Just curious if anyone has experienced the same. in removing hands from the bar, adjusting helmet or whatever, there is a massive "instability" wobble in the front wheel :eek: - requiring hand/s to go back on the bar - or to NOT peddle when you're removing the hands so there is no side action to the bike.

any ideas??

Is the bike really that unstable?

That can be alot of different things.

Stem not 100% straight
Wheel not 100% tru
Tire not fully beaded
Slight to Serious imperfection in tire casing
Headset slightly out of adjustment
Front QR needs to be snugged up
Fork setup
Seat position (tilt, fore-aft)

Check all those things and report back or go to your LBS. :)

Just curious if anyone has experienced the same. in removing hands from the bar, adjusting helmet or whatever, there is a massive "instability" wobble in the front wheel :eek: - requiring hand/s to go back on the bar - or to NOT peddle when you're removing the hands so there is no side action to the bike.

any ideas??

Is the bike really that unstable?

As I understand it, all bikes, road bikes included, speed wobble (shimmy) when ridden with no hands at a certain critical speed. If the bike doesn't wobble when you have one or both hands on the bar, don't worry about it, other than making sure your suspension pivots don't have undue play in them.

Thanks - will check some of these out - just never had to mess with it before

Just curious if anyone has experienced the same. in removing hands from the bar, adjusting helmet or whatever, there is a massive "instability" wobble in the front wheel :eek: - requiring hand/s to go back on the bar - or to NOT peddle when you're removing the hands so there is no side action to the bike.

any ideas??

Is the bike really that unstable?


I have heard this was a problem with the L and XL frames. Just too flexy. Don't know if they fixed it or not.

I've noticed this on my '06 X-Cal several times in the year I've owned it. On other bikes, when I push off the bars to rides sans hands I usually do 'push' the bars a bit. On the fisher, if pressure is greater on one side than the other, it will start wobbling; works with different tires, etc. If you're expecting it, it's kina fun actually!

In my experience this is to do weight distribution. Too much in the rear, and not enough in the front.

Probably far too simple an answer, but I'm a simple man.

Probably far too simple an answer, but I'm a simple man.

Mama told me when I was young
Come sit beside me, my only son...

Damnit, now that song is stuck in my head...Oh well, I could do worse...