bizarre question

[BearPear]

I fully realise how ridiculous this sounds, but I would welcome any suggestions for riding uneven surfaces.

I ride a hybrid (my beloved Trek 7.2fx wsd) and usually stick to the roads, but I occasionally go on the tow path with my husband. The surface on the path can be a bit rough with gravel and the odd small pothole, but I find that I feel as though my whole head is vibrating and I swear that my eyeballs are actually shaking in their sockets! I can't focus when it is really bad due to the vibration.

My husband finds it hilarious, but made a suggestion that might make sense - he said that maybe I am gripping the handlebars too tightly, hence feeling every vibration and dent in the road. Does this sound like a reasonable explanation, or should I seek medical assistance!! (or possibly psychiatric help!)

 

[gaz]

I fully realise how ridiculous this sounds, but I would welcome any suggestions for riding uneven surfaces.

I ride a hybrid (my beloved Trek 7.2fx wsd) and usually stick to the roads, but I occasionally go on the tow path with my husband. The surface on the path can be a bit rough with gravel and the odd small pothole, but I find that I feel as though my whole head is vibrating and I swear that my eyeballs are actually shaking in their sockets! I can't focus when it is really bad due to the vibration.

My husband finds it hilarious, but made a suggestion that might make sense - he said that maybe I am gripping the handlebars too tightly, hence feeling every vibration and dent in the road. Does this sound like a reasonable explanation, or should I seek medical assistance!! (or possibly psychiatric help!)

it's best to get out of the saddle in situations like this, and bendy your knees slightly to absorb the holes etc...

 

[Banjo]

Best not to have the tyres at max pressure for rough tracks .This can be a bit impractical though if you ride is part track part road as it will be harder work on the tarmac with softer tyres. Dont know if your bike has a suspension seat post ,that will take some of the harshness out but once again it makes the bike not quite as efficient on the tarmac.

 

[NormanD]

he said that maybe I am gripping the handlebars too tightly

yes could very well be the cause as the tighter you're gripping the handlebars the stiffer your arms become causing them not to absorb the shocks but transfer them to your shoulders and head.

I know it might sound strange but try relaxing a bit more on rough surfaces as the body will absord the socks and vibraitions far better in a relaxed state than a tense one.

try out of the saddle, knee's slightly bent and arms bent out to the sides a little that should reduce the vibraition a great deal and make the rough surfaces more smoother for you.

good luck

 

[Downward]

IIRC the Trek 7.2 wsd (Is it Goldie coloured ?) has quite skinny tyres. We swopped ours for slightly thicker ones.

 

[BearPear]

My Trek is the purple-ish one, there's no suspension at all.
I understand about lifting out of the saddle, but this would be a bit much for a few miles of rough track!

I use gloves with gel inserts, but never thought of different grips. I think I need to relax a bit more, it makes since that the vibrations will travel up tense arms.

 

[purplepolly]

Best not to have the tyres at max pressure for rough tracks .This can be a bit impractical though if you ride is part track part road as it will be harder work on the tarmac with softer tyres. .

Use a slightly lower pressure on the front tyre - it doesn't need to be as high as the rear because it carries a lot less weight.

 

[snorri]

I think I need to relax a bit more, it makes since that the vibrations will travel up tense arms.

Relax, letting your elbows flex so that your shoulders do not go up and down with each and every bump on the path.

 

[BearPear]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone - I managed to figure out how to put a picture of my bike as my avatar so everyone can appreciate it's loveliness, even though it shakes my poor eyeballs!

 

[palinurus]

What sort of tyres are you using? fitting a fatter tyre will help.

 

[amasidlover]

Would strongly second all the posts suggesting relaxing your arms, in my opinion it makes far more difference than the bike you're riding.

[Warning anecdote/evidence from sample size of 1 follows...]

When I was about 15 I rented a full suspension mountain bike and did a guided descent of Ventoux, I found myself experiencing the rattly eyeball syndrome you describe entirely because my arms were tense. Not only that I struggled to keep up with people with no suspension...

In the years that have followed and as my experience has grown I've learnt to relax and now find riding a 'hard-tail' mountain bike with limited travel suspension I can descend heavily rutted rocky trails in relative comfort.

[/End anecdote]

Also, something I've not spotted anyone else mention - try and learn to keep an eye on the trail surface to avoid the worst of the 'bumpy bits'. BUT do keep an eye on what's going on ahead of you and try very hard to avoid the wet bit (you did say this was a tow path didn't you...)

 

[GrasB]

Nothing more to add other than you're probably too tense & trying to make the bike go exactly where you want. You need to relax & let the bike move under you, guide it in the direction you want to go rather than trying to rigidly dictate it's movements.

 

[andyfromotley]

Relax, letting your elbows flex so that your shoulders do not go up and down with each and every bump on the path.

He's got it!

 

[betty swollocks]

Bigger tyres at lower pressures.
Saddle at right height?
Carbon fibre bars will absorb a lot of vibration.
Suspension seatpost.
Suspension forks.
When it gets really bumpy, get off the saddle, stand on the pedals and let the bike pivot beneath you.

 

[Andy in Sig]

I fully realise how ridiculous this sounds, but I would welcome any suggestions for riding uneven surfaces.

I ride a hybrid (my beloved Trek 7.2fx wsd) and usually stick to the roads, but I occasionally go on the tow path with my husband. The surface on the path can be a bit rough with gravel and the odd small pothole, but I find that I feel as though my whole head is vibrating and I swear that my eyeballs are actually shaking in their sockets! I can't focus when it is really bad due to the vibration.

My husband finds it hilarious, but made a suggestion that might make sense - he said that maybe I am gripping the handlebars too tightly, hence feeling every vibration and dent in the road. Does this sound like a reasonable explanation, or should I seek medical assistance!! (or possibly psychiatric help!)

If you're prepared to splash out a couple of bob then get yourself a Thudbuster suspension seat post made by Cane Creek. I got one to make an aluminium framed bike more bearable and it was one of the best investments I ever made. And of course if you retain the old seat post you can keep the thudbuster when you move on to a better bike and sell your old one.