# Cattle Grids.......



## spence (21 Mar 2009)

...was I just unlucky today or is there a technique?

Went across my first cattle grid on the road bike today and it blew the rear tyre. On the fat tyred bikes they're no problem, just ride across without worrying about them. So are they best avoided?


----------



## jimboalee (21 Mar 2009)

When you see a Cattle grid sign, sprint, at the last moment jump to take the weight off the tyres.


----------



## Randochap (21 Mar 2009)

spence said:


> ...was I just unlucky today or is there a technique?
> 
> Went across my first cattle grid on the road bike today and it blew the rear tyre. On the fat tyred bikes they're no problem, just ride across without worrying about them. So are they best avoided?



There's a a technique to everything.

But there's some variables too. 


Rider weight
tyre pressure
tyre quality

So, it would be helpful to know if you had the correct tyre pressure for tyre/conditions.

You say "blew the rear tyre" but I'm assuming you got a pinch flat Correct? If you actually blew the tyre, then that's a really extreme case.

Anyway, the trick is to "unweight' the bike as you cross by sort of jumping upward. This won't work very well, unless you have clipless pedals or toe clips and straps. The thing is, if you are a dead weight on the bike any good bump is likely to cause a pinch flat.

Combine proper tyre pressure w/ nimble bike handling and you'll reduce pinch flats.

As you know, fatter tyres reduce the problem. Another argument for more volume = faster and more comfy ride for the vast majority of riders.


----------



## palinurus (21 Mar 2009)

Yup. Ride like a cat.


----------



## spence (21 Mar 2009)

OK. Me 14 stone, tyres are new Panaracer Extreme Evo3's with 100psi in (min on side walls). I did un-weight the bike (spd's) as I crossed.
Yep, pinch flat. Although I could only see one split in the tube, not the usual snake bite. May have been just ublucky. 

Oh, by fat tyres I'm talking about 2.2-2.4 MTB's, both HT and FS.


----------



## Mike Rudkin (21 Mar 2009)

I cross cattle grids most rides-road bike,100 psi,I go very,very slowly ! Cos you puncture if you don't lol.


----------



## snorri (22 Mar 2009)

spence said:


> ...was I just unlucky today or is there a technique??


If there is a technique, it will vary for the many variations in design and construction of cattle grids.


----------



## montage (22 Mar 2009)

Sheeps near my uncle in north yorkshire have learned to get over cattle grids be rolling.


----------



## longers (22 Mar 2009)

Now that I really, really would like to see


----------



## Lardyboy (22 Mar 2009)

Cattle grids can be tackled in many many ways. Depending on my mood it's either as fast as I can or as slow as I dare.


----------



## Crackle (22 Mar 2009)

Don't agree with this jumping lark. It might work on small grids if you're skilled enough to do it but if not you're likely to come a cropper.

My technique is not to fast, not to slow. Before you reach it stand up and centre your weight over the bike with a light but secure grip on the bars. Also before you hit it, pick your line. Most cattle grids will have raised sections and flat sections. The raised section is normally in the car tyre line where the road is worn or the grids buckled up slightly, to either side of that is the place to aim. Often that's more to the centre of the grid.

As you hit it, stay dead straight, let you knees buckle slightly with the impact to absorb some force, stay relaxed and you'll be over it.

I used to cross 3 or 4 deer grids on a regular ride, one of them uphill at only 6 or 7 mph, which requires the same technique but using a smooth and fluid pedal action so you don't need to throw too much weight from side to side.

So far no mishaps.


----------



## dodgy (22 Mar 2009)

Different type of grids though aren't there? Yesterday I was up the Bwlch Penbarras and around there you'll find grids with square profile bars which in my opinion are better than the round profile bars as all the weight of the bike is focused onto a small section of steel. The square profile at least spread the load a bit more.


----------



## HJ (22 Mar 2009)

To me the main thing it to keep your handle bars parallel with the bars of the grid and your wheels are perpendicular to the bars of the grid...


----------



## ColinJ (22 Mar 2009)

montage said:


> Sheeps near my uncle in north yorkshire have learned to get over cattle grids be rolling.


They've obviously been in touch with their relatives in West Yorkshire!


