Rough roads - best approach?

corblimey

Just wondering what people do when they spot some rough road surfaces coming up? Not potholes or anything too bad, just really bad resurfacing work and country roads ruined by the cold snap last winter. I'm a little paranoid about getting a puncture or doing some damage to my wheel that I power off completely and try to 'weave' through the worst parts. I inevitably get the teeth rattled a little, but I'm wondering if I'm being just a little delicate with my bike?

murph226

keep your tyre pressures up nice and high for starters to avoid pinch flats!

dewindygap

You must have missed Wicklowrider's post and link from last week:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QSpuhIQg1A&feature=player_embedded

Thankfully our roads are not quite as bad as this yet.............unless you know differently.

ROK ON

Lots of rough roads where I live. Ride em fast but not at crazy cadence or the chain can jump. You want some resistance on the chain.
Drops for control. Stay loose. It can be exhilarating in a painful way. If there are too many craters I raise my ass just a tad above the saddle to protect that which is dear to me.

Zorba

And don't forget to call the feckin' holes !!!

drogdub

Zorba wrote: »

And don't forget to call the feckin' holes !!!

And if someone does call listen too them, don't cycle into the hole and get a double puncture.

cantalach

On the subject of calling hazards, an admittedly unorthodox convention followed in our training group is not to shout "hole!" or "rock!" or whatever but instead to shout its location, e.g. "left!" or "centre!" The rationale is that while knowing what the hazard is might be interesting, knowing where it is is far more important if you're actually trying to avoid it.

Zorba

drogdub wrote: »

And if someone does call listen too them, don't cycle into the hole and get a double puncture.

Or worse wreck your wheels or frame :eek:

cantalach wrote: »

On the subject of calling hazards, an admittedly unorthodox convention followed in our training group is not to shout "hole!" or "rock!" or whatever but instead to shout its location, e.g. "left!" or "centre!" The rationale is that while knowing what the hazard is might be interesting, knowing where it is is far more important if you're actually trying to avoid it.

Yes sometimes happens in my group all u hear is hole and your wondering where the hell is the thing all the while hoping u don't go into it.

Personally i don't call holes much i just point to where the feckers are.

iregk

I see rough roads in a strange way. I kinda go into this internal fantasy world where I'm riding the Roubaix on a break away trying to stay out front. Yes you probably think I'm mad now but I know some of you do the same!!!

Keep it fast but keep the chain solid. Personally I go for hands on top good elbow bend with tyres rock solid.

High Nellie

25 mm tyres or bigger will help, as opposed to the more usual 22 or 23.

cantalach

iregk wrote: »

I see rough roads in a strange way. I kinda go into this internal fantasy world where I'm riding the Roubaix on a break away trying to stay out front. Yes you probably think I'm mad now but I know some of you do the same!!!

The guy trying to bridge across to you is me

iregk

I knew I wasn't on my own!!!!

Cookie_Monster

1. move out into centre of road to avoid if possible
2. weave around it as much as possible
3. slow a bit and stand (takes pressure of rear wheel as your knees will absorb some of the impact*)

* that's my theory anyway

ROK ON

@cookie. Unless there is a crater ahead don't weave. Take the road head on.
I agree about middle of road. Ride the bad bitch up the middle and let traffic behind you wait. Much more escape room in the middle if one needs to take evasive action.

Also I wouldn't advocate slow standing - when you need to accelerate much more likely to have rear wheel spin out on rough gravel strewn road. I try to spread weight across the bike and keep my substantial rear end on or close to the saddle as ballast. Keeps bile very steady.
Mid cadence at high gear keeps bike going smoothly without jumping and having chain hop.

Firmly riding through the road rather than gliding or dancing.
Stay loose as said above.

blorg

I agree with ROK_ON, the best approach with a rough road is to get light on the bike and hammer it. Not into craters, you need to avoid them, but for just a generally crap surface, a road being resurfaced, fireroad, unsurfaced, that sort of thing. Wider tyres are obviously a major help too.