vickster
Legendary Member
and metalwork!
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Just one other thought (sorry if it's obvious), but maybe just don't go out in the wet until you have a bit more experience and a better feel for the bike? Downhill in the wet can be tricky enough for an experienced rider (I'm certainly not keen on it), never mind someone relatively inexperienced, and it can make a big difference if you can get your general cornering and braking techniques properly nailed in dry conditions first.
NorthernDave
Never used Über Member
- Location
- The real Northern Powerhouse
When I used to ride with rim brakes (all my bikes now have discs), I found a quick application of the brakes to clean all the accumulated road grime off the rims /pads, then release and brake again worked much better than a single continous application of the brakes.
Edit to add, I also changed the stock Tektro pads for Swissstop ones and they helped no end.
Edit to add, I also changed the stock Tektro pads for Swissstop ones and they helped no end.
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Replace the tire definitely. The rear wheel is much more of a how you feel on it kind of thing. Structurally it will be fine, however the biggest concern it that the gouges have made the top of the rim rough and liable to cause damage to a new tyre you put on.
I'd take a fine gauge file to make sure that the outer round edge of the rim is smooth, then as @I like Skol said, get some emery paper (not sandpaper as it's too rough and not intended for metal) and just finally smooth the rim out. Do the same (emery paper not file) on the braking surface until it is smoothed out. You don't need to get it perfectly smooth, just no longer sharp in any place, if you can run your finger along it and feel nothing grabbing it, that's fine.
I wouldn't worry overly much about your brake pads - they last long enough and are cheap enough to replace - but they will improve your braking no end, I found Tektro pads quite hard and lacking power in the wet, which won't have helped your confidence any.
As @I like Skol also said, if you are locking up your rear wheel, your braking technique needs work. A lot of the time people tend to over-use their back brake because they are afraid of going over the handlebars like we often did as kids, but that's the wrong way to use your brakes. As with motorbikes, about 80% of braking power comes from the front brake, there are lots of good articles explaining why this is the case, so if you're interested I can post one or two. But nevertheless use your front brake most of the time.
When braking for a corner, you should aim to do all your braking before you start turning, braking in a corner is a recipe for the rear wheel in particular to lose traction and slip. Also watch out for patches of oil or diesel on the road as these are murderous on a corner or roundabout.
Lastly, you don't say what type of tire you are running, nor what size, and how heavy you are. It's unlikely that having the tire pumped up to 100psi (I run that sort of pressure all the time) will have caused your wheel to slip, but running a lower pressure may well make the ride more comfortable nonetheless.
If you let us know roughly what you weigh, and how wide your tires are (you can tell by the markings on the tire itself, you will see something like 700x25c or the like, the 25 is the width (25mm in this case)), we can advise on a good pressure to run. It is also possible that your tires are not particularly great in the wet - different tyres have different rubber compounds which behave differently, a stickier compound is better in wet weather as it grips the road better - but it does wear faster. Different tread patterns make no difference to how a road bike tyre performs in the wet, so slick tyres are just fine.
I'd take a fine gauge file to make sure that the outer round edge of the rim is smooth, then as @I like Skol said, get some emery paper (not sandpaper as it's too rough and not intended for metal) and just finally smooth the rim out. Do the same (emery paper not file) on the braking surface until it is smoothed out. You don't need to get it perfectly smooth, just no longer sharp in any place, if you can run your finger along it and feel nothing grabbing it, that's fine.
I wouldn't worry overly much about your brake pads - they last long enough and are cheap enough to replace - but they will improve your braking no end, I found Tektro pads quite hard and lacking power in the wet, which won't have helped your confidence any.
As @I like Skol also said, if you are locking up your rear wheel, your braking technique needs work. A lot of the time people tend to over-use their back brake because they are afraid of going over the handlebars like we often did as kids, but that's the wrong way to use your brakes. As with motorbikes, about 80% of braking power comes from the front brake, there are lots of good articles explaining why this is the case, so if you're interested I can post one or two. But nevertheless use your front brake most of the time.
When braking for a corner, you should aim to do all your braking before you start turning, braking in a corner is a recipe for the rear wheel in particular to lose traction and slip. Also watch out for patches of oil or diesel on the road as these are murderous on a corner or roundabout.
Lastly, you don't say what type of tire you are running, nor what size, and how heavy you are. It's unlikely that having the tire pumped up to 100psi (I run that sort of pressure all the time) will have caused your wheel to slip, but running a lower pressure may well make the ride more comfortable nonetheless.
If you let us know roughly what you weigh, and how wide your tires are (you can tell by the markings on the tire itself, you will see something like 700x25c or the like, the 25 is the width (25mm in this case)), we can advise on a good pressure to run. It is also possible that your tires are not particularly great in the wet - different tyres have different rubber compounds which behave differently, a stickier compound is better in wet weather as it grips the road better - but it does wear faster. Different tread patterns make no difference to how a road bike tyre performs in the wet, so slick tyres are just fine.
