Speed Wobble

billyhead

Had one of these on the WW200 descending down Slieve Mann. Scared the **** out of me. As other riders who done the event know there was a bit of a cross wind and the road surface conditions were not great due to the rain but I don't know how much of an influence this was. I was going at around 65km. I have read conflicting views on this such as the headset could be faulty to a problem with the wheel alignment/fitting to the road and weather conditions. I gave the bike a look over when I got home from the event and there doesn't look like anything out of the ordinary. Just wondering has anyone else ever experienced this and if so did it happen again with the same bike.

TheBlaaMan

It happens. Dont panic - grab the top tube between your two knees and try to slow down gradually with gentle application of the brakes.
Carry on and keep calm.

pab01

I've had this happen. I've read somewhere (not sure where) that it can basically happen to all bikes tho not at the same speed. IIRC its essentially something to do with vibration(?) of various parts of bike harmonising and creating a wobble. (Similar thing happened to a footbridge in London a while back with crowds walking across it). Once above a certain speed it allegedly stops but never tried that. Best thing is as above, stop pedalling, use knees to steady bike and brake slowly.

Buzwaldo

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=78019222

Muckers

I'm an expert on speed wobbles:):). Had the **** scared out of me on a few occasions and on 3 different bikes too. As scary as they are, I've not heard of anyone crashing out as a result of one. Worst thing you can do is grip the bars tightly, as this only makes it worse. As previous post says, grip top tube with knees and stop pedalling and allow the bike to slow down either naturally or by feathering the brakes.

jgreene83

Check your headset isn't loose. Had a speed wobble last Friday coming down from Powers the Pot into Nire Valley, turns out my headset was loose. Easy to check, just stand in front of the bike, lift it up a few inches by the handlebars and drop it, if you hear a vibration in the headset then get it looked at in your lbs.

Wicklowrider

Muckers wrote: »

I'm an expert on speed wobbles:):). Had the **** scared out of me on a few occasions and on 3 different bikes too. As scary as they are, I've not heard of anyone crashing out as a result of one. Worst thing you can do is grip the bars tightly, as this only makes it worse. As previous post says, grip top tube with knees and stop pedalling and allow the bike to slow down either naturally or by feathering the brakes.

Agree with this.

I got wobbles for many years, on and off. I would bet my house that the majority of wobbles are user induced. How many of these posts start with " there was a strong crosswind" " a lorry passed very close..." " I hit a pot hole" etc. when these things happen it is most peoples instinct to tighten their hold on the bars and move back on the saddle and straighten their arms and stop pedaling. Any of these actions can start a wobble and most people do all of them. NOTE: I have NEVER heard of a wobble STARTING while the rider was pedaling. Suggestions above about how to stop a wobble are all good but the fastest way to stop one is to raise your arse out of the saddle - bit scary but it will stop the wobble instantly. Its like an elastic band stretched between two points will "twang" but as soon as you release one end it stops vibrating instantly.

tldr: don't tense up, don't grip bars, don't stop pedaling and if all fails lift your arse off saddle.