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I'll be honest, I thought this was a bit of a roadie myth, used as an excuse to pass off being rubbish at descending on tarmac, and that even if it did exist, I'd never suffer from it. After all, as a [s]former[/s] current mountain bike [s]champion[/s] rider, [s]he's[/s] I'd be one of the best bike-handlers in the peloton, Paul.
You're absolutely right there, Phil.
Turns out I was wrong. It does exist, and it's a bit scary. Earlier today I was fairly certain I was about to buy the farm at 75kph.
I've since read a few things about speed wobbles, their causes and the actions you're supposed to take if affected. If anyone can tell me that any of that goes through their head when they're at what feels like Mach 10, level-pegging an Eddie Stobart that's four feet to their right, I'm calling them a liar.
A pair of new bibshorts for Christmas please, Santa.
i had a *very* scary speed wobble going down an Alp, in between knitting buttons i pressed my knee into the top-tube like i'd read and it disappeared and i started to breath again
It took me a while to stop my bike doing it. Luckily it was only 30mph but the repeated change-something-see-if-it-does-it-again iterations got less and less fun.
Once Felicity Jane had pulled ahead I did manage to get my shit together, grip the top tube with my knees (more out of fear than anything else) and get more weight over the front, which sorted everything out.
Then I gently pulled the brakes until I came to a halt and said "Fuuuuaaaar... fuuuuuaaaar... fuuuuuaaaar" a lot until I could manage to say the proper swear word. Which I did, many times.
Certainly focuses the mind! Only ten minutes prior I'd been thinking about a good friend of my dad's, who now has a different personality following a speed wobble crash that required a ride in a ghetto bird and several weeks in hospital.
It's terrifying when you get it bad. Had them a few times, and on the worst of them I was convinced either my tyre had blown, or I'd lost a few spokes! That and I was going to hit the floor... It's almost like your bike has turned to jelly.
For me personally, I think my own tension on the bike has been the common denominator. And crosswinds...but they make me a bit tense too.
had a few fun experiences while cycling to Slovenia this summer, the bike/trailer combo I was using had a speed wobble between 53-56kph, it was fine once you got to about 58kph - but it took a lot of nerve to power through the wobble. The most scary moment was in the tunnel coming down into Austria from St Anton, the speed limit was 60kph and I didn't have my lights on the bike so I decided to try to keep up with the pace of the traffic - Que a huge speed wobble and me clipping the curb all while trying not to be hit by the car behind - from then on I always kept lights on my bike and didn't go above 50kph unless it was quiet!
Road bike + spokie dokies= near death experience.
butcher - I think crosswinds definitely played a part in this episode. I was keeping an eye on the speedo and I gained 15kpm almost instantly once they came into effect. Prior to that I was coasting along quite comfortably.
The speed wobble wasn't actually the most frightening aspect of the day. The plaudit is reserved for turning up 30 minutes late for my rendezvous with the wife and kids, at the end of said bike ride 🙁