ferret fur
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Roseburn
As nobody here has seen the cyclepath in question I suggest there is a lot of sanctimony going on.
Clipped a Cyclist
- Thread starter dhd.evans
- Start date
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Mugshot
Cracking a solo.
At least one person here has
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
This is why I said I what I said. However I would be extremely surprised if the cycle path we're talking about was an exception to the rule, wouldn't you?
Miquel In De Rain
No Longer Posting
They cycle like that up at the Waterloo cycle lane.
I had a collision with another cyclist yesterday. On leaving the cycle way along our local river to join the road, came round a blind bend in the wet to meet another bike coming to opposite way. I have to say my discs performed great in the wet conditions, stopped me almost immediately via the front brake. His didn't. He lost control and his back wheel 'fish tailed' into my front wheel then whipped back. He crash landed in a heap on the floor about 5 metres behind me.
I asked if he was ok and after picking himself up he said he was and just went on his way. No harm done except a slightly painful thumb knuckle on my right hand, no harm to the bike fortunately.
Just goes to show how these things can happen so quickly. He was going a bit too fast for the wet conditions (and so was I in all probability). So another lesson learnt. Just because I can stop quickly doesn't mean to say someone else can!
I asked if he was ok and after picking himself up he said he was and just went on his way. No harm done except a slightly painful thumb knuckle on my right hand, no harm to the bike fortunately.
Just goes to show how these things can happen so quickly. He was going a bit too fast for the wet conditions (and so was I in all probability). So another lesson learnt. Just because I can stop quickly doesn't mean to say someone else can!
Matthew_T
"Young and Ex-whippet"
- Location
- Prestatyn, North Wales
Talking about brakes in the wet: Whenever I go out in the rain, I find that I usually have to brake about 4/5 times earlier distance than I would in the dry. Also, I really have to grab the brakes to be able to get any response out of them. I cannot understand this as my brakes are perfectly fine in the dry and stop me very quickly if I apply the same amount of pressure.
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
Have you got rim brakes? If you have then I'm surprised that you're expecting them to work as well in the wet as in the dry, of course they won't. When cycling in the wet, you really have to look at your braking distances, I know that it takes a scary distance to bring me from 25mph to a stop in the wet and I use Koolstop brakes which are among the best for wet weather use as they have a little edge that squeezes the water away from the rim before applying the braking surface of the block.
Cycling at 20mph on a cycle path 
Matthew_T
"Young and Ex-whippet"
- Location
- Prestatyn, North Wales
Yes I do have rims.
The best place to explain is here: https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=rh...mR_gnp4dO0z76gHa53gSTQ&cbp=12,309.08,,0,14.56 (it is much steeper in real life). In the wet I have to brake from the top of it to be able to stop for the lights at the bottom. In the dry, I have been able to stop for the lights from about 50 yards (if I am going slow enough).
So do all rimmed brakes do this? I just thought that it was something with mine even though I have got new blocks on mine (Clarks replacables).
wiggydiggy
Legendary Member
20 on a cycle path is all about context, its not a hard and fast rule to be obeyed at all times.
Yes of course on a busy path, with poor visibility or bad conditons then 20 could be constrewed as too fast.
But on a clear path, with good visibity in normal conditions then 20 could be considered a safe speed.
Yes of course on a busy path, with poor visibility or bad conditons then 20 could be constrewed as too fast.
But on a clear path, with good visibity in normal conditions then 20 could be considered a safe speed.
gaz
Cycle Camera TV
- Location
- South Croydon
When cycling in the wet, especially rain or around lots of standing water. Water gets onto the rims and sits there.
When you brake normally the pad comes straight into contact with the rim and you start to slow down.
When you brake in the wet, the pad comes into contact with a layer of water over the rim, it must first brush that away before it his the rim and then slows.
However it won't fully dry it so you will never get the same performance.
One tip, in the wet, occasionally pull the brakes lightly to keep the rims dry as possible.
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
Nope all rims brakes do this. I remember watching a wet Tour de France stage where the riders were descending into a bend. You could see the riders pulling frantically at the levers with nothing happening. 5 or 6 of them ending up running off the road into the corner (thankfully it was into a hill rather than a drop!)
Mugshot
Cracking a solo.
Is there any requirement for them to have rim brakes rather than disc or is it purely down to weight?
400bhp
Guru
I don't believe there are any restrictions-indeed I remember reading an article a few months ago that there is some talk of the road boys moving to disc brakes.
