Unstable front end part II...

[EnduroFit]

:crap: 20054 Raleigh Prestige with a Ritchey Pro Carbon Fork and Ritchey Logic WCS Zero Stack Headset. My friend, when applying the front brake, claims the whole front end shimmy's and vibrates. Almost wobbling. Basically she feels very unsafe and the bike shop keeps running out of fixes. They said it was the brakes first, then headset, which was loose and fixed, but now the whole scenario is back! Anyone heard of this problem with the 2005 Raleigh's? Any help would be greatly appreciated. :confused:

Brent

[Argos]

Has anyone ridden it and experienced it besides her?

[dave thompson]

:crap: 20054 Raleigh Prestige with a Ritchey Pro Carbon Fork and Ritchey Logic WCS Zero Stack Headset. My friend, when applying the front brake, claims the whole front end shimmy's and vibrates. Almost wobbling. Basically she feels very unsafe and the bike shop keeps running out of fixes. They said it was the brakes first, then headset, which was loose and fixed, but now the whole scenario is back! Anyone heard of this problem with the 2005 Raleigh's? Any help would be greatly appreciated. :confused:

Brent
Have your friend put on a different front wheel and see if the
shimmy/vibration happens. I have a suspicion that the problem lies in the rim. Changing wheels would confirm or deny that.

[Smiley]

It might all boil down to her position and weight distribution on the bike. She may not have enough weight on her handle bars to weigh the front tire. She needs to be looked at while riding and then maybe raising her saddle and lowering the stem . It could be that simple .

[EnduroFit]

"Hey, when you all bike your bike all nice and shiny...
how did the brakes feel? My back brakes seem to
vibrate or feels like they are rough. How to describe
this. Uhm, when I hit the brakes... not slam them,
but gently squeeze, the front of the bike seems to
vibrate or shimy or something. I have been having
head seat problems. But I have been told by the shop
it has been my brakes. That my wheel is new and
wearing in. That 80% of brakes do this on bikes.
Others are the exception. The 2 other bikes I have had
have never done this. So, taking my own poll. When
you brake do you feel anything but a smooth brake?"

She said the next step is to change the front wheel, so I'll wait to hear back from her.

Thanks for all the input.
Brent

[Smiley]

check the front hub and make sure the bears are tight , this happened to me once

[palincss]

"Hey, when you all bike your bike all nice and shiny...
how did the brakes feel? My back brakes seem to
vibrate or feels like they are rough. How to describe
this. Uhm, when I hit the brakes... not slam them,
but gently squeeze, the front of the bike seems to
vibrate or shimy or something. I have been having
head seat problems. But I have been told by the shop
it has been my brakes. That my wheel is new and
wearing in. That 80% of brakes do this on bikes.
Others are the exception. The 2 other bikes I have had
have never done this. So, taking my own poll. When
you brake do you feel anything but a smooth brake?"

She said the next step is to change the front wheel, so I'll wait to hear back from her.

Thanks for all the input.
Brent

You notice, some of the time it's the back that is said to be vibrating, sometimes the front. If it were me, I'd try the bike myself, to see if I could replicate it and perhaps describe it more exactly - and I'd bring along a set of wheels I'm familiar with to swap in, both front and back, to see if that makes a difference.

This could be something as simple as an inexperienced rider, not knowing what to expect, feeling the joint in the rim when she puts on the brakes; or it could be something far more severe. "Shimmy" sends up flares, of course; but how often do people who have never experienced the real thing use that term for something else?

[Ginger]

If it's not the wheels, ask politely if she's rolling forward on soft tissue when she rides...(she shouldn't be in any pain in that area) if she is maybe it's a fit issue and she needs to see someone other than her shop to get a proper fit.

[shaq-d]

if it's just vibrating, and if the stem and headset are tight, it's probably no big deal... i'd just make sure it's all tight.

sd

[David Kirk]

:crap: 20054 Raleigh Prestige with a Ritchey Pro Carbon Fork and Ritchey Logic WCS Zero Stack Headset. My friend, when applying the front brake, claims the whole front end shimmy's and vibrates. Almost wobbling. Basically she feels very unsafe and the bike shop keeps running out of fixes. They said it was the brakes first, then headset, which was loose and fixed, but now the whole scenario is back! Anyone heard of this problem with the 2005 Raleigh's? Any help would be greatly appreciated. :confused:

Brent

It sounds to me like the front brakes aren't adjusted properly. Not enough toe in or way too much. It can also be a function of new, clean, super sticky brake pads on very clean rims.

Dave

[Too Tall]

Don't discount bike handling skills. I swear, I've seen this and there is no reason for it other than nerves.

Hey, that bike doesn't have aerobars does it?