Gravel on the road
#1
03-17-2008, 09:25 PM
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Gravel on the road
My buddy Randy was riding on the asphalt road last summer, following traffic and came upon some loose gravel on the road. He went down, hit his head (no helmet) and got a free ride to the hospital. I visited him the next day, and he remembered gravel on the road, but nothing else. He doesn't remember how much was there, or what he did (but he thinks he may have hit the brakes by instinct). A few days later he drove to the site, and there was gravel on the shoulder, and it looked like cars passing other cars dragged some of the gravel on the road.
My only personal experience with gravel was coming to an "T" intersection (w/stop sign) with a couple buddies. There was maybe 16 ounces of gravel on the road, in a big triangle, with each piece of gravel about 1 inch from the other. Stuff left over from the traffic basically, and blown/rolled into the middle. It didn't look like much so I just drove over it and it felt like the bike shifted over an inch as I went by, and I was probably in a lean at the time, but other than shifting a little nothing happened. It got me thinking with some of the posts I've read where they are warning about gravel and sand left over from the winter.
I've riden on roads where there is a couple of stray pieces of gravel here and there (more than 12" apart) and I figure there's no threat in that. I've read to not brake or accelerate in gravel, and to stay in the grooves if they exist, and to slow down. My big question is, how gravel does there have to be on the road to cause a problem, and howmuchgravel doesn't cause any problems. If there was a gravel rock under each tire would that be enough to cause an issue? Should I be equally cautious regardless of the amount? And what about sand? Any Better or Worse than gravel??
Oh, I once pulled into a gravel driveway from a highway, I slowed down to about 30mph and I pulled onto the shoulder to loose speed before turning in about 5-10mph, and I didn't have any issues.
Many Thanks!
My only personal experience with gravel was coming to an "T" intersection (w/stop sign) with a couple buddies. There was maybe 16 ounces of gravel on the road, in a big triangle, with each piece of gravel about 1 inch from the other. Stuff left over from the traffic basically, and blown/rolled into the middle. It didn't look like much so I just drove over it and it felt like the bike shifted over an inch as I went by, and I was probably in a lean at the time, but other than shifting a little nothing happened. It got me thinking with some of the posts I've read where they are warning about gravel and sand left over from the winter.
I've riden on roads where there is a couple of stray pieces of gravel here and there (more than 12" apart) and I figure there's no threat in that. I've read to not brake or accelerate in gravel, and to stay in the grooves if they exist, and to slow down. My big question is, how gravel does there have to be on the road to cause a problem, and howmuchgravel doesn't cause any problems. If there was a gravel rock under each tire would that be enough to cause an issue? Should I be equally cautious regardless of the amount? And what about sand? Any Better or Worse than gravel??
Oh, I once pulled into a gravel driveway from a highway, I slowed down to about 30mph and I pulled onto the shoulder to loose speed before turning in about 5-10mph, and I didn't have any issues.
Many Thanks!
#2
03-17-2008, 09:33 PM
RE: Gravel on the road
I was once coming up a steep mountain set of twisty curves where the road was nice and clear for miles. I came around a curve and found the roadway covered with gravel from where the highway department had cleaned the ditches out with a motor grader so the water would flow better. This is what I got outta the deal.
[IMG]local://upfiles/17633/BC0FA35D5F2E492FAACFC497416F1D0A.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/17633/BC0FA35D5F2E492FAACFC497416F1D0A.jpg[/IMG]
#3
03-17-2008, 10:25 PM
RE: Gravel on the road
I ride on gravels everyday, I think its better if theres a lot of them and you know they are there. if theres just a bunch scattered on the road and you are unsuspecting it can cause probs. I have fishtailed on roads on gravels before but they havnt bit me yet. Wet leaves on the road are worse than gravels, thats like skating...
ORIGINAL: CoyoteJoe
My buddy Randy was riding on the asphalt road last summer, following traffic and came upon some loose gravel on the road. He went down, hit his head (no helmet) and got a free ride to the hospital. I visited him the next day, and he remembered gravel on the road, but nothing else. He doesn't remember how much was there, or what he did (but he thinks he may have hit the brakes by instinct). A few days later he drove to the site, and there was gravel on the shoulder, and it looked like cars passing other cars dragged some of the gravel on the road.
My only personal experience with gravel was coming to an "T" intersection (w/stop sign) with a couple buddies. There was maybe 16 ounces of gravel on the road, in a big triangle, with each piece of gravel about 1 inch from the other. Stuff left over from the traffic basically, and blown/rolled into the middle. It didn't look like much so I just drove over it and it felt like the bike shifted over an inch as I went by, and I was probably in a lean at the time, but other than shifting a little nothing happened. It got me thinking with some of the posts I've read where they are warning about gravel and sand left over from the winter.
