Riding style

AllezAllezAllez

Hi All,

I've just been out on my first ride of my new road bike (Trek 1.2) and wanted some advise on what style to use on rather bumpy and not very well maintained UK roads.

I'm usually found bouncing around the hills and roads on a full suspension mountain bike but on the road road bike even a small blemish can cause major vibrations!

Is it best to let the bike take the hit, avoid, or bunny hop the offending crack?

On a separate note I managed my first ride in clipless (and didn't fall off) and averaged 18mph over 41 miles. Well pleased.

Any advise on the secrets of road style very welcome from a keen newbie!

Flasheart

I've learned to bunnyhop small blips as I don't like the bike taking hits. Nice average btw

Mad Roadie

AllezAllezAllez wrote:

Hi All,

I've just been out on my first ride of my new road bike (Trek 1.2) and wanted some advise on what style to use on rather bumpy and not very well maintained UK roads.

I'm usually found bouncing around the hills and roads on a full suspension mountain bike but on the road road bike even a small blemish can cause major vibrations!

Is it best to let the bike take the hit, avoid, or bunny hop the offending crack?

On a separate note I managed my first ride in clipless (and didn't fall off) and averaged 18mph over 41 miles. Well pleased.

Any advise on the secrets of road style very welcome from a keen newbie!

if its bumpy - a find another road or at least half stand so the knees take the shock out of your weight - dont bunny hop - you'll stuff your wheels

anto164

If there are large sleeping policemen (There are some about 8ft long on my commute to work) then i bunnyhop up them.

Then again, i'm from a jumping background, used to ride dirt jumps on a 26"bike, and ride DH on a large full suspension bike, and i like to think that i can hop and land smooth, so putting less strain on the bike than just riding up them normally.

Monty Dog

Learn to unweight yourself - rise slightly from the saddle whilst keep pedalling - your bike is far resistant to abuse that you might appreciate. Watch some videos of the pros riding Paris-Roubaix and you'll realise that your 'rough' roads have just minor imperfections.

mattward1979

Ive smashed my way through many a pothole on my commutes, and whilst Id rather find a way around them, some are too big/wide to avoid so hopping is the only option... But truthfully, even though nearly 50% of my bike is Carbon with the good old integrated carbon technology, there isnt a mark on the frame and the impacts dont seem to have caused any lasting damage.

Avoid if you can, Brace yourself if you cant!! Just make sure to come out the other side still on your bike!

Lightning

Avoid if you want for comfort reasons. Also, don't grip the bars as much if you want to lessen impact on your body (good for large sections of roads in bad conditions, or cobbles). You'll get used to it pretty fast. Have fun with your new bike!

AllezAllezAllez

thanks all

EKIMIKE

Lightning wrote:

Also, don't grip the bars as much if you want to lessen impact on your body (good for large sections of roads in bad conditions, or cobbles). You'll get used to it pretty fast. Have fun with your new bike!

As far as i gather that's not quite right. On really bumpy sections of road and cobbles you need to grip your bars very firmly. This prevents you losing control of your front wheel or loosing your grip all-together.

The key is to reduce the pressure on your hands/arms. Therefore grip the bars on the flat tops. This reduces the reach to the bars which naturally means less pressure forced on the hands. Just watch how they ride the Roubaix Cobbles. It's the most comfortable way to ride a harsh surface.

anto164

Yeh, you want a loose, but firm grip on the bars. (Slightly contradictory, but that's the only way i can describe it, loose grip, but firm enough to not come off when going over bumpy bits)

I've made the mistake of keeping a loose grip on the bars when not looking where i was going. Hit a hole, and i nearly lost both hands from the hoods. My hands slid off, and my thumbs only just hooked up keeping me on the bike.

Matt the Tester

you want to feel every bump on cobbles? sure go ahead and grip it tight !

lose but firm grip is the way to go..

Lightning

anto164 wrote:

Yeh, you want a loose, but firm grip on the bars.

That's what I meant.

EKIMIKE

steady rider wrote:

you want to feel every bump on cobbles?

Well you will feel every bump regardless of how you grio your bars. That's cobbles.

I'd rather retain a firm grip on my bars than loose them out of my grasp and feel those bumpy cobbles on my lycra clad thighs. Again, the key seems to be reducing the pressure you put on your bars whilst still maintaining a firm grip.

Watch the pro's on Roubaix. In the 'Beyond the Peloton' documentary, Paris Roubaix episode, Roger Hammond describes how you need to grip the bars properly i.e. firmly.