Almost binned it today... twice...

**ZeroIndex** · 7th March 2006, 11:38

Well, got a call from Road&Sport this morning to say my oxford visor tint insert had arrived, unfortunately it was pissing down with rain... Anyway, I waited for the rain to slow down a bit. And then off I went (first time in rain, well, at least heavily wet roads). Everything went fine till I got to the last roundabout, where I was about 10 metres from the roundabout and this hoon comes flying up from the right going around the round about. Anyway, I get a tad bit of a fright, and lock up the back wheel, and it comes out 30 to 35 degrees, anyway, I managed to get it back in and made it to Road&Sport without to much shaking...

Picked up my visor tint, and back on my bike, except decided to go home Avalon Drive (80km/h) way, since there's only one turn to get to my road that way. Get all the way down just before Grandview Rd indicate, pull into the turning lane, start braking, suddenly the rear locks up again, and slides out about 20 degrees. Quickly chucked in the clutch, and came to a stop, and suddenly realised... "That's where the main tank ends and then you have to switch it to reserve". So i quickly wheel the bike out of the way, even though there wasn't any turning traffic, switch it to reserve, and after a few tries, get the bike started again (damn annoying). Anyway, got home without anymore 'eventful' things happening...

See the pic which was the reason for the trip:
It's a Gold Oxford Ultra Vision tint insert. Pretty impressed so far, considering you just flip up your visor align it to your visor, and close the visor (so no need to carry around two visors) They come in Black, Mirror, Gold, Blue, Red, Green or Purple for just $17, so I think they're pretty decent.

**emaN** · 7th March 2006, 11:42

yep...i use inserts too...just recently started wondering if they should be UV resistant tho'...

don't like the thought of my big wide open pupils taking in all that nastiness.

oh, welcome to wet-weather riding! as you're figuring out, be smooooooth!

**skelstar** · 7th March 2006, 11:42

Whoa...too many mirrors.
That a Gibson Les Paul on the wall?

**Ixion** · 7th March 2006, 11:43

Rear wheel lockup is more frightening than dangerous. I'd guess you were well short of binning. But, try practicing some hard braking on wet roads to get the feel of it.

usually you will notice (once used to the bike) some tell tale signs that it is about to run out, and can switch on the move. But using teh trip odometer helps too.

I always approach roundabouts very slowly, people do the strangest things on them - and it is technically a give way

**ZeroIndex** · 7th March 2006, 11:50

Originally Posted by Ixion

Rear wheel lockup is more frightening than dangerous. I'd guess you were well short of binning. But, try practicing some hard braking on wet roads to get the feel of it.

usually you will notice (once used to the bike) some tell tale signs that it is about to run out, and can switch on the move. But using teh trip odometer helps too.

I always approach roundabouts very slowly, people do the strangest things on them - and it is technically a give way

I originally had some practice on a farm bike on gravel, so I think the thing that scared me is that I wasn't expecting my bike to slide out "that" easily... and even though I had plenty of space to slow down in, I guess I just panicked (the 2nd time would of been because the engine decided to stop running due to lack of gas....)

**Karma** · 7th March 2006, 11:52

How long you had the bike? enough time to wear the tyres in properly?

**Sniper** · 7th March 2006, 11:54

Rear wheel lock ups are fun, you will get them on the bigger bikes too. They are your friend, don't worry. Nice insert too

**ZeroIndex** · 7th March 2006, 11:55

Originally Posted by skelstar

Whoa...too many mirrors.
That a Gibson Les Paul on the wall?

The red one is a Ibanez Artcore (based on the Gibson bigbodies). I saw Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins playing one when they were in South Africa, and I fell in love with that design... although, now being on a bike, it's difficult to move guitar equipment about...

**ZeroIndex** · 7th March 2006, 11:57

Originally Posted by Weasel

How long you had the bike? enough time to wear the tyres in properly?

It's not brand new (It does have tread on it)... fetched it on Saturday...

**skelstar** · 7th March 2006, 11:57

I bet. Yeah I wasnt very sure about the make..

**ZeroIndex** · 7th March 2006, 12:00

Originally Posted by Sniper

Rear wheel lock ups are fun, you will get them on the bigger bikes too. They are your friend, don't worry. Nice insert too

Yeah, I remember doing rear wheel lock ups on many a bicycle... worst case happened on a friend's mountain bike, was doing lock-ups on the grass (along the Waikato river walkway) and I completely screwed the back wheel... it was so bent that it was touching both sides of the rear forks... had to walk it back with the back in the air... felt gutted.

**sAsLEX** · 7th March 2006, 12:49

wouldnt know as dont use the rear brakes for braking, only sitting at lights

**MisterD** · 7th March 2006, 12:53

Originally Posted by ZeroIndex

... it was so bent that it was touching both sides of the rear forks... had to walk it back with the back in the air... felt gutted.

Take it out, whack it on the ground to roughly straighten, leave rear brake disconnected and ride it home....works for even the most drop-off taco'd MTB wheels.

**oldrider** · 7th March 2006, 12:54

I had a look at your profile pic and your bike. I think you should find some quiet gravel roads or paddocks with wet grass and ride your bike on them as often as you can.
While you are doing it concentrate on the dynamics of your bike and change your thinking about how to make it stop more effectively without loss of traction.
The back brake shouldn't be your first port of call in "most" cases.

The more you practise the less you will get into the situations you describe above.
Hope you don't mind me saying this to you.
Best way to stay alive is read the play well ahead of the action and be ready for "anything".

Cheers John.

**ZeroIndex** · 7th March 2006, 13:13

Originally Posted by oldrider

I had a look at your profile pic and your bike. I think you should find some quiet gravel roads or paddocks with wet grass and ride your bike on them as often as you can.
While you are doing it concentrate on the dynamics of your bike and change your thinking about how to make it stop more effectively without loss of traction.
The back brake shouldn't be your first port of call in "most" cases.

The more you practise the less you will get into the situations you describe above.
Hope you don't mind me saying this to you.
Best way to stay alive is read the play well ahead of the action and be ready for "anything".

Cheers John.

nah, thanks, i appreciate any help/advice that gets given to me.