| There are two kinds of forces applied to a bicycle - static loads and dynamic loads.
Dynamic Loads: Dynamic loads may be supported by the bike but are not attached to it. The rider is a dynamic load, and adjusts relative to riding conditions - bumps in the road and on.
Static Loads: Static loads are rigidly connected to the bicycle. For example, the handlebars are a static load, as would be a rear rack and pannier. When the bicycle hits a bump in the road, the load doesn\'t adapt. As a result, for a brief period of time, it places more stress on the frame and structure of the bike than does the much larger dynamic load, the rider.
Where the static load is placed has an equally great impact. A load placed near the axles has the least impact on the structure, since it transmits its load through a relatively small structure - the dropouts and the wheel.
By contrast, if the load is mounted on the handlebars, it places much more stress on the frame.
High-speed wobble (also known as \"shimmy\" can result from an excessive load or from poor loading of a load that would otherwise not exceed the recommended limit.
That\'s why Waterford recommends a 20 pound limit on cargo for all but the Adventure Cycle and T-14. These bikes have the strength and geometry to handle static loads better than bikes with thinner tubing, shorter wheelbases and faster handling.
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