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
without knowing what tyres you had on the bike its hard to say , slicks per say are not worse in the wet but some tyres do have less grip dependent on the compounds used .
You will always have personal experiences with tyres and a hundred opinions but i have found gator skins to be the devils work in the wet
You will always have personal experiences with tyres and a hundred opinions but i have found gator skins to be the devils work in the wet
Sorry @Alan O but I think that is the wrong advice, avoiding riding in wet weather will teach you nothing. The OP is going to learn far more from having fallen off his bike than riding 1000 hours in perfect weather. Learning better technique and how to handle your bike in poor weather requires that you ride in that sort of environment.
I'd suggest getting out as soon as the bike is ready to go regardless of the weather, and practicing braking and cornering. Play around with braking hard on a straight bit of road, first with the front brake, then the back - if you're feeling adventurous, practice grabbing the back brake hard and getting the rear wheel to skid, then releasing it, learning to control your bike in a skid is important.
Definitely this, I found the same with Vittoria Rubino tyres, great in dry weather, but a bit iffy in the wet however their Zaffiros on the other hand are great all round. The most comfortable I've been in wet weather was with the Bontrager AW series, a bit of a pig to fit, but definitely worth it.
I like Skol
A Minging Manc...
- Location
- Sunny Ashton-under-Lyne
No need to remove the gouges, just any burrs that are proud of the rim surface plus a little bit more. This should allow the pad to pass over the damage without being cut into each time. You are also only looking at a small part of the contact as the other 95% of the contact area will be running on good, undamaged rim wall so even if that tiny area at the edge of the pad loses some rubber the rest of the pad will still be fully functional.
Something wrong here! If the brakes are set up well then it should be difficult to pull the levers back to the bars (if I am understanding you correctly).
I would say practice and experience. Try hard braking in a car park or somewhere clean. Even in the wet it should be possible to lift the rear wheel without the front wheel sliding when braking in a straight line. The rear wheel will lock and skid very easily when all the weight has moved to the front. when turning and braking it takes very little to lock the rear wheel and for it to step out of line.
Going into a corner with one foot (the inner one usually) off the pedal just in case, sets you up for a fall from the outset. Your position and balance on the bike is all wrong and the weight distribution and bike control is all wrong with only the weight on the outer pedal and at the bottom of the stroke. Clipped in with weight on both pedals allows you to distribute the weight Fr to Rr as required.
As I said, something wrong here. I have a roadbike bike from 2011 with the original Tektro brakes and pads and these were always adequate even in horrible conditions. Obviously some reduction in performance when wet but even on a hilly ride and downhill at enthusiastic speeds there was never any fear of not stopping (looking ahead an appropriate distance obviously). My son used the bike for a wet miserable ride to Scarborough last weekend and there were no complaints from him about the brakes even though he normally only rides with good hydraulic disc brakes. I suggest you get someone to check over the brake set up and cable tensions/routing before condemning the brakes themselves. they should work better than this.
Sure, I agree that the only way to learn to ride and brake in the wet is to ride in the wet, but doesn't it make sense to be sure you can do it properly when it's dry first?
vickster
Legendary Member
How long has the OP been riding? First time out in wet? Riding solo or in a group, trying to keep up with more experienced riders?
I've done thousands of miles, but still don't much like riding in the rain...and it's worse in autumn as there's slippery leaf crap, conkers and other nasty stuff on the roads as well as the usual potholes, ruts, metalwork etc
I've done thousands of miles, but still don't much like riding in the rain...and it's worse in autumn as there's slippery leaf crap, conkers and other nasty stuff on the roads as well as the usual potholes, ruts, metalwork etc
woodbutcher
Veteran
- Location
- S W France
Sorry to read about you accident, as is-c advises "front brake before back brake" in any weather conditions. It seems counter intuitive but try it in the dry and in a straight line to start with . As well as bicycles l ride this and there is no way l would still be alive if l used the rear brake in the wet, halfway round a bend
I'm generally not a huge fan of Ducatis, but mmmmmm.Sorry to read about you accident, as is-c advises "front brake before back brake" in any weather conditions. It seems counter intuitive but try it in the dry and in a straight line to start with . As well as bicycles l ride this and there is no way l would still be alive if l used the rear brake in the wet, halfway round a bend
View attachment 430393
raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
Not with that rear tyre on.Sorry to read about you accident, as is-c advises "front brake before back brake" in any weather conditions. It seems counter intuitive but try it in the dry and in a straight line to start with . As well as bicycles l ride this and there is no way l would still be alive if l used the rear brake in the wet, halfway round a bend
View attachment 430393
Racing roadkill
Guru
I’d never mess about with wheels and tyres. Any heavy damage and I’d replace the wheel and tyre, you don’t know how badly the rim has been weakened, and you don’t want it failing, at speed.
