Reducing jarring from rubbish roads

[vickster]

My Giant commuter / daily rider has a good frame and carbon forks, and now 3mm Fizik tape. It still runs on 25mm stock Giant tyres. I have brand new Specialized gel mitts which have a lot of thick padding. I mostly ride on the hoods

Other than trying to avoid every drain, pothole, repaired bit of road surface, lump and bump which would be nigh on impossible even if I ride suicidally in the middle of the road, is there any way to reduce the effect of hitting the imperfections (lol understatement around here ) on elbows, forearms, wrists and hands which can be sore while riding or after any distance (I have had a tennis elbow repair on left arm last November and currently have tenosynovitis in the base of my right thumb).

My Whyte hybrid is better at absorbing the bumps but I don't want to ride it all the time and the carbon isn't practical as a commuter!

Different tyres, wheels, something else or just hope the whole country is resurfaced?!

Cheers

 

[potsy]

Slight drop in tyre pressure?

 

[vickster]

Cheers, Potsy

I could try, I do expect my tyres aren't anywhere near the max anyhow (I am yet to use my just purchased Joe Blow )

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Is your bike set up right esp' have you got too much weight on your arms and/or are your arms too straight etc?

 

[vickster]

I think it's fine. Just changed the bar to a narrower one, arms are bent. I am not the lightest so there's bound to be some weight on my hands But not sure how I'd know if it's too much. The roads around here really are just awful!

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

Jelly pads on the bars, or specialized bar phat for the win

 

[GrasB]

Cheers, Potsy

I could try, I do expect my tyres aren't anywhere near the max anyhow (I am yet to use my just purchased Joe Blow )

You want about 10-15% static droop on the tyres, that is the amount you compress the tyre when on the bike. For a 23mm tyre you're looking at around 2.3-3.5mm, the rougher the surface texture you normally ride on the more droop you want. For me, at 82kg, that means about 90psi front (23c) & rear (25c). If you go higher pressure than you need for around 10% droop you'll be increasing your rolling resistance on high vibration surfaces & get much more jarring.

It's a two person & a wall job but simple enough with a ruler/tape. Just pick a fixed point on the wheel, I like the QR skewer, measure the difference between the bike without & without you sitting on it in your normal riding position.

 

[vickster]

Jelly pads on the bars

I did look into that but was recommended the fizik tape...and as I ride 90% on the hoods, wasn't sure it would make a difference

specialized bar phat for the win

No chance, only comes in black...and I've just had both bikes wrapped with the Fizik

 

[vickster]

You want about 10-15% static droop on the tyres, that is the amount you compress the tyre when on the bike. For a 23mm tyre you're looking at around 2.3-3.5mm, the rougher the surface texture you normally ride on the more droop you want. For me, at 82kg, that means about 90psi front (23c) & rear (25c). If you go higher pressure than you need for around 10% droop you'll be increasing your rolling resistance on high vibration surfaces & get much more jarring.

It's a two person & a wall job but simple enough with a ruler/tape. Just pick a fixed point on the wheel, I like the QR skewer, measure the difference between the bike without & without you sitting on it in your normal riding position.

Where's the smiley for wayyyyyyy over my head

I need to ride into London tomorrow so will encounter awful surfaces - I will check the tyre pressures, I am heavier than you so will see what 90 does? I have 25mm tyres

The worst is hitting a pothole 'repair' at any sort of speed (i.e. over about 13-14mph) or those awful teeth chattering channels that span the width of the road at intervals

 

[jowwy]

can you fit slightly larger tyres - maybe 28mm for a bit more comfort???

 

[vickster]

I don't think so - the mudguards already rub on the 25s unfortunately, no clearance for anything else

Maybe a CX bike is the solution but not this year...and there appear to be no WSD ones and they are mostly black or grey

 

[Banjo]

On my steel tourer with 32c tyres I can ride comfortably over surfaces that would be really jarring on my Scott Speedster.

N +1 time?

 

[Cyclist33]

weird. my giants not THAT bad and its only a defy 3. the roads here are bl@@dy awful but not unrideably so on the defy.

tilting your saddle down at the back by one notch could make all the difference...

 

[GrasB]

Where's the smiley for wayyyyyyy over my head

Okay...

Measure the red lines on both wheels when off the bike.
Sit on the bike in your normal riding position (you'll need a wall or something to lean against)
Get someone else to make the same measurements.
The centre of the hubs should be 2.5-3.75mm lower with you on the bike.

I need to ride into London tomorrow so will encounter awful surfaces - I will check the tyre pressures, I am heavier than you so will see what 90 does? I have 25mm tyres

The worst is hitting a pothole 'repair' at any sort of speed (i.e. over about 13-14mph) or those awful teeth chattering channels that span the width of the road at intervals

Go too low with narrow tyres like that & you'll get pinch punctures when you do hit something. It's a right balancing act

Oh yeah, hit them really fast! Seriously... one reason I love riding fast with correctly inflated tyres is how much smoother the road feels. Put >5 psi more air in the tyres & it gets worse the faster I go.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I'm just wondering whether you're riding with locked elbows. A slight flex in the arms will allow the muscles to absorb the jolts. Although you might have a very slightly greater weight on your wrists, they, like the elbows, will be spared some of the jolting. If you've already got flexed arms, then this advice is useless!