I have a 56-cm Trek 5200 with Ksyrium wheels. I've ridden it for a few years without problems, but in the last few months the bike has developed a shimmy, wobble wiggle (whatever) at speeds of 40+ mph. Here's the kicker: I haven't changed anything on the bike, nor is my body or riding style different. The shop has pulled the bike apart and can't find anything that could cause … [Read more...] about High-Speed Shimmy: Possible Causes, and How to Handle It
Aerodynamics
Bicycling Hand Position on Climbs While Standing – Tops or Drops?
Question: I've always been told to hold the brake hoods during out-of-saddle climbing. They say this makes it easier to breathe. But I see many pros climbing with their hands on the handlebar drops as if they were sprinting. What made the old advice obsolete? —Stan M. … [Read more...] about Bicycling Hand Position on Climbs While Standing – Tops or Drops?
Tales of a Mobile Wind Tunnel Bike Fitting
Sandy Scott is a multiple Florida, Georgia and national time trial champion across numerous distances. Sandy's is an amazing cycling story: Now 72, he didn't take up the sport until age 64, and soon afterward broke his neck in a time trial. He has, in one of his favorite phrases, been "kicking butt" since. Click to watch an interview with Sandy that tells of his … [Read more...] about Tales of a Mobile Wind Tunnel Bike Fitting
The Physics of Riding a Bicycle in the Wind
By Bob Howland After a recent windy ride, Premium Member Bill Rosenfeld wrote to pose two questions about the physics of riding in the wind: 1) When you're buffeted by a cross-wind, does going faster make you more or less stable? Velocity is a vector quantity; it has both speed and direction. Let's say you are going directly north (0 degrees) at 20 mph and you are being … [Read more...] about The Physics of Riding a Bicycle in the Wind
Crankarm Study Says Length Doesn’t Matter
By Coach Fred Matheny Have you ever wondered why bicycles come with a relatively narrow range of crankarm lengths? Most cranks commercially available range from 165 to 175 mm. This 1 cm span equals about 1/3 inch yet is supposed to fit riders from under 5 feet tall to well over 6 feet. Very tall cyclists can buy 180-mm cranks from a few companies, but that's generally … [Read more...] about Crankarm Study Says Length Doesn’t Matter