I've riden on roads where there is a couple of stray pieces of gravel here and there (more than 12" apart) and I figure there's no threat in that. I've read to not brake or accelerate in gravel, and to stay in the grooves if they exist, and to slow down. My big question is, how gravel does there have to be on the road to cause a problem, and howmuchgravel doesn't cause any problems. If there was a gravel rock under each tire would that be enough to cause an issue? Should I be equally cautious regardless of the amount? And what about sand? Any Better or Worse than gravel??
Oh, I once pulled into a gravel driveway from a highway, I slowed down to about 30mph and I pulled onto the shoulder to loose speed before turning in about 5-10mph, and I didn't have any issues.
Many Thanks!
My buddy Randy was riding on the asphalt road last summer, following traffic and came upon some loose gravel on the road. He went down, hit his head (no helmet) and got a free ride to the hospital. I visited him the next day, and he remembered gravel on the road, but nothing else. He doesn't remember how much was there, or what he did (but he thinks he may have hit the brakes by instinct). A few days later he drove to the site, and there was gravel on the shoulder, and it looked like cars passing other cars dragged some of the gravel on the road.
My only personal experience with gravel was coming to an "T" intersection (w/stop sign) with a couple buddies. There was maybe 16 ounces of gravel on the road, in a big triangle, with each piece of gravel about 1 inch from the other. Stuff left over from the traffic basically, and blown/rolled into the middle. It didn't look like much so I just drove over it and it felt like the bike shifted over an inch as I went by, and I was probably in a lean at the time, but other than shifting a little nothing happened. It got me thinking with some of the posts I've read where they are warning about gravel and sand left over from the winter.
I've riden on roads where there is a couple of stray pieces of gravel here and there (more than 12" apart) and I figure there's no threat in that. I've read to not brake or accelerate in gravel, and to stay in the grooves if they exist, and to slow down. My big question is, how gravel does there have to be on the road to cause a problem, and howmuchgravel doesn't cause any problems. If there was a gravel rock under each tire would that be enough to cause an issue? Should I be equally cautious regardless of the amount? And what about sand? Any Better or Worse than gravel??
Oh, I once pulled into a gravel driveway from a highway, I slowed down to about 30mph and I pulled onto the shoulder to loose speed before turning in about 5-10mph, and I didn't have any issues.
Many Thanks!
#4
03-17-2008, 10:34 PM
RE: Gravel on the road
Like x2lee said , Here in WI. gravel is pretty much an every day thing any were from gravel on the road to full on gravel roads. I grew up riding gravel roads I don't even think about it when I come across one
#6
03-18-2008, 04:46 AM
RE: Gravel on the road
Yeah, I'd rather ride down a gravel road than hit a small amount unexpectedly. Even one small rock can cause problems if you do something drastic, like hit your brakes.
Sand??? Just as bad as ice in my opinion. And that includes when I'm in a car.
Sand??? Just as bad as ice in my opinion. And that includes when I'm in a car.
#7
03-18-2008, 08:10 AM
RE: Gravel on the road
Any amount of sand or gravel requires a greater degree of caution than no gravel or sand. Key word there being "any". 
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#8
03-18-2008, 08:19 AM
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RE: Gravel on the road
All you need is enough to get between the roads surface and your tire.This time of year the plow trucks have kicked plenty of it up at intersections,you gotta slow way down turning on the small stuff thats out there.
[IMG]local://upfiles/42833/9E69B3C7C1284170B84096A32184CF5F.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]local://upfiles/42833/9E69B3C7C1284170B84096A32184CF5F.jpg[/IMG]
#9
03-18-2008, 08:24 AM
Road Master
RE: Gravel on the road
I HATE gravel and any other crap on the road - as a kid, went down on a patch of gravel. Knock on wood, only time I ever went down.
#10
03-18-2008, 08:39 AM
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RE: Gravel on the road
Gravel is most dangerous as a road hazard when you happen upon it unawares, especially while manuevering the bike through a curve or while stopping at an intersection. In both instances, you have used up some of the traction normally provided by both contact patches front and rear. The additional loss of traction from the ball-bearing like results of crossing sand or gravel are enough to place you in a skid, and then....
Learn to anticipate where sand or gravel are likely to be, i.e., intersections, washouts from side roads after a heavy rain, etc. and slow down enough BEFORE hitting it if you can. Otherwise, scrub off what speed you can, straighten the bike up and ride through it.
Learn to anticipate where sand or gravel are likely to be, i.e., intersections, washouts from side roads after a heavy rain, etc. and slow down enough BEFORE hitting it if you can. Otherwise, scrub off what speed you can, straighten the bike up and ride through it.