Hmmm, I was under the impression that decolage, if you want to use it in this context, was primarily to ensure that the appropriate flying surface stalled first rather than for stability. Also, the only evidence the 172 article produces is a fairly dubious experiment where the author loads one at its rear c of g limit and finds it is still stable. Well it would be because Cessna wisely anticipated someone would try this and ensured the allowable c of g range would be far enough forward to remain stable.
I'd love to be proven wrong - are any of you guys aircraft designers with wind tunnel or computer modelling experience?