Wobble on touring bike when semi fully loaded – help please!

[Deleted member 30479]

Hi all,

I have built up a 21.5” Bob Jackson World Tour frame. This weekend I cycled from London->Calais->Roubaix->Bruges->Dunkirk which was a great tour. It’s also my first longish tour on the bike. I noticed that when I I’m at a relatively fast speed, probably over 15kph and I shake the handle bars, I can feel a serious wobble throughout the bike. Same is true when I’m out of my saddle cycling up a hill. Is this normal??

In terms of gear, I kept it relatively light only packing a 21 litre Carradice Super C saddle bag loaded with about 20-25kg – mounted well. Specs on the bike is as follows:

- Bob Jackson 21.5” World Tour frame Reynolds 631 steel
- Carradice Super C saddle bag mounted with Bagman 2 expedition
- 28mm Schawble Durano Plus with EXEL17 Wheels/Ultegra Hubs
- Mix of 105 and Ultegra groupset
- 42 drop bars / Shimano 105 shifters – only things attached to it was a Garmin 800 GPS and a Leyzne XL light
- All gears, etc functioning very well – recently fully serviced – and makes no rattling – just hums on the road.

If I use a rear rack and only one pannier (this is my commuting setup) I don’t notice it as much… it is however really noticeable with saddle bag. Is the wobble normal on steel bikes? Is it because it’s 631 steel? Would 8xx or 9xx be better?

Thanks in advance

 

[oonaff]

i havent read up or 'you tubed' diy frame and fork allignment yet.but when i get my next frame im certainly going
to make it a first.
as weight distribution sounds central. i would look at the above perhaps a really good recomended bike shop.
getting back onto diy checking there is some good builders thin nylon string which you can stretch extremely tightly or perhaps fishing tackle.i believe the points are around the head t/ both rear drop outs at the same points ,and measure each side from string to seat tube.also if you hold the frame up flat to a light source and eye ball the top side of the seat tube is parallel to the bottom run of the head tube a thin chink of light to nothing shoul be seen. course it could be something simple as the head set or rear wheel not spining parallel with the seat tube or insufficiant spokes.may be other readers have more tips to diy frame checking. got to save the penny's

 

[daccordimark]

Hi,
Firstly, don't shake the 'bars!!! Seriously though are you saying the whole bike weighed 20-25kg or just the saddlebag?
If it's the latter then I'm not surprised it wobbles as that is a heck of a weight to have behind the saddle. I used to commute with a large Carradice longflap of some type not sure which now but it was never usually loaded with more than that day's clothes and a puncture repair kit. It was fine like that but the few times I did fill it with loads of gear for weekends away it did make the bike twitchy. In the I balanced it up with a handlebar bag which improved things no end.

Mark.

 

[Deleted member 30479]

Thanks both - correction, it's about 20-25 LBS not KG in just the saddle bag. Not sure if buying a handle bar bag will improve things? Can't see this happening?

 

[oonaff]

what was the weight in the carridice ? do you mean to tell me ive written all that for sweet fa !!

 

[hamster]

It sounds fairly typical to me. Loaded bikes have handling all of their own. I rarely if ever ride out of the saddle when fully loaded, the whole thing starts to flex and eventually something gets out of sync (usually me!) Unloading the bike always makes it feel like riding a jet fighter.

25lbs is not extraordinary for rear-only, although two panniers rather than a saddlebag is more usual.

 

[Deleted member 30479]

what was the weight in the carridice ?

well felt like 20 lbs... didn't have a scale with me. Had clothes, tools, and lots of food - it was the food that mostly weighed it down!

 

[Deleted member 30479]

It sounds fairly typical to me. Loaded bikes have handling all of their own. I rarely if ever ride out of the saddle when fully loaded, the whole thing starts to flex and eventually something gets out of sync (usually me!) Unloading the bike always makes it feel like riding a jet fighter.

25lbs is not extraordinary for rear-only, although two panniers rather than a saddlebag is more usual.

Thanks hamster - looking on the forums looks like many people have a similar problem... glad to know it's not the bike or anything wrong with the frame!

 

[t47b]

Re:

If you want to make any bike wobble, put all the weight on the saddle and shake the bars!

two things guaranteed to necessitate a change of shorts :shock:

 

[foz]

You need to keep the weight as low as possible, and as well balanced as possible both side to side and front to rear. A bike that is designed to take panniers, etc should not wobble when properly loaded.