Would you ride your bike on a beach

handful

What opinions do people have with regard to what damage do you do to bearings, chains etc when riding on a beach. We have miles of beach near to where I live and I have always cringed seeing cars and motorbikes on there but the local beach is part of the sustrans cycle network. Are we talking total stripdowns after each beachride to avoid problems. Any opinions much appreciated.

Surf-Matt

As long as you don't ride in the sea (!), avoid getting covered in sand and rinse it well after each ride, you should be okay.

Papa Smurf

But ultimately.. Bad idea...

Father Faff

I've cycled on loads of beaches - mainly freshwater ones mind - but even by the sea as long as you don't go in the wet bits youll be ok

The Northern Monkey

living on the coast i hate going near sand...it gets in everywhere...mechs, chains, bearings etc etc and can produce alot of friction!

i try to stay away as much as i can

Braking Sucks

There's sand in mud....so just ride on mud and pretend there's more sand? I'd think a beach would be a bikes version of hell - sand gets everywhere, especially when damp/wet. If you don't mind risking your bike then give it a go - i wouldn't take a nice new bike down to the beach IMO.

supersonic

Its the saltwater that is the big problem - eats metal!

johnsav

riding in sand is rubbish anyway!

supersonic

I love the big drifts in loose sand, and catching the front wheel as it lets go!

johnsav

naaa, id rather drift my car

cant fall off the car and cut my knees!

The Northern Monkey

johnsav wrote:

naaa, id rather drift my car

cant fall off the car and cut my knees!

you could crash into a fiery ball and be burnt to death tho....i'd take cut knees over that anyday

handful

Thanks for your views guys

I think I'll stick with the majority and avoid it, at least whilst mine is still so new. I just think it's a bit questionable that Sustrans include the beach as part of the national cycle network. :roll:

Bugly

have dont it touring with loaded panniers. Pain in the arse on sand dunes but fantastic on the hard packed sand. (When not avoiding 4X4s). But yes first point of call is a wash in fresh water then a complete strip clean and rebuild when arriving home.

Anonymous

rode a Hanebrenk sand bike in L.A. the best fun on a beach well if you havent got a pick up truck lenght of rope and a big shovel .There's one on ebay at the mo' but i aint got the money hunny.

Father Faff

Well the best beach I ever rode down (or more correctly drove down) was 90 mile beach in New Zealand. You had to drive down a river bed to get onto the beach at one end and then it was fantastic hard-packed sand all the way to the other. You got the occassional other vehicle coming the other way that you had to avoid (do you go left or right?) and the odd wrecked vehcile half buried in the sand. Real cruise it was. Then at the other end you had to cross a 30 yard section of loose dune sand so you had to really rev up, get up some speed on the hardpack and go for it. Cock it up and a Maori would appear from behind the dunes with a tractor and pull you out for a few kiwi dollars! Needless to say I used a hire car (there was a clause in the hire contract saying not to be taken on the beach but who's to know, eh?).

silly lily

johnsav wrote:

riding in sand is rubbish anyway!

Couldn't agree more: in desperate need to find anywhere nice to ride in Pembrokeshire last months (very poor offering, unless you like wasting your energy in bog), I rode on the beach, hard sand, and had to push like a lunatic with my Para Fire Xc's. Sucks!

Dan67

Thetford is proper sandy in the dry so it is like a beach in places at times so no I wouldnt intetially but I kinda do

goldblendslurper

Not that I would ride on a beach, but what tyres would you use? I would go with some 1.5 mud tyres to dig through the soft stuff. Or some 3 inch balloons?