Wet Leaves Warning!
KonaKurt
Posts: 720
This may sound like a stupidly obvious thing to say, but I will anyway because it's happened to me four times this week, once nearly sending me into the side of an overtaking HGV!
At this time of year, take great care when riding on wet leaves! They can be VERY slippery when against hard tarmac surfaces, or even large piles of them in woodland etc etc.
They are especially slippery when they have decomposed a little into that slushy mush. Add fresh rainfall and hard braking, and you could spin like a Jamacian bobsleigh.
KK.
At this time of year, take great care when riding on wet leaves! They can be VERY slippery when against hard tarmac surfaces, or even large piles of them in woodland etc etc.
They are especially slippery when they have decomposed a little into that slushy mush. Add fresh rainfall and hard braking, and you could spin like a Jamacian bobsleigh.
KK.
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In fact, most things are slippery when wet
http://superdukeforum.forumatic.com/index.php
It's bad enough on my 20Kgs DH bike, but a 180Kgs, 115bhp Motorbike is a tricky censored to get back.
Not 'alf!!! You're doing well to steer that censored back in line!
KK.
:oops:
Orange Alpine 160
But as Sarnian says yeah they do have some sort of secreted resin from them that makes em slippy if touch the leave can feel it slimey :oops: :roll:, so if riding on road
then yeah its slippy or even in woods, but so is mud, so is roots, its how you handle a bike and body postion when riding sketchy things that can make difference.
P-Jay cant imaging whats its like to right a big bike from the drifting postion
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I was hot tailing it down a trail last week through a leaf covered track when bang, big pot holle full of leaves.
It woke me up!
Infact wet wood (insert joke) is so slippery that old ships used it as a bearings on the prop shafts.
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A lot of the trail was covered in a carpet of leaves, not only were they slippery but they were hiding all sorts of killer objects underneath. I'm not sure wether it was better because you couldn't se the wet roots underneath so you didn't flinch as you hit them.
It all still made for a fast adrenalin fueled ride though 8)
Whyte 129S 29er.
Well, luckily it was at about 8mph as I was turning around at the bottom of my street.
Did a quick U-Turn at the end and headed back up, hit a massive pile, which I should have known better than to ride on, the back snapped out, I counter balanced and gently throttled down, as soon as it hit tarmac it snapped back in line. I have no doubt, a non-mtber would have dropped it.
Needed a fresh pair after that though.
It's my first Autumn on motorbikes and I'd been warned, but just laughed it off a bit like leaves on the trainline / wrong kind of snow.
He'd had some massive argument with somebody in the street, then got on his bike, and did a burn out as he rode/wheelspinend away angrily.
Unfortunately, he cocked it up, and ended up high-siding himself HARD into the ground
Anyway, the guy he was arguing with laughed, and called him a censored - so he woke in hospital with a broken face the following day :roll:
Coming back off Canock Chase last night, I ride across a wooden bridge over a stream.
It's at the end of a fast road through a housing estate and it's a lean to turn onto the bridge.
The bridge was VERY slippery. Sideways across the bridge got across, but as the bike was about to throw me off I lept off the big heading for some grass as I didn't facny planting it on the concrete.
Luckily I landed on my feet and cringed as I the bike hit the deck.
No injuries and more importantly no damage to the bike.
Just be carefull!
It's not even the thought of hurting myself. It's the bike. Also, if I EVER chucked my bike down the road I know my wife would go completely completely through the roof - she hates bikes as it is.
If it doesn't move and should, use the WD40.
If it shouldn't move and does, use the tape.
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A chemical simular to Teflon?! I never knew that, that is very interesting to remember. You could almost use it as a 'green' lubricant!
By the way, whoever mentioned wooden structures (like bridges) becoming very slippery this time of year is darn right. I saw a poor little girl slip on one covered in autumnal slime. Luckily daddy was at hand to rescus her!
KK.
Not had an encounter with wet leaves yet this year, although I'm sure it'll happen soon enough.
Well this is something you learn at a young age when out hammering round street croners and tree's over hang and there leaves build up and in the rain they become like a ice rink ..
Still there is a danger to the inexperienced , But it's all about hittin the corner at the right speed ,
I found that one out on my motorbike too... 130hp, BRAND NEW Speed Triple... Back slid out, then the front... :shock: Was only going at about 15mph, but still too fast! censored ...
Either way, I used my super-awesome moto-cross skills to save dropping my bike 8)
Was super stoked that my bike handling skills / reactions were that sharp!
But yeah, I always knew wet leaves were slippery.. But not THAT slippery..!!!
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As I discovered twice at dalby on wednesday ! :oops:
Bonfires in this country ay....
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