Yes, this is what I'm looking for: "Note to that on every bike I can comfortable go down hill holding my floppy hat on my head with one hand and other hand lightly on the bar with zero shimmy or even a trace... "
I think I just need to pack better, I like the forward of rear axle idea. That may be why a seat bag works well, even though it's high up??? On Monday, June 1, 2015 at 10:53:25 AM UTC-7, dougP wrote: > > " If I bought an Atlantis expecting it to carry a load and it couldn't, > I'd be upset. " > > It's a matter of placement, balance, and load security. The bike is fine; > it's how we choose to use it that can cause variations in handling. Lot's > of trial & lots of error went into my learning experience. Your Sam could > likely carry 40 lbs but would have to be organized properly to do so. > Mike's comments about low placement are especially pertinent. > > dougP > > On Sunday, May 31, 2015 at 9:47:22 PM UTC-7, hangtownmatt wrote: >> >> Wow! I find this post disturbing. If I bought an Atlantis expecting it >> to carry a load and it couldn't, I'd be upset. >> >> As a side note: I participated in this years "Party at Pardee". It's a >> Northern California foothills annual metric century with about 4,500 feet >> of climbing. In a sea of carbon I rode my Sam Hillborne. As I was tooling >> along a Surly Trucker pulled up alongside and we rode together for a >> while. He complimented me on my bike and told me about some of his tours; >> both in the USA and out. This dude was seasoned, and if this ride was a >> race he probably could have won it on his unloaded Trucker. I could only >> keep pace for a while. He was a fan of Rivendell and was familiar with >> their offerings. I asked him a few questions about touring and he said the >> Trucker was a "noodle" with 60 lbs. of gear. He was disappointed. I asked >> him if he thought my Sam could handle 40 lbs. and he said "I doubt it". I >> think he was being polite. >> >> Since than, I've been thinking about the possibility of a trailer. I'd >> hate to sell the Sam because I love the ride and want to grow old with it, >> Gotta love romance. One day, I hope to haul more than 40+ lbs on a touring >> expedition, and I do not want to have to get another bike. A trailer >> probably has its own set of problems but I can see advantages also. For >> example, less weight on the primary wheels; this would seem to be >> especially significant off road. Less weight on the frame which may help >> with shimmy, and maybe most importantly, the ability to have one bike for >> recreational riding, commuting, S240's and touring. All the while, still >> making use of other previously purchased accessories such as racks, >> panniers, baskets, shopsacks, etc. >> >> For the record these are just my thoughts, and I want to clarify this >> because I really have no S240 or touring experience on a bicycle. I do, >> however, have a lot of experience touring and camping on a motorcycle. I >> think there are similarities. Motorcycles will shimmy also, but I learned >> to live with it, played with it, and had fun with it, but never considered >> a trailer. Probably because things are different when you have several >> hundred CC's between your legs at the twist of a wrist. But I'm no newbie >> to cycling either. I've been commuting on a bicycle, on average 30 - 45 >> miles per day, 5 days per week, for the most part year round, since the >> early nineties. >> >> I don't want to take this topic off track but I am interested in what >> people think of trailers, as an option, in general. At least until we hear >> the scientific results from of dougP, David and Hugh. >> >> >> On Sunday, May 31, 2015 at 7:13:17 PM UTC-7, hsmitham wrote: >>> >>> Whew! I just read all the posts, took two attempts. I've been busy! >>> >>> I have to agree with rack/load flex as at least one point of origin of >>> oscillation that is then transmitted through out the frame, but in the >>> extreme. Both my Hilsen and Atlantis have had shimmy. When riding the >>> Hilsen basically unloaded at speeds above 25 mph hands free I get shimmy as >>> soon as I squeeze the top tube with my knees it's gone! Hands on nothing. >>> >>> I had the same issue with my '03 Atlantis loaded or unloaded. Violent >>> shimmy even with one hand loaded and horrible at low speed climbing, lots >>> of drift and correction which is super fatiguing. Mike Schiller suggested >>> the Tange needle bearing headset, which I installed. The headset made a >>> huge difference and like Doug said the increased friction at the bottom >>> race (the upper race are normal bearings)dampens the oscillation. But this >>> headset will only go so far in resolving shimmy. Personally, I feel that >>> the ride quality inherent with Riv's tubing and geometry that we admire is >>> also what contributes to frame flex and consequently shimmy. In the case of >>> both my bikes unladen I hypothesize the shake originates at the bottom fork >>> race and becomes amplified though out the frame. Add a load that flexes and >>> you have a recipe for increased shaking. I understand that some Riv's don't >>> manifest these qualities therefore I attribute this to inconsistencies in >>> batch builds. Also, I'm certainly no expert in tubing types and geometry >>> but understand there are other bike builds that don't manifest these >>> qualities. But since we're talking about a Riv "All Rounder". >>> >>> David, I understand you want to use what you have but I'll still throw >>> out my suggestions even though. >>> >>> So how to mitigate these aspects and have the stability desired? Install >>> the Tange headset number one, next as Doug mentioned, try different load >>> configurations. I like a low front load even with a medium trail fork using >>> a Tubus low rider rack with hoop, small campee rack/basket configuration >>> under 3 lbs and a light rear load strapped/secured to an R14 rack. When >>> feasible I ditch the low rider's off road. >>> >>> In terms of cockpits, and I know lots of you love drop bars but for >>> comfort I like Albatross bars up high, I can be in an aggressive position >>> in the hooks and when I need to give my back and neck a break I can sit up >>> with no need to ride hands free. >>> >>> I have plans to remove & replace my Hilsen's headset and since my >>> Atlantis is my loaded tour rig I have plans to have a low trail fork built >>> just to see whether or not it makes a difference. My .02. >>> >>> Cheers, >>> >>> ~Hugh >>> Los Angeles, CA >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> May 28, 2015 at 9:07:38 PM UTC-7, [email protected] wrote: >>> > Last week on a S240, had a great time (except for that one incident) >>> > but the problem was really, really bad shimmy/wobble. So bad I really >>> > couldn't take my hands off even for a bit at any speed. >>> > Rear loaded, with a little bit up front (sleeping bag). Pannier on one >>> > side only but not a ton of weight in there. Heaviest thing was >>> > probably the tent, packed up high. >>> > So what am I packing wrong? I don't want to get a whole new luggage >>> > system, nor a new bike, just want to work with what I've got and what >>> > you can see here: >>> > >>> https://www.flickr.com/photos/cyclotourist/17795666300/in/photostream/lightbox/ >>> >>> > Suggestions? Want to get it so I'm stable and can ride hands free, at >>> > least at lower <10mph speeds. Possible, or just the wrong bike for it? >>> > Intermediate Riv tubing, OS downtube, nothing super light, nor super >>> > stout, basically like a Hilsen I would guess. >>> > >>> > -- >>> > Cheers, >>> > David >>> > >>> > Member, Supreme Council of Cyberspace >>> > >>> > "it isn't a contest. Just enjoy the ride." - Seth Vidal >>> >>> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
