I found a way to access some logging roads without having to put my bike in my car. It involves riding down a rail road track (out of commission until the bridge is fixed) until I reach a short trail. The trail leads to some logging roads near Shelton Matlock Road. I tried to find the logging road that went out to the main road but I had to turn around after about an hour because I did not want to get caught in the dark. I wish I had my GPS with me, I would like to know how many miles I rode and exactly where I went.
I have enough experience riding dirt motor bikes to know to never ride over a wet log at an angle. But still I crashed my bike twice riding riding over wet logs about the diameter of my forearm. The "logs" were wet and slick due to having no bark. I popped a wheelie (I guess they call that a manual now) over them and then the damn back tire went out from under me TWICE. The first time I was sitting and the second time I modified my position and did it standing was standing.
The first time I fell on my bad wrist, the second time I twisted my bad ankle. I was going very slow, but not too slow both times I crashed. After breaking my wrist last year I am a very cautious rider so I walked my bike down the steepest hills on the trail and never let my speed get very high on the logging road down hills
My ankle and wrist hurt but they are not broken. I beginning to wonder if biking is for me. I've had enough signs to make me wonder. Breaking off my front teeth in a high speed bike crash when I was about 12, breaking one wrist and spraining another in a high speed crash last year, having my bike stolen last week and now crashing twice at low speed during my first off road test ride on my new bike. Weird how I landed on my worst joints each time.
I guess I'll have to walk my bike over every little stick on the trail when it's raining. I intend to stay on logging roads and not ride on trails.
I had no idea that bicycles were so skittish on wet sticks, my bike tries to fall down even when I am walking it over wet sticks. I wonder if different tires would help with this? Comments are welcome.
My new bike is Novara Bonita with WTB MotoRaptor 26x2.14 tires. I really don't like the way the rear brake and derailer cables are positioned on the top of the frame tube. I get my shoes caught in them when I get on and off the bike.
I intend to hike in the morning if my ankle has settled down by then.
I don't think you're going to find a much more aggressive tire than what you're running.
ReplyDeleteThe only other thing I could think of would be running some very fat knobbys at a a low enough pressure for them to be soft, but not low enough for them to come off the rim .
Are you using toe clips?
I've had some very bad low speed crashes on my mountain bike when in those clips, so I took them off.
It took me years to get brave enough to use SPD cleats on my road bike because of all the mountain bike crashes I had with toe clips.
I think my tires were over inflated. I did not know that you are supposed to keep the pressure low, just low enough to avoid pinch flats, on a mountain bike. So I pumped the tire up as high as I could. High tire pressure would also explain why the ride was so bumpy.
ReplyDeleteI don't use clips, I tried that once and crashed right away.