Originally Posted by Ric
Again Check on the Catrike board / forum
http://p216.ezboard.com/bcatrike and talk to some of those guys, You can also drop Paulo himself at the Catrike factory a message there, he is the designer and manufacturer of the trike and he can tell you the solution for your problem. and he will make it right.
To say that all Speeds do the samething is bull, THEY DO NOT. I purchased my speed in 2005 and and put well over a thousand miles a year and never had the issue with vibration you've encountered, and I'm 5'11 and 194lbs. Too change or run fatter tires on the front end would be changing the design of the Speed and the purpose for which it was designed, anyone who does that purchased the wrong trike to begin with, that's why Catrike makes six different Trikes.
You're jumping to conclusions and NOT reading what I posted. Of the three Speeds I've ridden, they ALL exibit the same behaviour (2 are 2006, one 2005) - pay attention. My friend, who is 5'11'', and weighs about 185, has no problem with steering issues except a steep hill when he rides mine and the other 2006 Speed. Another friend who is 6'1" has the same problems with front end shimmy that I do, but not as pronounced. My brother who is 6'4", has major shimmy issues on both trikes. So, surprise me, and read the post AGAIN, like I said, the shimmy issue seems to be related to riders OVER SIX FEET TALL! The fact that a shorter rider, on a steep downhill where the weight shift is FORWARD starts to exhibit the same shimmy issues is obviously an issue of weight bias with too much on the front end.
You being a supposed "expert" on yet ANOTHER bent, maybe you can point out where on the Catrike website it says the Speed is the wrong trike for tall riders? That also being the case, maybe you can explain why the extended boom has room for even more adjustment, probably cloce to a 6'6" rider???
As for tire changes, the results it would provide, if any, are minimal except increasing caster, and providing more ground clearance. Again though, apparently you have inside info on what the "purpose" of the trike is and how the 1/2" extra of ground clearance would radically change that?? If the shimmy issue doesn't affect you, then good, be quiet about it. I know two other Speed owners that are over 6' tall and they have the same issues. Your comments are typically worthless, especially in the technical end on this matter. I can (and have) actually built trikes, rather than wander into a shop with a blank look and drop a wad of cash. The same shimmy issues that happen on the Speed have happened on other trikes I've modified and repaired, and the solution is the one I mentioned, twice now. The solution has already been submitted too, move more weight aft on the frame by lengthening the wheelbase and shortening the boom. You, again being the "expert"m maybe you can give paulo some technical help on the solution. Not . . .
"The only truly stupid people are the ones who refuse to learn . . . "