How is the best way to handle a front end speed wobble?

Situation: Your descending down a trail/track/path and your front wheel 'hits' a patch of mud/softer trail surface and the rear end of the bike wants to overtake the front, what do you do?

I have twice completely stacked the bike and once went into a rather long speedway slide because of this.

Situation: Your descending down a trail/track/path and your front wheel 'hits' a patch of mud/softer trail surface and the rear end of the bike wants to overtake the front, what do you do?

I fall off. 😆

If you reduce your rear tyre pressure by about 1.5 psi as soon as the slide starts that should help bring the back end in line a bit 🙂

I'm not sure about this, but if your weight is sufficiently far back, does your front wheel not skate through it reasonably easily? Obviously if you're over the front end it really digs in and you go A over T…

that doesn't sound like speed wobble to me.

try and manual the front wheel over the softer patch – so the rear wheel hits first.

As per nicko and thom, weight back and if you can try to lift the front end over the soft patch (even if only for a second) seems to help me get by

I thought a speed wobble was something that happens with (very) steep angled bikes (XC race/road bikes) at (very) high speeds and is nigh on impossible to regain control from? I remember reading a lengthy thread on here a while back anyway ..

Thanks for the replies guys, wasn't sure of the correct term, brown trouser moment was my next thought!

Had a feeling that I was a little front end heavy, i'll try and keep my weight further back and a slight pull back on the bars when I think it is required and see how it goes.

Roman – are you the Roman coming to Brechfa on Sunday joining up with the Blackwood boys off MTB Wales.

If so we can practice this then with a video camera ready 😆

I might be Paul 😉 Not sure if I am ready for a video yet. Decided what tyres you taking yet 😀

😆

Sticking to my Maxxis Highrollers, nearly worn the back out so might as well finish it off this weekend, Cwmcarn was well slippy on Tuesday night Phil had an awesome "off" he ended up 30ft down a steep sided bank – mental 😮