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View Full Version : Riding on a road under construction?

metalangel
24-03-12, 09:25 AM
On my way to work today, the road up the mountain was under construction... the surface had beeen scraped away, revealing the sub-base (the horrible, uneven layer underneath that's covered in ridges and bumps). Lots of loose chips and raised ironworks too.

This stuff isn't nice in the car, on a bike it feels positively dangerous, and facing bends and steep gradients I turned around and found another route.

Any advice? I was going about 20mph which was appreciated by the unsympathetic cagers behind me.

http://www.hockleysurfacing.co.uk/images/gallery/road_resurfacing1.jpg
NTECUK
24-03-12, 10:11 AM
Don't tense up.
Look were you going as you can get drawn in by the looking at your front wheel syndrome
metalangel
24-03-12, 10:31 AM
I imagine it's not unlike what offroading feels like, but without appropriate tires for doing so. I was looking where I was going, the problem was the surface was horrific and made you lurch around.
WayneL
24-03-12, 10:54 AM
On a straight bit of road I would say just potter along at a safe speed, but downhill with bends? I think you did the right thing. If you don't feel comfortable and and you have another option, then take it.
squirrel_hunter
24-03-12, 10:54 AM
Relax, allow the bike to move around a little underneath you. Just like normal surfaces keep looking where you want to be so you can avoid the big lumps of metal. And finally take your time go at your own pace and screw the cages behind you.
aaron020873
24-03-12, 11:18 AM
Relax, allow the bike to move around a little underneath you. Just like normal surfaces keep looking where you want to be so you can avoid the big lumps of metal. And finally take your time go at your own pace and screw the cages behind you.

+1
don't feel under pressure from car drivers, it's not them that could fall off!
Red Herring
24-03-12, 05:43 PM
As has been said, just try and relax and let the bike twitch about beneath you. Don't worry about the tyres, they're not going to slip unless you go on something loose, they'll just try and track a bit on the ridges. Just ease up a bit when you come to the end as sometimes the step back up onto the good stuff can be a bit big and you don't want to ding a rim or pinch a tyre. Obviously dodge the raised manhole covers as well!
Bibio
24-03-12, 06:16 PM
head up and crack on.
andrewsmith
24-03-12, 07:36 PM
Relax and read the road nice and early.

Your not meant to do anymore then 20mph on the sub-bases as it buggers them up more