Group--- I wish to thank all involved in the "shimmy" issue the past few days. I have owned a whole series of "killer" bicycles, all of them 25" and 26" frames (with a high seat post), that I have spent a GREAT deal of effort truing wheels and adjusting headsets. I am pleased to know that is is probably just ME and my tall framework! I'm looking forward to my next hill, where I can try this weight forward and knee on the top tube routine--- I must admit that the concept of my face scraping along the pavement at speed has always made me a bit tense during the "shimmy" phase... :-) Cheers and Thanks again--- Nelson Miller-- Seattle
>From: Richard M Sachs
>To: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
>Subject: Re: [CR]Now:Shimmy Was:"Mojo" or B. S. Confente/Baylis/Herse
>Date: Tue, 9 Jul 2002 18:09:46 -0400
>
>i agree with chuck's assessment of my assessment.
>e-RICHIE
>chester, ct
>
>
>
>On Tue, 09 Jul 2002 14:59:27 -0700 Chuck Schmidt
>
writes:
> > Richie Sachs wrote:
> > >
> > (cut)
> > > ya' know what i think the real issue is? some people don't
> > > have balls. they don't know how to go down a hill without
> > freezing
> > > up. period. i MEAN, do you ever here of guys descending in
> > > the pyrenees, in the pro ranks, on factory built bicycles...do
> > you
> > > ever hear about these guys losing it at 62mph? no! because they
> > > have honed their bicycle handling skills. for the rest of us,
> > when
> > > it comes to the issue of shimmy, and descending speeds, and the
> > > related issues, i say it's all pilot error.
> >
> >
> > I agree. The first time it happens it scares you to death! But all
> > it
> > takes to stop the shimmy is your knee against the top tube. I have
> > seen
> > riders totally freaked and almost go off the road and down the side
> > of a
> > mountain the first time it happens.
> >
> > If someone doesn't clue them in that all bikes will shimmy if their
> > natural vibrating frequency is initiated by a shiver, being too
> > tense
> > hitting a small rock in the road etc. their opinion is that they
> > have a
> > "killer" bike. Then they start looking at the headset, wheel
> > construction, etc.; all the wrong things. They even sell the bike
> > and
> > bad mouth the builder!
> >
> > Sometimes the frequency of the frame is beyond the speed you ride,
> > sometimes not. My '60 Mercian Superlight road/track bike will start
> > to
> > slowly shimmy if I ride no hands at 15 mph. All I have to do is
> > lean
> > forward and it stops.
> >
> > Ride smoothly and relax on those hair raising descents and you'll
> > be
> > fine. And be ready to put that knee against the top tube if you
> > can't relax...
> >
> > Chuck "if I was any more relaxed I'd be asleep" Schmidt
> > SoPas, SoCal
> > _______________________________________________
> > Classicrendezvous mailing list
> > Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> > ezvous
> >
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