Speed Wobble

Was enjoying my long ride a couple days ago, going down a long hill, reached about 30 mph and all hell breaks out, steering goes crazy and am thinking that I have a flat - truthfully I'm thinking about how not to wipe out as I head towards the (softer - it hasn't rained in decades) grassy road shoulder.

Anyway, manage to stop without breaking bones or bike - check things out and "no flat", so I'm thinking that maybe it is the tire I put on the day before - these were tires I didn't want to use (never used - but real old, like 10+ years), but I have been waiting on new michelin pro-race II tires coming in the post for the past 3 (yes three) weeks.

So I decide, bad tires, plus very very very poor roads, twitchy aero bars and although this is a long shot and unlikely as it may seem - perhaps even rider error......  

So that was the official end of the enjoyable part of the ride - I'm now many miles from home , feeling very nervous. So I work my way back (we were pretty much at the half way mark) - now I'm riding the brakes on the down hills and having to push extra hard on the up hills.

Anyway cutting to the chase, checked the bike at home and the front wheel axle cones were loose - the wheel had been moving laterally back and forth - for those of you who have not been lucky enough to sample this special experience - lucky you.

So now I check the back........aaagh, its loose too......man, my carefree days of hoping on the bike and riding off in to sunset (more likely sunrise and congested traffic) are over - from now on its a checklist :-(