----------



## bonj2 (22 Mar 2009)

i dont' seem to have problems going over them on my road bike


----------



## Cubist (22 Mar 2009)

bonj said:


> i dont' seem to have problems going over them on my road bike


Sheep or the cattle grids?


----------



## bonj2 (22 Mar 2009)

Cubist said:


> Sheep or the cattle grids?



neither


----------



## ColinJ (23 Mar 2009)

bonj said:


> neither


Or both?


----------



## bonj2 (23 Mar 2009)

ColinJ said:


> Or both?



, yeah - both. i meant 'which one do you have a problem with?', 'neither'.


----------



## Flying_Monkey (23 Mar 2009)

As a couple of people have suggested, the important thing is to be as straight as you can be going over them. And either very slow, or fast, not some indecisive speed inbetween! 

(I really wouldn't recommend trying to jump cattle grids if you don't know what you are doing).


----------



## jay clock (23 Mar 2009)

it is not a question of jumping, it is standing up on the pedals, remove bum from seat, keep legs bent slightly, and keep straight. To keep straight, look straight ahead into the middle distance

If you do the standing up on the pedals bit at the right time, it does reduce the weight pushing down onto the wheels a bit.


----------



## just4fun (23 Mar 2009)

Interesting post, having only passed cattle grids on fat mtb tyres i wasnt even aware of this issue. Now i fear them.


edit: only a very little bit


----------



## Arch (23 Mar 2009)

I'm afraid, thanks to an accident one time, and my general lack of physical bravery, my technique with cattle grids is to get off and walk over....

Pretty much guaranteed not to puncture that way, I reckon.


----------



## Bollo (23 Mar 2009)

This all goes to prove bonj's point in the 'Horses' megathread. If we didn't have these animals roaming around, we wouldn't need cattle grids.


----------



## spence (23 Mar 2009)

Sorry, when I posted I didn't intend to scary anyone 

Thanks all. I guess the short answer, around here anyway, is to avoid them. I can only think of couple on the road anyway.


----------



## alecstilleyedye (23 Mar 2009)

Crackle said:


> My technique is not to fast, not to slow. Before you reach it stand up and centre your weight over the bike with a light but secure grip on the bars. Also before you hit it, pick your line. Most cattle grids will have raised sections and flat sections. The raised section is normally in the car tyre line where the road is worn or the grids buckled up slightly, to either side of that is the place to aim. Often that's more to the centre of the grid.
> 
> As you hit it, stay dead straight, let you knees buckle slightly with the impact to absorb some force, stay relaxed and you'll be over it.
> 
> ...



+1 to that. went over tons of the things on last year's wild wales challenge. i think the key is to let your legs act as a sort of read suspension so that the impact of the wheel on the grid is minimised. it's also important not to lean forward whilst doing this, or you'll increase the impact on the front wheel.


----------



## yello (23 Mar 2009)

I have no idea how one 'should' cross a cattle grid but I do it pretty much like jay clock suggests; legs acting as suspension, keep the bike square on and stay relaxed, smooth and constant.

I certainly wouldn't attempt to jump the bike over. That would end messy I fear!


----------



## stumpy (23 Mar 2009)

I've just come back from riding in the Isle of Skye and there were loads of them there. I varied my technique between fast (with a small "hop") slow (very nerve racking) and walking (not so good with wet shoes on though) and my preferred technique was fast with a hop as that caused the least amount of time on the grid but it would hurt like **** if you fell off doing that. But lifting your weight of the saddle worked well to.

P.S if you ever go riding up there take lots of spare tubes as I became faster than the Ferrari pit crew at changing tyres after a week. (none were caused by cattle grids)


----------



## jimboalee (23 Mar 2009)

jay clock said:


> it is not a question of jumping, it is standing up on the pedals, remove bum from seat, keep legs bent slightly, and keep straight. To keep straight, look straight ahead into the middle distance
> 
> If you do the standing up on the pedals bit at the right time, it does reduce the weight pushing down onto the wheels a bit.



Try this.

Stand on your bathroom scales. Bend your knees. Hey, the needle flickers for a split second but settles at the same weight.

What you have to do is sprint 'balls out' and give a bloody big jump, lifting the whole bike off the ground and clear the grid in one. 

They are five feet wide, so if you can get weight off the tyres for half a second, you need to be riding at 4.5 m/s minimum, that is only 10 mph. how difficult is that?

15 mph will well clear it.


