Cattle Grids

[Monsieur Remings]

Or to be more specific in Burrington Coombe's case, Goat Grids, wild ones that stand on the edge of a precipice with the balance of a ballerina. Anyway, sods aren't they? On holiday in Cornwall recently I found that all the cattle grids had an opening next to them for pedestrians, horses and, yes, cyclists. So why not here, over the Mendips, beloved as they are to me?

Now, I have been known to be a bit of a cyclochondriac, worrying about inane things like rain and other such regular annoyances/irrelevancies to the seasoned, initiated cyclechatter, and put right I was and very thankful too. But, would you, or do you ride cattle grids on those skinny little road tyres? I always feel like such a wazzock dismounting, but I really can't see what good can come of rattling over the buggering things.

Is this rational?

 

[Deleted member 1258]

yes I've gone over them many times, I've also nearly dropped the bike on one occasion, normally they're not to bad as long as you don't go too slow.

 

[rsvdaz]

Just ride over them at a steady pace

 

[Theseus]

Go for it, the faster the better.

At least thats what I did last time I ride across one (700c * 25 @ 115psi)

 

[StuAff]

Yup, just carefully straight across. Do not do what I did in Wales a couple of years back. Descending from the top of Gospel Pass, at a fairly rapid speed, saw a grid, panicked, braked hard (not good) and went across it at an angle (double not good). Rear wheel kicked up, I bounced off my head (fortunately I was wearing a helmet) and I went into a bank hard. Fortunately nothing more serious than a few cuts and bruises, and a borked rear wheel.

 

[HLaB]

The Scottish Borders are full of them and I've been down that way a few times lately; I've always found the best way is to go straight over them, just ensure you are straight and upright. btw, I ride ride 22mm front and 23mm rear.

 

[mustang1]

I weigh 95kg and have ridden on 23mm @ 120psi over these grids daily. Like someone else mentioned, faster is better. Get your ass off the saddle too

 

[Fnaar]

I used to go slow or dismount, but now I just ride over them, but look carefully to see if any bars are out of place (there's one local to me that has a bar missing)

 

[totallyfixed]

If you can get up to 25mph you can bunny hop them on a road bike, seems a bit excessive maybe but a friend fell on one in the wet and broke their wrist. Can't do it on fixed yet though

 

[buggi]

yep, as said faster the better, straight on and ass out the saddle. no problem at all.

 

[mcshroom]

Yes, I ride over some daily on my commute (although I have 28s at 100psi). Try not to be leaning/turning when on the grid, especially when it's wet.

 

[funnymummy]

Riding round the NF Sportive in March, I dismounted at the first one, convinced that my skinny tyres wouldn't go accross it, then watched a group of about 10 riders on even skinnier tyres fly past me!
I rode over the rest, took me a couple of attempts to find the right speed, and Yes, as already mentioned - most definatly get out the saddle

 

[Hacienda71]

Straight over as has already been said. I tend to position my weight slightly back so it is a little less over the front wheel.

 

[adscrim]

If you can get up to 25mph you can bunny hop them on a road bike,

Sorry, but I don't believe that for a minute.

 

[Globalti]

Why not? I do it! With a good speed you can unweight the bike for long enough that you hardly feel the grid. I often bunny hop potholes and sunken road repairs too.

Generally the faster the better and if it's a cattle grid with flat bars there is often a bracing bar that runs between alternate rungs in your direction of travel, so if you can line the wheels up with that you'll get a smoother crossing.

The cardinal sin though is to corner or lean the bike on a cattle grid, especially in the wet; you are just asking for a crash. You must cross it at nearly 90 degrees.