Hybrid on sandy beach promenade

hotchilidamo
hotchilidamo Posts: 6
edited February 2014 in Commuting general
So I've done my research and I'm all set with a specialized sirrus but my hesitation is that I plan to cycle along the promenade for the majority of my commute. Naturally in some places there's a build up of sand, particularly with the recent wind. So although the majority is paved, there are spots of sand build up and I was concerned that a sirrus with their thin road bike wheels will not really cope hitting a patch of sand. I'll not know until I do the run, but by then it'll be too late as I'd had to have purchased the bike.

So just calling on some experience really. Am I overthinking it, or am I right to be concerned. Would wider mountain bike wheels be better, or are all bikes going to perform badly. Putting it in context, I'm not talking massive amounts of sand, and most of it is wet and compact, but there will be bigger patches in places as I'll be riding on about 5 miles of beach

Comments

  • Mikey23
    Mikey23 Posts: 5,306
    I rode along a beach road the other day which has become pretty much sanded over. Was not an issue... Quite a larf in fact
  • JCJC
    JCJC Posts: 162
    I have exactly the same question ....
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    It looks like you would have space to fit wider tyres if needed to the sirrus, but check in shop how wide it could take.
  • capt_caveman
    capt_caveman Posts: 9
    Most of my commuting is done on coast road, so I regularly come across sandy patches, stones, seaweed and various other items of flotsam and jetsam after a big storm.

    I've had a couple of dodgy moments on dry sand where it's been deeper that anticipated, but no problems with areas of thin wet and compact sand on my 25mm tyres. I do try and avoid if if possible, but if not will always knock a couple of mph off my speed. I don't find it much different to riding on a cinder cycle path really, other than just make sure you clean the sand off regularly as it sure does limit the lifespan of your components!
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    30mm tyres currently fitted to my wife's Sirrus - it can take wider ... 35mm if you wanted ... possibly more - never tried!
  • MichaelW
    MichaelW Posts: 2,164
    32mm is fine for mixed use and you have room for wider possibly 38mm.
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    I would imagine the tyres aren't the issue, but sand getting stuck onto your chain / cassette etc would wear it quickly?
  • MichaelW
    MichaelW Posts: 2,164
    markhewitt1978 wrote:
    I would imagine the tyres aren't the issue, but sand getting stuck onto your chain / cassette etc would wear it quickly?
    wax lubes run cleaner than oil in sandy conditions.

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