On Tue, Jul 1, 2008 at 8:02 AM, Longleaf Bicycles
<longleafbicycles@...> wrote:
> With bag still attached by decaleur but not the strap, I tightened the
> headset. The shimmy is gone.

I have also observed on my sports-touring bikes that tightening the
headset would reduce or eliminate shimmy. I was concerned, however,
that overtightening the headset would lead to premature wear. It seems
like there should be some way to introduce a little steering drag that
doesn't rely on overtightening the bearings to do it. I guess the
roller bearing approach is one way, but I imagine you could have a
standard headset with whatever bearings, and some kind of drag
inducing thing on the outside. Maybe I should try to clamp a piece of
rubber over both the headtube and the top of the headset or something,
and try to tune the resistance.

James Black
Los Angeles, CA