Hard to avoid potholes. How to react?

Bubbabo

Howdy. In my area, and I imagine most of the UK, the roads seem to have a lot of potholes. Whether it be on a main road, or a residential area, I think we all know how many there are. I will usually remember where the potholes are, and manoeuvre out into the road to avoid them. Today I was going 25 mph downhill, and I had a big van right next to me and several cars close behind, so ultimately I went right over a pothole. I took the weight off the seat, stood up, and then tried to pull the bike up. This did help, but I still had a bumpy wollop over. I need to learn to bunny-hop with a road bike, but I had the back wheel crack into the pothole. I don’t think there is much buckle, and I didn’t do any damage. Nevertheless, I’m wondering if a bunny-hop is the best approach when you are unable to avoid the bump because of heavy traffic and no room to adjust your line?

Secondly, if there is traffic which is not too close, but approaching, what is the correct procedure for a cyclist to signal that he is coming out into the middle of the road? Is this something you would do? Just a plain right hand out, or would they think I would be turning off? I almost feel as if I will be at the bike shop every month, because my wheels are always getting buckled.

Thx

Bubba Bo

STEFANOS4784

I find bunny hops work but at speed and maybe due to lightness of the bike, sometimes it feels like the back is going to take over the front :shock: Can be sketchy, what people will probably tell you is that at that kind of speed get into a position that allows you enough of the road to manouvre, the van can wait a few seconds/minutes until your going back up the hilll and can safely tuck right in again

ride_whenever

bunnyhops are fine at speed, but on my roadie at speed i tend to do a lizard hop. Basically bend your knees down and jump up lifting the whole bike off the ground at once, less likely to loose speed than a proper bunnyhop, where you go front first then rear. In that case you do feel you're going over the front because the wheelbase is so long.

STEFANOS4784

Oh, that's what i do, "lizard hop" Don't need to lift front first thanks to clippy pedals, is still quite scary though.

crankycrank

+3 for the bunny/lizard hop. Practice, practice, practice.

daviesee

ride_whenever wrote:

bunnyhops are fine at speed, but on my roadie at speed i tend to do a lizard hop. Basically bend your knees down and jump up lifting the whole bike off the ground at once, less likely to loose speed than a proper bunnyhop, where you go front first then rear. In that case you do feel you're going over the front because the wheelbase is so long.

Cool!

I now can do 2 tricks on my road bike.

I always thought it was just a lazy bunny hop but now I know I can do a lizard hop 8)

My recommended method, by the way.

If you can't go round it safely, better to go over it than through it. There are limits though.

What's the thinking on this?
Speed dependent of course but I am comfortable at up to 2 feet long. After that I really have to think; quick :shock:

ride_whenever

at a foot i go to proper bunnyhops rather than both wheels. You get much more coverage.

However we don't have any really bad ones round here.

aoeu

I do lizard hops too, but if I or anyone stuffs it up while in traffic, I really doubt cars behind will be able to respond in time.

Sydney roads have some pretty nasty potholes .

pottssteve

I tend to shout, "Fu@Kin' Hell!" at the same time...

pst88

If usually go round them but if I really can't I try to slow a bit and stand to go through them. I can't help but think that if I tried any form of jump with cars all around me I'd end up under someone's wheels.

dilemna

And make sure you send the bill for any repair work or replacement wheel(s) to the local authority. That will focus their attention on maintaining the road surface.

jgsi

Sometimes, it is not the size of the pothole that catches you out... those nasty little water hydrant ones or whatever they are that come out of the sun like a Messerschmidt 109..

daviesee

JGSI wrote:

Sometimes, it is not the size of the pothole that catches you out... those nasty little water hydrant ones or whatever they are that come out of the sun like a Messerschmidt 109..

How true!

I went over a small 4" puddle once but it must have been very, very deep.

The shock went right through the bike, up my arms and the expletives that were ommitted just can't be typed here. As for what went through the saddle :shock:

By sheer coincidence :evil: my headset was never the same after that and needed a new star nut

Small does not mean shallow

oldwelshman

Ride round if you can but bunny hop if not, also for cattle grids on decents

rake

.

Barteos

Bubbabo wrote:

Howdy. In my area, and I imagine most of the UK, the roads seem to have a lot of potholes.
Thx

Bubba Bo

Yes, that's true and that's why you see so many guys riding 23mm tyres pumped to 100-120PSI

pst88

Now this is what I call a pothole...