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Old 08-24-15 | 07:29 AM
  #7  
HillRider
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 33,657
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From: Pittsburgh, PA

Bikes: '96 Litespeed Catalyst, '05 Litespeed Firenze, '06 Litespeed Tuscany, '20 Surly Midnight Special, All are 3x10. It is hilly around here!

Originally Posted by mtnbke
Even on a XXL compact geometry Giant OCR1 I've had shimmying and death wobble so bad on a descent (even with my hands FIRMLY in the drops) that I was terrified I was going to crash.
I wonder if having your hands FIRMLY in the drops didn't contribute to the wobble problem. Keeping your arms and elbows rigid and stiff can exacerbate the wobble. I've notice on a local 40+ mph downhill on all of my bikes (56 and 57 cm frames) that I can generate a bit of instability by locking my arms and it goes away completely when I relax a bit.

Yes, large frames are not as shimmy-free as small ones but the current use of oversize tubes and very stiff frame designs has greatly reduced the tendency.
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