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Jumping off the curb: how bad for the rims?

pmorgan1pmorgan1 Posts: 173
edited August 2016 in Commuting chat
Hi all,

My commute involves jumping off a tallish curb on a daily basis (roadworks).

How does it affect the rims/spokes/handlebar & brake fittings (as they get shocked when you land too)?

I rarely check if my wheels run true. Do curb jumps affect the shape of the rims?

Inexpensive alu Giant rims, 25mm tyres at 110 psi.

Posts

  • asprillaasprilla Posts: 8,440
    How much do you weigh and how many spokes do your wheels have?
    Mud - Genesis Vapour CCX
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  • cougiecougie Posts: 22,512
    Must be heavy if you have that much in them. Off the kerb isn't much of a problem. But if you were riding into the kerb....
  • pblakeneypblakeney Posts: 22,943
    If you land properly* to absorb the load then it should be okay.

    *Relaxed legs and arms act as shock absorbers. Straight legs or arms will put your body mass onto the bike.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • jds_1981jds_1981 Posts: 1,858
    If you're not denting them you are fine
    FCN 9 || FCN 5
  • mtb-idlemtb-idle Posts: 2,179
    Road wheels and frames are not meant for jumping so clearly it's not a good idea but as with all things it depends on a number of factors.

    I would suggest that if you are reasonably skillful and land as suggested above so that you barely hear a whisper as the tyres land and you carry on rolling then all is good.

    But if you are the usual 'its all about the power no skills required' roadie and you land with an audible thump with associated crashing and creaking of the bike then i would stop doing it.
    FCN = 4
  • TashmanTashman Posts: 3,130
    I'd ask why you're riding on the pavement... :)
  • pblakeneypblakeney Posts: 22,943
    Tashman wrote:
    I'd ask why you're riding on the pavement... :)
    'Cos he is avoiding the lights.
    Don't you know cyclists never stop at red? :wink:
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • TashmanTashman Posts: 3,130
    PBlakeney wrote:
    Tashman wrote:
    I'd ask why you're riding on the pavement... :)
    'Cos he is avoiding the lights.
    Don't you know cyclists never stop at red? :wink:
    hehe, silly me :lol:
  • pmorgan1pmorgan1 Posts: 173
    Tashman wrote:
    I'd ask why you're riding on the pavement... :)

    Careful with your assumptions! Cycle superhighways have raised sections.
  • roger_merrimanroger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    My street has high kerbs so i start and end the day by riding off/over a high kerb, for years I had road bikes, don't recall any wheel problems to be honest.

    I now commute on a old MTB which smooths the bumps though with panniers etc, the rear can thump down due to it's weight.
  • cjcpcjcp Posts: 13,345
    As MTB-Ilde says, I don't think it's ideal for the frame either. I wouldn't be surprised if it stresses the BB area, particularly if you're a 80kg-plus rider like me and you've snapped the frame where the driveside chainstay meets the BB. The frame lasted me five years, but it did a few high-speed bunny hops during its commuting life.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • The RookieThe Rookie Posts: 27,809
    I have two speed bumps I bunny hop daily (so 4 times a day), no issue in over 3 years on my current wheels, will be about 380 hops. As noted above, unweighting and landing smoothly and there will be less impact than hitting a small lump in the road which clearly the wheels can take that just fine, crashing off isn't that big an issue compared to crashing up kerbs of course.
    Current steed - Whyte T129, 2013 frame, mongrel Revelations, Giant dropper, Stans S1 wheelset. 12, Magura Trail Sport brakes, 1x11. 12.8Kg
  • sloppyschleckondssloppyschleckonds Posts: 8,019
    Been curb jumping forever, no problems here. Adds to the fun.
    I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles
  • wolfsbane2kwolfsbane2k Posts: 3,056
    Had issues with Kerb jumping hurting wheels previously, but with 150kg all in on the wheels, it wasnt a surprise!
    Intent on Cycling Commuting on a budget, but keep on breaking/crashing/finding nice stuff to buy.
    Bike 1 (Broken) - Bike 2(Borked) - Bike 3(broken spokes) - Bike 4( Needs Work) - Bike 5 (in bits) - Bike 6* ...
  • Snakebite the 2ndSnakebite the 2nd Posts: 452
    Wolfsbane2k wrote:
    Had issues with Kerb jumping hurting wheels previously, but with 150kg all in on the wheels, it wasnt a surprise!

    At 109kg I now realise why I have a mountainbike.

    As said above "ride light", even at my weight I have never had issues offroad, I'm quite a lump, but I do ride quite lightly.
  • drlodgedrlodge Posts: 4,826
    A lot less stress on the wheels than hitting a pot hole.
    WyndyMilla Massive Attack | Rourke 953 | Condor Italia 531 Pro | Boardman CX Pro | DT Swiss RR440 Tubeless Wheels
    Find me on Strava
  • twist83twist83 Posts: 761
    Do it every morning and have done so for 4 years on the same route to work. Carbon and Alu rims. No dents, cracks etc.

    They are more robust than most people think.
  • secretsamsecretsam Posts: 4,988
    I cracked some rims doing it

    Mind you, I'm a chunkster

    PS: it's "kerbs"
    It's just a hill. Get over it.
  • bikegangsterbikegangster Posts: 98
    I've been jumping on and off curbs since forever. Did it on my Pinnacle Neon I had for three years. No damage at all associated with curb jumping. And continued to jump with my Giant Defy I bought recently - I hear road bikes aren't meant for jumping! But I think I can get away with it as I only weigh 63 kgs and I don't think it'll stress out the frame that much. So no need for a cyclocross bike!

    What I do to keep damage to a minimum is approach the curb at turtle speed and unweigh the front wheel as it climbs the curb. Then, just before the rear wheel climbs the curb, I do a tiny jump off the pedals to unweigh the rear wheel for half a second and let the wheel climb up. That way the back wheel won't get squashed between the curb and your body weight. I can't do a proper bunny hop by the way so I compensate by doing two seperate small jumps, one for each wheel.

    When jumping off a curb I just ride off it at any speed and lift my censored off the saddle so my legs can absorb the shock upon landing instead of leaving it to air pressure in the tyres.
  • N0bodyOfTheGoatN0bodyOfTheGoat Posts: 5,520
    It's absolutely fine... With 4" Jumbo Jims approaching 30PSI on 80mm rims.;)
    ================
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