cattle grids....

ianbar
ianbar Posts: 1,354
edited July 2012 in Road beginners
should these be avoided at all costs? I'm thinking they could knacker your wheels pretty quick, i have started commuting to work this week and i have to go over one each way?
enigma esprit
cannondale caad8 tiagra 2012

Comments

  • DF33
    DF33 Posts: 732
    Just keep your speed the same as approaching, don't brake (and keep in a straight line if raining / wet) and you glide over them easily. Going very slow will make it a whole different rattly experience.
    Peter
  • navrig
    navrig Posts: 1,352
    As above plus stand slightly keeping your bum off the saddle but your knees bent and relaxed.

    We find that the grid is often less of a problem but that the transition bit can be more of a bump, especially if the cattle grid is old and settled a bit. That may be due to the amount of lorries using them recently due to windfarm construction.
  • estampida
    estampida Posts: 1,008
    touch the front brake and you will die..........
  • 16mm
    16mm Posts: 545
    full speed & bunny hop?
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    16mm wrote:
    full speed & bunny hop?

    Heh heh! When I did the Exmoor Beast a couple of years ago a small group that formed got into doing this, pegging it leading up and then bunny hopping over. It was great fun but after the 3rd or 4th I suddenly thought "WTF!" and took the more traditional way from there on :)

    My worst experience was on a big hill in Wales when it was very wet, the bars were widely spaced and round. To make things worse, the grid was on a hill so I hit it at a slow speed and then stopped completely as the combination of factors left me spinning like a hamster going nowhere...until I fell off to one side. Made me laugh at the time as about 40 miles earlier I had been knocked out in a head on with a van so it was a case of "anything else the cycling gods want to throw at me??" :)
  • BobScarle
    BobScarle Posts: 282
    Bobbinogs wrote:

    My worst experience was on a big hill in Wales when it was very wet, the bars were widely spaced and round. To make things worse, the grid was on a hill so I hit it at a slow speed and then stopped completely as the combination of factors left me spinning like a hamster going nowhere...until I fell off to one side.

    Bobbinogs. Thanks for posting that. What a picture I have now got in my head. Hope you wasn't hurt and you don't mind me having a little chuckle at you expense.
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    No worries. To be fair, the incident also seemed to cheer up the chap who was following after I had just breezed past on the climb leading up to the grid.
  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    There are a few cattlegrids I encounter regularly. Two on the Bristol-Bath path are straight forward ride across grids, the other grid I pass over is at the top of a climb and as I'm going a little slower I end up looking down into the pit 12" below :shock:
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.
  • MattC59
    MattC59 Posts: 5,408
    I asked a similar question a few years ago when I started road biking.

    Just keep your speed constant and make sure that you cross them head on. It might be worth avoiding them in teh wet though !
    Science adjusts it’s beliefs based on what’s observed.
    Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved
  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    Further to my earlier reply, I crossed one of the grids on the Bristol-Bath path as an MTBer approached from the other side, he bottled it and took the escape path on his full suss bike.
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    MattC59 wrote:
    Just keep your speed constant and make sure that you cross them head on. It might be worth avoiding them in teh wet though !
    Ran over loads on a sportive - initial concern - but by the end it was just a PITA ... (especially if seated! :o) - ended up wet too - made no difference - because you're not turning or putting power down whilst crossing (well - you shouldn't be!)

    Anyway - as it has already been mentioned - worth mentioning again ...
    Go over at a reasonable pace - stand on the pedals and bend the arms then hit it square on - allow the bike to "float" beneath you and you'll get over no problem ..

    Wouldn't want to hit one going slowly up hill though!
  • dodgerdog
    dodgerdog Posts: 292
    Have a few on some of my rides (Redvee may know them) top and bottom of Burrington Gorge - simpe technique coming down of hammering it over them in a straight line, slightly off the saddel, knees soft to absorb some of the bounce and NO BRAKES.

    Going up the same detail but at considerably less pace. Essentially the technique is minimum adjusts to the bike of any form, worst ones are the older pole based ones as you then have the pole camber to deal with as eloquently highlighted by Bobbings.

