riding tips - next time I come across this..
cesco
Posts: 252
What do I do?
While I was out I rode into this stream crossing the road. Only noticed it quite late, as it was just around a bend. I ended up doing the stupidest thing -the one thing you're told not to do when you ride through snow: go slowly and use your brakes. Didn't realise it would be that slippery though. So obviously that didn't go well, but the good news is that it was so slippery that I hardly got a scratch even. The water made me smell like shit for the rest of my ride and obviously soaked clothing and feet isn't very comfortable.
However, learning the hard way got me thinking. What would you do?
- Just go full speed ahead. No braking, no thinking. (Just like riding on icy roads).
- Stop, get off, and wade through. (It was like two inches deep and I may have slipped on my shoes either way).
- Turn around, take detour.
8)
While I was out I rode into this stream crossing the road. Only noticed it quite late, as it was just around a bend. I ended up doing the stupidest thing -the one thing you're told not to do when you ride through snow: go slowly and use your brakes. Didn't realise it would be that slippery though. So obviously that didn't go well, but the good news is that it was so slippery that I hardly got a scratch even. The water made me smell like shit for the rest of my ride and obviously soaked clothing and feet isn't very comfortable.
However, learning the hard way got me thinking. What would you do?
- Just go full speed ahead. No braking, no thinking. (Just like riding on icy roads).
- Stop, get off, and wade through. (It was like two inches deep and I may have slipped on my shoes either way).
- Turn around, take detour.
8)
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Comments
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I rode through a ford the other day, I kind of treated it the same as a cattle grid. Slow enough to pick out surface under the water but fast enough not to lose momentum. And keep dead straight-ahead.Edinburgh Revolution Curve
http://app.strava.com/athletes/19200480 -
If you ride through it you are going to end up wet to some extent. Keep at a medium pace and try and go through it as straight as you can. Try and stay left or right rather than go down the middle as that is where car tyres are likely to have gon through and you are less likely to encounter weed build up or loose pebbles. Pushing through is a possibility but i would prefer to have a wet back and legs than absolutely soaking feet.Life isnt like a box of chocolates, its like a bag of pic n mix.0
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If you have to go through, then slow as possible, not touching brakes if possible and keep a straight line.
Ideally I would go around though if there is slime/moss on the bottom.
Another alternative would be to take shoes/socks off if you want to wade through but keep them dry.
Unless on my MTB, in which case the bigger the splash the better!0 -
doug5_10 wrote:I rode through a ford the other day, I kind of treated it the same as a cattle grid. Slow enough to pick out surface under the water but fast enough not to lose momentum. And keep dead straight-ahead.
I feel dumb now, I just found out that THAT's what a ford is. See, I'm from abroad, and we don't have these back home. So I just came up with a new strategy: keep an eye open for the road signs* haha.
* I remember thinking: "why weren't there any warnings?"0 -
cesco wrote:doug5_10 wrote:I rode through a ford the other day, I kind of treated it the same as a cattle grid. Slow enough to pick out surface under the water but fast enough not to lose momentum. And keep dead straight-ahead.
I feel dumb now, I just found out that THAT's what a ford is. See, I'm from abroad, and we don't have these back home. So I just came up with a new strategy: keep an eye open for the road signs* haha.
* I remember thinking: "why weren't there any warnings?"
Whereever you're from, you probably do, just you don't know about them. You could drive around the UK for years and not encounter one.0 -
markhewitt1978 wrote:cesco wrote:doug5_10 wrote:I rode through a ford the other day, I kind of treated it the same as a cattle grid. Slow enough to pick out surface under the water but fast enough not to lose momentum. And keep dead straight-ahead.
I feel dumb now, I just found out that THAT's what a ford is. See, I'm from abroad, and we don't have these back home. So I just came up with a new strategy: keep an eye open for the road signs* haha.
* I remember thinking: "why weren't there any warnings?"
Whereever you're from, you probably do, just you don't know about them. You could drive around the UK for years and not encounter one.
I'm from Holland, where there are no hills for the water to stream from
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There's a few round here. One between Hinxton and Duxford has caught a couple of motorists out in the past when deeper and more slippery than anticipated. One was swept sideways off the thing and into the river. Another stalled in the middle then for some reason opened the door and filled the car with water
There's often a bridge alternative for pedestrians which I'll wheel the road bike across. MTB goes straight through0 -
List of fords here: http://www.wetroads.co.uk/berkshire.htm
This one near me causes a few problems for cars when it floods! http://www.wetroads.co.uk/dp.php?Hurst20 -
Not like this - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrKRqej0BBo0
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cesco wrote:What do I do?
8)
I'd pick me bike up have a quick look around and hope someone didn't see me.
Then ride off calling myself many names.0 -
A wiki entry on Fords http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_(crossing)
And I think these places are in holland (or near enought!!)
"Towns such as Maastricht, Dordrecht, and Utrecht also formed at fords but the ending tricht, drecht, or trecht is derived from the Latin word traiectum, meaning "crossing"."
I had a similar experience to you a few weeks back - i was unlucky in that it was in front of a crowd, and i cracked a rib. I think unless you know it is dead flat, I'd wade. I hit a lump and my wheel slid out from under me.0
