Gravel Surfing on a streetbike

[bluninja]

Yesterday I took a little trip up SH16 to Wellsford. Aaprt from the normal gravel dressings there was a 20 meter section of large chunky hardcore right across the road. Rather than crawl across I trundled at a steady pace, but towards the end it was quite deep and the front was starting to dig in; so I just give it a bit of gas to lift it a bit at the front.

So what is the best way to tackle gravel and unsealed roads on a roadbike ? Other than to keep away from it at all times.

TTFN

[bikerboy]

Don't know what the answer is bluninja, but that section of road has been that way for at least a month. I've been over it twice, very slowly. The last time I got two punctures in my rear tire.

I think it's very dangerous and I'm writing a letter of complaint, though I doubt it will do any good.

[Gixxer]

Longer then a month, when my mates little bro came back from oz for his holiday and my B'day, we went that way and the gravel was there, that was back at the end of September, i have been up 3x since the last time 3 weeks ago and I am sure there has been no work done on it.

Like you bluninja, bit of a twist of the wrist and look for the shallow stuff.

[wkid_one]

I find that using a steady throttle, no sudden changes, picking gear before hitting gravel/peametal, picking my line and best of all - dropping feet of footpegs to brush gravel as this both lowers your centre of gravity nearer the deck but also provides you with some 'outriggers' if the front does fold under and a chance to catch the bike.

It has worked thus far

[bluninja]

Wkid......not sure I agree about dropping the feet off the pegs.
It doesn't lower centre of gravity. Easier way to lower centre of gravity is tolift your bum off the seat slightly. Then your weight is acting through the pegs rather than through the seat and thus the centre of gravity would be lower than having it all acting through the seat with your feet dangling (which actually raises COG compared to normal riding position). Other concern is that you couldn't use the rear brake with your feet off, since using the front is virtual suicide.

I have no problem doing feet up U turns on gravel, but I am going really really really slow. If I go slightly faster then this then the bike seems to ping and slide around, if I go faster then this stops, but I risk losing the front end, especially if I throttle off and load the front some more.

All the other stuff about setting yourself up before you get there is sound advice. I'm probably most guilty of assuming I can go faster than I really should, and then end up bricking myself when things go all loose and wobbly and I realise that it is too fast.

TTFN

[nicko]

Hi Si & guys,

Went over that same stretch of road on Sunday and got a flat tyre too! Literally about 1km after the roadworks! Dirty fuggin rocks must be sharp as.

As for gravel riding Si, follow the car tracks where the gravel is the thinest, ride smooth and don't use your front brake hard or gas it up too much or you'll find out just how sharp those rocks are.

[bluninja]

Man, that sucks for both you and John. I slashed my tyre going along unsealed road near Whanamomona, about 3 k from the end of it. Now I always carry a puncture kit with me on the bike.

TTFN

[SPman]

Havent they sealed that bit of road YET!!! I almost lost my front end last time I was up that way - great chunks of rock...I often find standing on the pegs helps - rear brake only and as smooth as possible. Saying that, I've still been chucked off by a rock up dargaville way - 400m of crappy new formed subbase - thought Id got through OK and fell off 10m from the end - 1 second thinking "thank christ this crap surface has finished" then wallop - lying on the road!!! Lucky it was low speed and only a few scratches on the old FZR 750.....