    There were a few of them on the Mendips Hills Sportive particularly over the Quantocks and at the top of Crocombe Hill (25%) - perfect timings to give you a real moment!
    Allez Triple (hairy with mudguards) - FCN 4
    Ribble Gran Fondo
  • dee4life2005
    dee4life2005 Posts: 773
    On of the hills I went up recently is about 1 mile in length, 2/3rds of which is 10-12% and there are two cattle grids in this section ... so not exactly taken at pace. Not really tricky if you remember to keep straight and maintain speed as you go across. The final 3rd of the climb has a section between 25% and 30% and there is a cattle grid in this part too ... this one is a bit trickier as it's hard to get any speed up.

    On the way back down, it would be easy to reach speeds up to 50mph as it's insanely steep and a straight road (though no cars use it), but you can't get up much speed due to the cattle grids, and the fact there are loads of cows grazing in the grass either side (with no fences).
    http://app.strava.com/athletes/307297
  • Boy Lard
    Boy Lard Posts: 445
    Do not turn round on cattle grids :roll:

    Don't ask, but in my defense it was very dark and my mate shouted me to tell me I had gone the wrong way. It did not end well. :oops:
  • EarlyGo
    EarlyGo Posts: 281
    Boy Lard wrote:
    Do not turn round on cattle grids :roll:

    Don't ask, but in my defense it was very dark and my mate shouted me to tell me I had gone the wrong way. It did not end well. :oops:

    Now that's entertainment! Any photographic evidence Boy Lard?!!

    Still chuckling!

    Regards, EarlyGo
  • Bordersroadie
    Bordersroadie Posts: 1,052
    I go over quite an old rattly grid at about 35mph on my regular 32 mile training loop. At that speed I do a half-bunny hop - jump the front wheel over and leave the rear on the ground. Unneccessary, but I enjoy trying to get the timing perfect as it's much less of a teeth-rattling experience than just riding across.
  • dee4life2005
    dee4life2005 Posts: 773
    Boy Lard wrote:
    Do not turn round on cattle grids :roll:

    Don't ask, but in my defense it was very dark and my mate shouted me to tell me I had gone the wrong way. It did not end well. :oops:

    I shouldn't laugh .... but .... :lol:

    <sorry>
    http://app.strava.com/athletes/307297
  • ShutUpLegs
    ShutUpLegs Posts: 3,522
    Bordersroadie wrote:
    I go over quite an old rattly grid at about 35mph on my regular 32 mile training loop. At that speed I do a half-bunny hop - jump the front wheel over and leave the rear on the ground. Unneccessary, but I enjoy trying to get the timing perfect as it's much less of a teeth-rattling experience than just riding across.

    ^
    This is best, firm grip in the drops, elbows relaxed ready to lift the front wheel slightly if needed.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,179
    They're far easier at speed going down than at 6mph going up. There should be no problem as long as they aren't damaged but there's one near me with triangular bars that I would worry about if my tyres were slightly soft!
  • Peddle Up!
    Peddle Up! Posts: 2,040
    Bobbinogs wrote:
    My worst experience was on a big hill in Wales when it was very wet, the bars were widely spaced and round. To make things worse, the grid was on a hill so I hit it at a slow speed and then stopped completely as the combination of factors left me spinning like a hamster going nowhere...until I fell off to one side. Made me laugh at the time as about 40 miles earlier I had been knocked out in a head on with a van so it was a case of "anything else the cycling gods want to throw at me??" :)

    Sort of like this?

    cycling-gps_786616i.jpg

    Sorry - I couldn't resist. :D
    Purveyor of "up" :)
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    Brilliant, although to be fair to the chap in front he looks to be moving a damn sight more than I was although the legs are going the same :)
  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    Dodgerdog wrote:
    Have a few on some of my rides (Redvee may know them) top and bottom of Burrington Gorge -

    I've seen them in pictures, but not in real life, something to do with being too high or steep :oops:
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.
  • Leeuw
    Leeuw Posts: 99
    My Wednesday loop involves a grid on the steepest climb and another at the bottom of the run off. Last night, going up I did the usual lightening of the front end so the front wheel doesn't hit it hard while climbing out the saddle (a miniscule wheelie type thing) - going down the other side, I hit the grid at 42mph - and just didn't think about it, just popped bum off saddle and lightened the front end again.

    Definitely better at speed!
  • careful
    careful Posts: 720
    I ride over several most days. Some are worse than others due to variety of designs. One is a real bone rattler but Ive never had any damage to wheels; even low spoke ones. Good advice on here, especially never ride out of the saddle on an uphill one - especially in the wet! Just like riding a turbo for a few seconds until gravity takes over.

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