Cattle grids

Marcryan206

Hi guys,

Fairly new to cycling and was wondering if you could give me some tips on Cattle grids?
Would like to do try a ride round the new forest but i know there is a few. Do you just go for it keep straight and hope for best or jump off? prob just a confidence thing.
Thanks

Marc

alihisgreat

There is a nasty one on a steep section of a nasty Cat4 climb in Oxfordshire -> although the bars are flat rather than round making it slightly less of a pain..

but wheels slip due to the gradient on the way up, and you have to slow down to take it on the way down.

Never dealt with one that has round bars, but I'd just relax my body and ride over it straight.

thegreatdivide

I tend to take them at speed.

thistle_

If you can freewheel over them rather than pedalling and keep in a straight line you shouldn't have too many problems. Make sure you've got enough speed to freewheel over it without coming to a stop in the middle. Get used to them on the flat before you start taking on grids on steep climbs.

Grids are often lower than the main road surface, watch out for this as you come to them as this drop can be harsher than the bumps of the grid itself.

If you're really not sure about it there's always the gate around the side.

cougie

The ones round here - straight and fast is the best way. Never had to walk over a cattlegrid.

ju5t1n

don't slow down and don't try and turn on them then you're fine

TommyEss

I remember riding over one in a club run and the guy next to me bunny hopped it...

careful

Lots of them around here, some are harsher than others, never had damage to wheels etc though. Just go for it as others have said. Build up enough speed before the grid so you dont have to pedal hard on the grid (can cause wheels to spin especially in the wet). On the worst ones I ease my weight off the saddle a bit, but never pedal out of the saddle, especially if the grid is uphill. Obviously, avoid braking or turning on the grid.

Mikey23

I did the new forest rattler in the summer and we must have gone over at least 20 cattle grids. Just ride straight and steady and you will be ok

Hoopdriver

Unless you're racing, just get off and walk. What is the point of riding over them? Save ten seconds against the possibility of wrecking your wheels/bike and maybe yourself.

TommyEss

What?! You're more likely to slip and fall walking over them in cleats than you ever are riding over them at a reasonable pace...

marcusjb

TommyEss wrote:

What?! You're more likely to slip and fall walking over them in cleats than you ever are riding over them at a reasonable pace...

I'd agree.

There are far bigger road hazards, that are more likely to do damage to you/the bike than a cattle grid.

They are usually fine, even on fast descents. Keep totally perpendicular to the bars, and life should be simple.

The only time I have trouble with them is going uphill where (in particular) the round bar type can be a real pain if it's wet.

Marcryan206

thanks guys for the advice.

ill put it to practice soon and you may see another thread 'front wheel went in cattle grid' lol

navrig

Hoopdriver wrote:

Unless you're racing, just get off and walk. What is the point of riding over them? Save ten seconds against the possibility of wrecking your wheels/bike and maybe yourself.

Why bother with a bike? Just buy a pair of shoes and go for a walk or a run.

ovi

If i'm going quickly i'll jump them if possible if not about 15mph so not to pinch the inner tube

Emphursis

There is one on my regular route and I was a bit iffy about it to begin with. The best thing to do is to stay in a straight line, not break while you are on it and coast over.

Buckled_Rims

Saw 2 riders last year fall on a wet cattle grid. I was in a car at the time and mentioned they were going too slow for the grid. No sooner did I say that then the first one went straight down and the other followed. I'm sure I would have walked over that grid in them conditions, but on dry grids I go over them freewheel and straight style.

benno68

Hit it straight at a decent speed and it'll be fine, depending on my mood and proximity of other riders I sometimes bunny hop them. There's a nasty one on the Tumble near Abergavenny, it's fine on a descent but a bloody nightmare on the ascent if wet, due to rear wheel spin.

Grill

Benno68 wrote:

Hit it straight at a decent speed and it'll be fine, depending on my mood and proximity of other riders I sometimes bunny hop them. There's a nasty one on the Tumble near Abergavenny, it's fine on a descent but a bloody nightmare on the ascent if wet, due to rear wheel spin.

Should have done the Exmoor Beast with us. There's one at the top of Crook Horn Hill at around 20%. Awesome when pissing it down.

Hoopdriver

TommyEss wrote:

What?! You're more likely to slip and fall walking over them in cleats than you ever are riding over them at a reasonable pace...

Only if you're a cow...

Hoopdriver

Navrig wrote:

Hoopdriver wrote:

Unless you're racing, just get off and walk. What is the point of riding over them? Save ten seconds against the possibility of wrecking your wheels/bike and maybe yourself.

Why bother with a bike? Just buy a pair of shoes and go for a walk or a run.

Facile...

cougie

I've been riding for 30 years - never had a problem with cattlegrids.
Walking over would be far more tricky.

There's some nice ones on the horseshoe pass in Wales - you ride about 10mph up them and 40mph coming down. Never been a problem.

DavidJB

Wheelie.

Hoopdriver

cougie wrote:

I've been riding for 30 years - never had a problem with cattlegrids.
Walking over would be far more tricky.

There's some nice ones on the horseshoe pass in Wales - you ride about 10mph up them and 40mph coming down. Never been a problem.

Well, I've been riding for nearly 50 years and I never had a problem with them either - because I just walk the bike across when I come to them. Nor do I find walking over them tricky. I am amazed that so many people here find walking across a cattle grid to be tricky and dangerous. I thought only cattle and sheep were flummoxed by them.

iPete

Don't cross them parallel with the grid, top tip there.

Marcryan206

iPete wrote:

Don't cross them parallel with the grid, top tip there.

Lol I never thought of it that way :P

HiDidleyHi

There is one on my commute on a gentle hill. I was riding with a mate who bunny hopped it when going down the hill at speed. I copied him the next time out and it was fine. I never clear the grid, just take some weight off the front wheel when getting onto the first few bars.
I got it completely wrong going slowly uphill the other way. Unweighted the front slightly, but when coming back down the front wheel just slipped out from under me on the wet grids. I now treat them with great repsect when wet, hit them straight on and don't do anything silly.

thefd

ovi wrote:

If i'm going quickly i'll jump them

Jump them? The ones round me are about 12 feet long - no chance of jumping or bunny hopping them...is that what you really meant or have I miss-understood you?

For the OP I take them at a steady pace square on and always find them fine! I have ridden over a mixture of flat and rounded ones!

Valy

Yeah just that really - keep straight and don't do anything rash while on them.

Bobbinogs

The round ones can be particularly treachorous when wet and on an incline so I will walk them. Others I have crossed safely countless times by following the advice above. I have also bunny hopped a few when going at a fair old lick but don't do that now (feeling too old and fragile ).

cougie

Hoopdriver wrote:

cougie wrote:

I've been riding for 30 years - never had a problem with cattlegrids.
Walking over would be far more tricky.

There's some nice ones on the horseshoe pass in Wales - you ride about 10mph up them and 40mph coming down. Never been a problem.

Well, I've been riding for nearly 50 years and I never had a problem with them either - because I just walk the bike across when I come to them. Nor do I find walking over them tricky. I am amazed that so many people here find walking across a cattle grid to be tricky and dangerous. I thought only cattle and sheep were flummoxed by them.

I'd not fancy my chances wearing carbon soles with look cleats walking over metal bars. That said - I've never tried because there's no need - just ride over them like you're meant to