fishtailing on new road bike!

It was TERRIFYING! I was cruising along, slight downhill, prob around 19 mph (wasn't looking at the computer), nice pavement. Not braking. Then the rear wheel fishtails all over the place- several big wobbles from side to side. Somehow I held on and got sorted out. What are some causes for fishtailing, and how do you properly recover from a fish tail so you don't go down? If I had hit, it would have been very bad for me and bike, but I feel like luck, not skill, kept me upright this time. How often does this happen to you ladies?

Were you using the rear brakes going down the slight downhill? That's one cause, from what I have read.

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Originally Posted by wiseowl

How often does this happen to you ladies?

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Once on my mountain bike when I had no front brakes.

Once when I overcooked a corner (Trinity Grade for you Norcal folks) and braked too hard.

If you weren't braking - check your tire pressure, could be too low.

V.

Rear brakes are the usual cause. Release the brakes completely, and you should recover.

I had this happen once, going into a hairpin a little hot after getting new brake pads. Had a car right behind me as it happened, and no shoulder. I released the brakes completely and the bike stood up straight as I came out of the turn and the people in the car, when it passed me on the straight, gave me a big thumbs up. :cool:

Had that happen once on the front end of my recumbent when the QR skewer got kicked open when I was taking the bike out of my car. Riding along and suddenly the front was all over the place!

eeek!

Recovery: just remember that you weigh more than the bike and the bike will follow you. Release the brakes and let the bike straighten up. Keep your head up and your eyes forward as your body will follow your head and eyes.

I fishtailed once in a tri when it was raining and there was tomato harvest goo all over the roads. I was going into a turn trying to pass someone. I pedaled a little harder and momentarily took a straighter line.

I also wonder why it happened if you weren't braking? Were your hands on the drops? Maybe your weight was too far forward, and not enough on the seat, therefore not enough onto the back wheel? Does that make sense? The time I fishtailed, that's how I was positioned, and I was rear braking. Not enough traction between the rear tire and the pavement.

Glad you pulled out of it! Don't let it freak you out. I know how scary it was. Get back on the bike, and ride a road you're comfortable on right away to get your confidence back.

It's only happened to me once.

Good point about the braking. I think my fishtail was the turn combined with the tomato soup in which I was riding. Not recommended riding conditions. Maybe if it had been marinara.:p

Definitely braking is the consistent factor here.

Mine was new brake pads, SK was riding through Campbell's soup and braking, V braked too hard in a turn - perhaps since this is a "new bike" you don't quite have a feel for the brakes yet. Or maybe the brakes are adjusted a bit tight so it doesn't take much pressure to give you a bit too much brake power. You may want to get the brakes looked at.

The only time I've fishtailed when not braking was in high cross winds when my headset was loose and I was going too fast. If there wasn't wind or something slick on the pavement, check your bike.

My scariest fishtail - I braked too hard on a downhill (Mt Diablo) on wet pavement when a car coming uphill rounded a corner in my lane. I was flashing on Beloki's horrible fishtailing and crash at TdF since that was how I was fishtailing - and flashed too on smashing into the grill of the still approaching car - before I just managed to get the bike under control and steer around the car.

I am pretty sure i wasn't braking, but maybe i was applying pressure to the brakes without realizing it. It was windy out...hmmm.

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Originally Posted by aka_kim

T I was flashing on Beloki's horrible fishtailing and crash at TdF since that was how I was fishtailing.

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That's funny, I had the same vision. He never really got back to form either. That's sad.

V.

Notice one more consistent thing here, Wise....it seems like we all recovered from our fishtails. I'm just pointing this out so you know it happens sometimes, and you shouldn't be too scared to ride. I felt like it was luck that I didn't fall, but maybe your body knows instinctively what to do. Or, we're all just lucky!:)

Another tip--when goind downhill, sit up on the saddle, and get into a less aerodynamic position. This may bring your weight back over the rear tire, and slow you down slightly, making bike handling more manageable. Someone told me to do this after I fishtailed. It hasn't happened to me again.

Weellll, I'm gonna plunge into this discussion with some trepidation since I'm such a new rider. However, one of the people I work with asked me in the spring,(when I had just begun riding), if I had discovered "convergence" yet. Um...no, I replied. What is it? It appears to do with physics and it occurs on bikes when the wind is coming across the bike and hitting one of the wheels. We'd normally think that the wind would push the wheel in the direction its blowing from, but what happens is the force of the wind on the spinning wheel actually makes the wheel buckle INTO the wind. When the wind gust stops, you/we/me:o , on the bike struggle to keep the bike upright because now the pressure from the wind has been released. In my very short time on the bike I've felt it a lot here in Maine.
Does any of my drivel help you reconstruct the event???

Jan in Maine

As long as your front end is pointed where you want it, your back end can move quite a lot before you're in real trouble. You get a bit more practice at it riding on dirt, but it does hold true on the road too.