I first felt the wobble I applied a little brake and it promptly stopped so I figure it started at my max. speed. I'd like to know this won't be a problem in the future, especially if I can take an active part in assuring my bike is in complete balance. I have plans for next summer that will include Mount Ventoux and Carson Pass descents. I want to come home in one piece. If anyone knows of such work please forward me the info on it to . In case you're wondering, or it's important, my ride is a 00' Trek OCLV 5500. Thanks in advance, -RB http://www.faqs.org/faqs/bicycles-fa...ection-23.html |
#3
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Frame balancing for high speeds?
"-RB" writes:
I'm interested to learn if there is info out there about precision frame and wheel balancing for high speed descents. Yup. It's a waste of time. I recently hit 58MPH on a descent and experienced a slight wobble beginning at probably the moment I hit 58. That's called a "shimmy." Read up on it in the FAQ and/or search this group's archives at Google for many ad nauseum discussions of shimmy. If your bike shimmies at 58 mph it's not much of a problem, the places you can go that fast are pretty few- Phil Liggett's exaggerations at the Tour day France notwithstanding. |
#4
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Frame balancing for high speeds?
-RB wrote:
I'm interested to learn if there is info out there about precision frame and wheel balancing for high speed descents. I recently hit 58MPH on a descent and experienced a slight wobble beginning at probably the moment I hit 58. At least that is my guess, I was not watching my speedo. However, when I first felt the wobble I applied a little brake and it promptly stopped so I figure it started at my max. speed. I'd like to know this won't be a problem in the future, especially if I can take an active part in assuring my bike is in complete balance. I have plans for next summer that will include Mount Ventoux and Carson Pass descents. I want to come home in one piece. If anyone knows of such work please forward me the info on it to . In case you're wondering, or it's important, my ride is a 00' Trek OCLV 5500. If anything, a properly aligned frame with round wheels will be more, not less, provne to shimmy than a crooked frame. This may help: http://draco.acs.uci.edu/rbfaq/FAQ/8h.5.html -- Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971 |
#5
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Frame balancing for high speeds?
I'm interested to learn if there is info out there about precision
frame and wheel balancing for high speed descents. I recently hit 58MPH on a descent and experienced a slight wobble beginning at probably the moment I hit 58. At least that is my guess, I was not watching my speedo. However, when I first felt the wobble I applied a little brake and it promptly stopped so I figure it started at my max. speed. I'd like to know this won't be a problem in the future, especially if I can take an active part in assuring my bike is in complete balance. I have plans for next summer that will include Mount Ventoux and Carson Pass descents. I want to come home in one piece. If anyone knows of such work please forward me the info on it to . In case you're wondering, or it's important, my ride is a 00' Trek OCLV 5500. Thanks in advance, -RB I wouldn't worry too much. The "shimmy faq" will give you quite a bit of helpful information, but what I think it leaves out is a bit of common sense. Specifically, shimmy is a function of the bike *and* rider together. Without thinking about it, you've learned to ride in a way that doesn't create or enhance shimmy. But that's at relatively-normal speeds. Two things happen at speeds "off the charts." First, people aren't going to design a frame that's specifically meant to be super-stable at speeds that people aren't likely to hit (such a design would likely compromise handling at more moderate speeds). Second, because such speeds are so unusual, the rider doesn't have experience in knowing how to ride at such speeds. The fear, uncertainty & doubt (probably a whole lot of adrenalin, basically) doesn't help matters. As for Ventoux, I don't recall there being many stretches of that road where you could hit such high speeds. Carson pass, with a tail wind, is another matter entirely. Be very, very careful when doing so; a flat at 55mph can be more excitement that you would want to experience. --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles www.ChainReactionBicycles.com |
#6
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Frame balancing for high speeds?
Thank you gentlemen. I feel more at ease after reading the FAQ's page,
and Mike's response. I'll see you in the spring at tune up time Mike. I have to confess after reading Brandt's last paragraph, I was cold when I first dropped down Carson. In fact I told my buddy I wasn't sure if it was the bike or me. I know it happened twice in the same stretch. The first time I relaxed my grip and concentrated on my breathing. However, very shortly thereafter I had the shimmy again. So, it still could have been me that initiated it, but I understand better how it all works now. Incidentally, had a brief encounter with Brandt last year. I was climbing up Highland Road from Corrolitos with a couple of slow riders. Brandt came riding by while I was giving the guys a quick brake. Brandt stopped to chat a moment. I thought at the time, "That is one old guy still hanging tough." He still wears old wool bike clothes and no helmet, just like when he was in his early years. I later visited some websites that had photos of Brandt in France way back in the seventies. He's still riding the same dang yellow bike that was in the photos too, it's huge compared to my 54cm. I also thought, wow, "He's tough, but what a dinosaur". He was a bit of a smart ass too. One of the guys with me was also an old smart ass Jewish guy at sixty-years-old. When the topic came up about our route, I thought these two old guys could have easily dismounted and start throwing blows once the one-upsmanship started flying. It was almost hilarious, like a couple of old ****id off New Yorkers. Two rude old farts puffing up and arguing out in the middle of nowhere. It was a funny moment. Thanks again for the info, -RB |
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