# Vortex handling



## Road Terp (Nov 9, 2005)

Considering a new 06 Vortex.Currently ride a cannondale Six 13. I am now having doubts after reading a few posts in the review section of this site.Reviewers describe issues with wobbling and poor handling on descents.Does anyone have experience with this?This frame is a big investment and I don't have large hills nearby to test on.


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## djg21 (Oct 25, 2003)

Road Terp said:


> Considering a new 06 Vortex.Currently ride a cannondale Six 13. I am now having doubts after reading a few posts in the review section of this site.Reviewers describe issues with wobbling and poor handling on descents.Does anyone have experience with this?This frame is a big investment and I don't have large hills nearby to test on.


I had an 03 Vortex and it descended really nicely. I never experienced any wobbles or handing issues, I can't speak for the new ones however.


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## Juanmoretime (Nov 24, 2001)

While not a current model my 1997 size 59 handles as well as any other bike I own.


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## 12x23 (Jan 28, 2004)

I have an '05 Vortex and an '06 Six/13. I do some 40mph+ descending several times/week during the season and I've never experienced the shimmy with either. 

Before the '05 I had an '03 Vortex - no problem with it, either. Or the Classic or Ultimates before them. 

But I had a Nishiki back in '89 that shook like Otis Campbell on Sunday morning.


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## bornin53 (Sep 3, 2005)

*I also Have a '05 Vortex*

with traditional geometry and I have never experienced any handling problems. I have had it up to 44 mph, and regularly hit 40 MPH and it has always been true and stable.

The fastest guy in my bike club had an '03 Vortex (until it was recently stolen) and he looked darn stable as he passed me.


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## bob338 (Apr 11, 2005)

i have a 2004 vortex with a reynolds ouzo pro fork and have had some wobbling issues. it usually occurs between 18-20 mph. it also happens downhill between 40-45 if i have a very tight grip on the bars. the only thing that seems to help is to have the headset adjusted every 1000 miles or so. 

this may sound like a negative review of the bike, but it's not. i love the bike and it feels comfortable for my body and riding style.


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## estone2 (Sep 25, 2005)

Road Terp said:


> Considering a new 06 Vortex.Currently ride a cannondale Six 13. I am now having doubts after reading a few posts in the review section of this site.Reviewers describe issues with wobbling and poor handling on descents.Does anyone have experience with this?This frame is a big investment and I don't have large hills nearby to test on.


Yeah I rode one in 2006.
I did feel a bit nervous on it, when I broke 60mph down a mountain...
At 50, I was riding no hands...
Speed wobble/poor handling is just as more often the human than the bike. People talk about stiffness determining a lot, yet my Trek 1200 always descended wonderfully... it was not stiff.
It's all about the rider, and some people just don't understand how to descend. They're the ones who complain so much about horrible speed wobble.

The only LS bike I would worry about with poor handling would be the ghisallo and that's because it's a light-at-all-costs type bike, thus not as stiff.


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## clgtide1 (Jul 24, 2002)

*06 Ghisallo Descends Just Fine Thank You*

I have enough confidence in my 06 Ghisallo to take hands off the bars and zip up my jersey descending at 40 +++. Burkhalter is a beast of a local climb. Somehow it has never been able to produce the infamous "speed wobble"?


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## 12x23 (Jan 28, 2004)

*Burkhalter is a beast alright ..........*

the last .25 mile gives *me* the wobbles. One of my favorite climbs.


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## boneman (Nov 26, 2001)

*I sold mine*

I had a 1999 Vortex, bought new and put about 25k miles under various conditions. Never had any wobbles but I would not consider it to be the best descending bike I've ever owned. In late 2004 it developed a crack in the weld around the head tube. Litespeed were great and fixed the problem, replacing the 1" head tube with a 1.125" unit, refinished the bike and put on new decals. That being said, I sold it shortly thereafter. When living overseas I had bought a Merckx Ti EX. Also made by Litespeed but with Merckx geometry. This one's handles much better and is more stable on descents.

My view, the BB is tad too high on the Vortex and it doesn't have enough trail. Great for crits but not the best on long, steep descents.

I've never ridden a Cannondale so I can't compare the differences. For the money, I'd pass but that's my .02.



Road Terp said:


> Considering a new 06 Vortex.Currently ride a cannondale Six 13. I am now having doubts after reading a few posts in the review section of this site.Reviewers describe issues with wobbling and poor handling on descents.Does anyone have experience with this?This frame is a big investment and I don't have large hills nearby to test on.


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