centre lining

[Strathlubnaig]

Is it just me, or does anyone else find themselves riding up the centre line of quiet rural roads because its nice and smooth (well, in relation to the rest of the road) ?
I would like a boffin to try to put a figure on the % of forward motion lost due to rough roads.

 

[Arsen Gere]

It said on the back of my driving license, Tear along dotted line. So I think it's ok.

 

[Strathlubnaig]

It said on the back of my driving license, Tear along dotted line. So I think it's ok.

ha ha.... unfortunately our highland rural roads have no dotted lines.

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

Nah- middle of the and though

 

[mattobrien]

I do tend to try to seek out the smooth stuff if it's possible and safe to do so.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Theres a descent on my way to work, Donnithorne Ave, Its very uneven and lumpy and if I can I will use a strong primary down there as its smoother where the cars have been.

 

[Boris Bajic]

Twisty, narrow country lanes with no central white line: About a metre outside the nearside gravel.

On fast descents in the Malverns and around Bracon/Black Mountains I have 2 methods:

In the dry I go for the smooth stuff, often the nearside tyre tracks worn away by cars.

In the wet I go for the grumbly tarmac left rough by falling within the track of most cars.

I have a figure for you, as requested: It is 16%, but most of that is lost by Mrs Brown at number 8 and she's a very slow rider.

I hope I have helped.

 

[MrJamie]

I do tend to follow the smooth tracks if its really quiet.

Sometimes though on single track the tyre lines are pot holey, so you move into the middle and there's dirt at random points which can make braking and getting out of the middle of the road a little more exciting

 

[byegad]

The %age lost depends on how rough, what tyre and what pressure you are using but if the bike is vibrating a lot you are providing the energy to induce this with your leg power. Smooth will always be faster.