Cattle Grids

MattC59

Morning All,

I've just plotted out a short but sharp evening spin with a few nasty hills in it, but when I drove the route I noticed a couple of cattle grids that I'll have to ride over.

On my mtb, I just hit them as fast as I can and hop over them. Not so easy on a road bike. Do you guys just ignore them and ride over / stop and use the horse gate / get off and struggle across on cleats / enjoy the vibrations or simply not plan any routes with cattle grids ?

I'm riding a spanking new Trek 1.9 (which I love !!!!), on 23mm tires, and as it's still nice and shiney, I'm still a bit precious about it

Any advice / thoughts on this ? (other than not getting your wheels stuck :shock: )

Cheers......... Matt

Headhuunter

Car or bike, drive or ride over them as fast as possible (within reason). The slower you go the worse it is....

alfablue

With decent tyres pumped to a decent pressure they are no problem, ride fast and keep at 90 degrees to the bars.

Jabster101

Yup. Keep your speed up. Even your weight distribution out – lift off your saddle a bit. And keep dead straight. Esp make sure you’re dead straight and even if it’s wet.

bobtbuilder

Fast as poss, ar*e raised slightly off the saddle. Try not to steer left / right.

LittleB0b

You'll be fine just riding over them - nearly every ride we do has grids in.

go straight and steady, and pick your entry and exit point (watching out for gravel and uneven joins between the grid and road).

graeme_s-2

Should be obvious, but as nobody else has mentioned it yet, don't pedal as you cross the metal work.

MattC59

Thanks guys, everyone seems to be of the same opinion here. Not being used to skinny road tires, I wasn't sure how they'd react to the repeated square edge hits (can anyone tell I'm a mountain biker ).

Thanks for the fast responses, can't help but notice that there must be a few people bored at work today

Cheers....... Matt

bobtbuilder

can't help but notice that there must be a few people bored at work today

Not just today!

flybywire

jump 'em clipped in at 25mph + yeahhhh!

valerian

Graeme_S wrote:

Should be obvious, but as nobody else has mentioned it yet, don't pedal as you cross the metal work.

..... unless you happen to be riding fixed. :shock:

dag_on_a_bike

MattC59 wrote:

Thanks guys, everyone seems to be of the same opinion here. Not being used to skinny road tires, I wasn't sure how they'd react to the repeated square edge hits

It's no worse than the number of hard edged potholes one can encounter on typical British roads.

Just think of riding cobbles - not exactly comfortable but the tyres can stand the constant battering.

gbs

Graeme_S wrote:

Should be obvious, but as nobody else has mentioned it yet, don't pedal as you cross the metal work.

showing inexperience etc I ask "why not?"

javascript:emoticon(':oops:')

ride_whenever

Which type, the rounded ones or the ones that are essentially flat with slots cut into it.

N4PALM

I had to go over a fairly big one with huge gaps at the top of a climb a few days back. This meant the attack speed was quite slow. Twas easy, just lift yer bum, even yr weight out keep pedalling and dont turn. Id hate to do that one in the wet tho.

rogerthecat

gbs wrote:

Graeme_S wrote:

Should be obvious, but as nobody else has mentioned it yet, don't pedal as you cross the metal work.

showing inexperience etc I ask "why not?"

javascript:emoticon(':oops:')

I also await the reply on this one! :?

:!: :!:

N4PALM

rogerthecat wrote:

gbs wrote:

Graeme_S wrote:

Should be obvious, but as nobody else has mentioned it yet, don't pedal as you cross the metal work.

showing inexperience etc I ask "why not?"

javascript:emoticon(':oops:')

I also await the reply on this one! :?

:!: :!:

The only time to stop pedalling is if youre out of the saddle and sprinting, then i guess it could cause issues particularly when wet.

As you are going to be fully upright, pointing straight ahead then theres no reason to stop pedalling.

If you have to attack the grid slowly then if you stop peddaling you fall off. If you are going fast then it doesnt matter either way except stopping spinning allows you to brace for the bumps. Either way its not critical.

lothian

Obvious I know but stay off the brakes, particularly if the grid is wet. Regulate your speed before you get to the grid.

Enjoy the ride.

Headhuunter

N4PALM wrote:

rogerthecat wrote:

gbs wrote:

Graeme_S wrote:

Should be obvious, but as nobody else has mentioned it yet, don't pedal as you cross the metal work.

showing inexperience etc I ask "why not?"

javascript:emoticon(':oops:')

I also await the reply on this one! :?

:!: :!:

The only time to stop pedalling is if youre out of the saddle and sprinting, then i guess it could cause issues particularly when wet.

As you are going to be fully upright, pointing straight ahead then theres no reason to stop pedalling.

If you have to attack the grid slowly then if you stop peddaling you fall off. If you are going fast then it doesnt matter either way except stopping spinning allows you to brace for the bumps. Either way its not critical.

I would agree that it's better not to pedal as you ride over the cattle grid. Raise yourself off the seat and balance your weight over the pedals rather than the wheels to allow the wheels to vibrate up and down naturally. If you're pedalling, you're most likely sitting which means that the jarring from the wheels will be sent up your back and arms. If you're pedalling out of the saddle across a cattle grid then there is more likelihood of you taking a spill as your balance won't be perfect and you may end up twisting the front wheel to slightly off perpendicular to the grid causing it to slip or fall between the bars

sportbilly1976

another thing to add & watch out for is not so much the grid itself as the join to the road - quite often it is not flush with the prevailing road surface..

but as others have said - raise your @rse out of the saddle so you go over them "light", steady pace and at a 90 degree angle to the bars...

northernneil

cant believe no has mentioned yet that just be aware of the 'vertical' joins in the grids, on some of them they are wider than road wheels and you can slot straight down, always aim for the section where the bars accross dont join another to stop this risk

singlespeedexplosif

On my mtb, I just hit them as fast as I can and hop over them. Not so easy on a road bike.
Do the same on the road bike. Just make sure that you don't land with a clunk. Float like a butterfly, sting like a stingy thing.

dennisn

I suppose that as long as you know the specific cattle grid and have been over it a few times you would be able to approach "balls to the wall" so to speak. As for me I have seen many different types of grids. Some of which I was basically unable to ride over.
I did see someone lose it while crossing one once. Not a pretty sight. Those things can tear you up.

The good doctor

After crossing one in the wet yesterday I'd definately vouch for the cessation of peddaling, wet metal and rubber ... not a good combination, a few twictchy muscles for a second

telemark

northernneil wrote:

cant believe no has mentioned yet that just be aware of the 'vertical' joins in the grids, on some of them they are wider than road wheels and you can slot straight down, always aim for the section where the bars accross dont join another to stop this risk

... and sometimes the joins have a bar that stands proud of the grid! The one at the top of Waddington Fell north of Clitheroe used to be like this until they "improved" the top of the hill and replaced the cattle grid with a smooth modern one (and installed the Cyclists Dismount sign!!) I remember in last year's Pendle Pedal getting the approach wrong to the cattle grid and getting bounced off the proud joining bar and going for a more or less out of control circuit of the car park at the top of the hill much to the amusement of all the bystanders. Mind you I can't think of another like that off the top of my head, it was fun while it lasted.

skyd0g

...and make sure one of these isn't in the way. :shock: