Riding over open grate bridges...

Message

-Holiday · #1 Unread post by **-Holiday** » Tue May 24, 2005 7:20 am

...sucks. Even when they are dry. When its raining
they are downright scary. It feels like the back tire
wants to pass the front one, or isnt traveling in the
same plane.

I usually slow down a lot, and dont give it any gas
while i'm going over the bridge.

What do you guys do? I have two of these bridges right
by my house, and I do everything to avoid them. Is
there a certain kind of tire tread that doesnt feel so
shaky when going over this kind of surface?
Has anyone ever fallen because of riding over an open
grate bridge?

Brian
84CB650SC Nighthawk (Black)
West Chester PA

Aggroton · #2 Unread post by **Aggroton** » Tue May 24, 2005 7:29 am

yeah those things suck...there are alot in pa...but i do the same thing...no gas hold in the clutch and go as slow as possible.

#3 Unread post by **cb360** » Tue May 24, 2005 7:35 am

We have a lot of these in Seattle - I feel the rear tire wandering and it makes me nervous but I've never come close to falling. I usually go over them in second gear - maybe 15-20 MPH, light on the throttle. The big thing I make sure of - even if I get honked at - is that I make sure I'm far enough behing the guy in front of me so that I won't have to break no matter what. I'm sure they aren't as dangerous as they feel (unless it's near freezing), but no matter how you slice it your contact patch is much smaller than usual. Hopefully a more experienced biker than I will weigh in on the dreaded bridge grating.

Macka · #4 Unread post by **Macka** » Tue May 24, 2005 7:43 am

I do exactly what you do - slow down, no throttle, coast over it and clench butt cheeks slightly. Hee hee.

No worries about going down, haven't yet. Just don't try to fight it and let the bike coast on over.

#5 Unread post by **9000white** » Tue May 24, 2005 9:35 am

discontinuous center groove tires are the answer to this problem.

Aggroton · #6 Unread post by **Aggroton** » Tue May 24, 2005 10:21 am

9000white wrote:discontinuous center groove tires are the answer to this problem.

not to sound like a complete squib... but what are those?

oldnslo · #7 Unread post by **oldnslo** » Tue May 24, 2005 11:49 am

Crawling is not required, just steady speed, relaxed, and avoid sudden braking or steering inputs.

Tue May 24, 2005 12:26 pm

Aggroton wrote:
9000white wrote:discontinuous center groove tires are the answer to this problem.
not to sound like a complete squib... but what are those?

that is a tire that the center groove in the tread is broken up by the tread pattern instead of going completely around tire.

Aggroton · #9 Unread post by **Aggroton** » Tue May 24, 2005 1:44 pm

thats what i figured...pretty obvious from the name...but i wasnt sure...are they worth getting right away or should i just wait till my own tires need replaced and then get em?

honda599 · #10 Unread post by **honda599** » Tue May 24, 2005 6:26 pm

If it was me I would avoid them completely....take the long way home...gives you a reason to ride more.