----------



## yello (23 Mar 2009)

...and the weight of the bike makes no difference?


----------



## jimboalee (23 Mar 2009)

OP said it was his Road bike. Not his MTB, tourer, sports bike or BMX.

Road bike = 23mm tyres or less = lightweight.


----------



## yello (23 Mar 2009)

...but as a general question. I'm serious btw.


----------



## Crackle (23 Mar 2009)

Jimbo, I put it to you that yur a nutter.


----------



## country joe (23 Mar 2009)

Arch said:


> I'm afraid, thanks to an accident one time, and my general lack of physical bravery, my technique with cattle grids is to get off and walk over....
> 
> Pretty much guaranteed not to puncture that way, I reckon.


i do the same, been over a few in my road bike, when approaching slow down, dismount, and walk over,
No punctures,and only takes a min, so even if there is a few the time you waste is minimal.


----------



## TheDoctor (23 Mar 2009)

Had a most spectacular off a few years back on a cattle grid. Back tyre blew immediately and game over. Splat.


----------



## ufkacbln (23 Mar 2009)

There is an annual ride in Hampshire called the GridIron.... designed to take in as many cattle grids as possible!


----------



## D-Rider (23 Mar 2009)

Had a big moment on a cattle grid on a motorbike. Stayed on but got the fright of my life.... Wasn't one of my smartest moves - I always ensure I'm fully upright before hitting them now!


----------



## TheDoctor (23 Mar 2009)

Cunobelin said:


> There is an annual ride in Hampshire called the GridIron.... designed to take in as many cattle grids as possible!



Had a write up in the CTC mag a while back. I'm oddly tempted by this - I like the New Forest.


----------



## chirk2000ad (23 Mar 2009)

skim loads of these grids in cumbria on 28mm tyres never a problem. I always go straight with knees bent and never move my COG as what goes up must come down and if you get it wrong it will hurt. If the grid is wet they are lethal and soooo slippery. 

for dog lovers - my german shep tried to hurdle one off the lead once and really winded himself the daft dawg!


----------



## HLaB (23 Mar 2009)

There a horrible one (cattlegrid) IMO on the Tak ma Doon from Kilsyth. After the long ascent there's a sharpish downhill with a clear sight of an even steeper ascent; right at the foot of the hill is a cattle grid.


----------



## punkypossum (23 Mar 2009)

I ride over them on my mtb, so far I haven't encountered one on the road bike, but I can see myself pushing - the combination of cattle grids with wheels that only seem to have half the required amount of spokes does not appeal!!!


----------



## Dave5N (23 Mar 2009)

Just speed up. Never had a problem.


----------



## jimboalee (24 Mar 2009)

Crackle said:


> Jimbo, I put it to you that yur a nutter.



I've ridden mass participation track races - Devils.
I did bicycle polo.
I was a pro skateboarder.
I did MotoX.
I had one of the first BMX bikes.
I commute cycled underneath Spaghetti Junction.

I was a Test Driver at SAGEM Automotive Electronics.
I drove a Jaguar XJS at 165 mph round the top banking at MIRA.
I test rode Triumph Motorcycles.


But I wouldn't, no I wouldn't test ride MIRA's electric bike. 


Not such a nutter.


----------



## samscar (24 Mar 2009)

I just speed up too. Lots of cattle grids in N Yorks where i ride.


----------



## Arch (24 Mar 2009)

Uncle Mort said:


> The cattle grids here are particularly evil and very widely spaced. Most people get off and walk over. I do, unless I'm on the mountain bike.
> 
> When I was 14 or 15 I came off at speed going over a cattle grid at the bottom of a step hill at Hardwick Hall and got a scar that's still visible on my chin.



Yeah, my mum still has the scar on her face from the one that got her (with me watching helpless from a vantage point lying in a patch of gravel I'd skidded on - she saw me go down, panicked, braked and caught the front wheel in the grid. Cut eyebrow and broken wrist. I still have flashbacks...)

So I daren't do them at speed any more, and daren't do them slowly, because you can't put a foot down if you wobble. I'd sort of like to tackle the phobia, but it's just easier not to.

I can do them on my trike, of course....


----------



## Dave5N (24 Mar 2009)

I did a bit of bicycle polo as a kid. Mad stuff and thoroughly good fun!


----------

