Speed Bumps?

Dav3m
Dav3m Posts: 84
edited October 2009 in Road beginners
What are other road cyclists approach to speed bumps? I usually slow down for them... as I hate the thought of the impact damaging my wheels. Do other rides slow down or just ride over them at speed?

Comments

  • skyd0g
    skyd0g Posts: 2,540
    evel-knievel-jumping.jpg:wink:
    Cycling weakly
  • will3
    will3 Posts: 2,173
    skyd0g wrote:
    evel-knievel-jumping.jpg:wink:

    +1

    Full tilt. Get as much air as possible (3 feet is good)
  • I think the only adjustment I make is for physical comfort - letting the feet absorb the bump more than the bottom. Though, if there are white lines painted over them and it's safe to do so, ride on them - the paint generally provides a slight cushioning at the beginning of the hump.
  • Dav3m wrote:
    What are other road cyclists approach to speed bumps? I usually slow down for them... as I hate the thought of the impact damaging my wheels. Do other rides slow down or just ride over them at speed?

    Consider the potential for expensive headset damage of all those cumulative impacts.
    I unweight the handlebars and look for the least abrupt part of the bump to hit. Standing on the pedals is a good idea.
  • pneumatic
    pneumatic Posts: 1,989
    If you mean those "pillows" that are designed to rip the spoilers and twin exhaust of a dropped nedmobile, I go round them, in the middle of the road if no oncoming traffic, otherwise near the kerb.


    Fast and Bulbous
    Peregrinations
    Eddingtons: 80 (Metric); 60 (Imperial)

  • I wouldn't approach them with speed until you know what they're like! I did that the other day and ended up with two or three inches of my tyre popping over the rim because it was a lot bigger then it looked :shock: Otherwise, take the weight in your knees and you can normally cushion most speed bumps quite nicely.
  • pneumatic wrote:
    If you mean those "pillows" that are designed to rip the spoilers and twin exhaust of a dropped nedmobile, I go round them, in the middle of the road if no oncoming traffic, otherwise near the kerb.

    Having been virtually squeezed off the road by cars darting in before they're overtaken and going for the racing line astraddle these pillow things I've adopted a defensive middle-of-the-lane strategy so that the car either has to cross them on the other side of the road or wait till I'm past. Especially important if there's one of those pinch-point thingummybobs alongside.
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    snoopy! wrote:
    Dav3m wrote:
    What are other road cyclists approach to speed bumps? I usually slow down for them... as I hate the thought of the impact damaging my wheels. Do other rides slow down or just ride over them at speed?

    Consider the potential for expensive headset damage of all those cumulative impacts.
    I unweight the handlebars and look for the least abrupt part of the bump to hit. Standing on the pedals is a good idea.

    I run a mtb headset :lol:
  • on the road
    on the road Posts: 5,631
    When appoaching speed bumps I stand up to take the weight off the bike, but I don't slow down.
  • lastwords
    lastwords Posts: 304
    i get up out the saddle and let my arms and legs absorb the shock.

    You do this all the time when riding a mtb a speed and you actually push the bike back down the other side to gain speed. Its called pumping in the mtb world i believe.
  • try to get a fourcross style burst of speed off them by pumping my bike over,
    Your'e never alone with schizophrenia.