Why do some walk their bikes across gravel?

I people walking a lot, but I've always just ridden over gravel
(parking lots and such). What's the motivation to walk or even carry
your road bike?

I guess with a high-end TT rig, if you picked up a pebble, it could
tear sh*t up between the tire and frame. Could this be it? I've see a
lot of standard road bikes being walked too.

I'd rather have my tires on gravel than my cleats.

Example from yesterday (TT bike):
http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/20...uphine06-s3-01

In article .com,
"Mike Reed" wrote:

I people walking a lot, but I've always just ridden over gravel
(parking lots and such). What's the motivation to walk or even carry
your road bike?

Fear of crashing, generally. Most people riding bikes have very minimal
bike handling skills. Good skills are really developed in childhood,
and many children have very limited bike riding experience since most
parents drive their children everywhere to organized activities that
have had the life and spontaneity squeezed out of them, and where all
must receive prizes (Lewis Carroll reference).

Tim McNamara wrote:
In article .com,
"Mike Reed" wrote:

I people walking a lot, but I've always just ridden over gravel
(parking lots and such). What's the motivation to walk or even carry
your road bike?

Fear of crashing, generally. Most people riding bikes have very minimal
bike handling skills. Good skills are really developed in childhood,
and many children have very limited bike riding experience since most
parents drive their children everywhere to organized activities that
have had the life and spontaneity squeezed out of them, and where all
must receive prizes (Lewis Carroll reference).

Well, I hate gravel too:

My last crash was with my city-bike going carefully through a corner
with some gravel. I didn't go very fast, but I did scrape my knee and
Elbow. Not a big deal if I wasn't underways to an important client.

Honesty helped: I simply told he people I looked a bit disheveled
because of the accident and noone seemed to mind, but I must say it
wasn't my finest hour.

The crash itself was stupid. I had seen the gravel, so I went pretty
slow. I cornered and my frontwheel just slipped away. BANG. And there I
am priding myself on my bikeskills ^^ (I used to cross as a kid and
after that 20 years roadracing in the peloton)

"Mike Reed" wrote in message
oups.com...
I people walking a lot, but I've always just ridden over gravel
(parking lots and such). What's the motivation to walk or even carry
your road bike?

I guess with a high-end TT rig, if you picked up a pebble, it could
tear sh*t up between the tire and frame. Could this be it? I've see a
lot of standard road bikes being walked too.

I'd rather have my tires on gravel than my cleats.


Even with 65 euro tires?

Lou

I people walking a lot, but I've always just ridden over gravel
(parking lots and such). What's the motivation to walk or even carry
your road bike?


I'd rather have my tires on gravel than my cleats.

It's an economic decision. New Look cleats cost less than the Brave
Soldier dressing that you'll have to use to patch that hole in your knee and
elbow. We all use to ride on gravel too, we just a little smarter after
that happens. Your turn will come some time too.

Well, I hate gravel too:

My last crash was with my city-bike going carefully through a corner
with some gravel. I didn't go very fast, but I did scrape my knee and
Elbow. Not a big deal if I wasn't underways to an important client.

Honesty helped: I simply told he people I looked a bit disheveled
because of the accident and noone seemed to mind, but I must say it
wasn't my finest hour.

The crash itself was stupid. I had seen the gravel, so I went pretty
slow. I cornered and my frontwheel just slipped away. BANG. And there I
am priding myself on my bikeskills ^^ (I used to cross as a kid and
after that 20 years roadracing in the peloton)

Had the exact same thing happen to me, but I have a better excuse, it
was at night. Had a light but I was turning a corner slowly and didn't see
the gravel till I was on the ground. Surprises the heck out of you. Once
that front wheel starts sliding, you can't recover, it just happens too damn
fast.

Mike Reed wrote:
I people walking a lot, but I've always just ridden over gravel
(parking lots and such). What's the motivation to walk or even carry
your road bike?

I guess with a high-end TT rig, if you picked up a pebble, it could
tear sh*t up between the tire and frame. Could this be it? I've see a
lot of standard road bikes being walked too.

I'd rather have my tires on gravel than my cleats.

Example from yesterday (TT bike):
http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/20...uphine06-s3-01


Riding on gravel feels like riding on ball bearings with skinny tired
slicks.

Mike Reed wrote:
I people walking a lot, but I've always just ridden over gravel
(parking lots and such). What's the motivation to walk or even carry
your road bike?

I guess with a high-end TT rig, if you picked up a pebble, it could
tear sh*t up between the tire and frame. Could this be it? I've see a
lot of standard road bikes being walked too.

I'd rather have my tires on gravel than my cleats.

Example from yesterday (TT bike):
http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/20...uphine06-s3-01

As already mentioned, fear of crashing. For those who do ride on
gravel roads, they ride more cautiously and at a slower pace than if
riding on paved roads. The slower pace is because they are
intentionally putting out less effort, not because the road surface
slows them down. On week long cross state rides there are usually
several miles of gravel. For the thousands of people on these rides,
they ride on the gravel. They do not walk their bike for miles.
Gravel can also have sharp edges on the rocks. Gravel can puncture
your sidewall if you are riding on it. Gravel won't harm your tires if
your weight is not on the bike.

Callistus Valerius wrote:
I people walking a lot, but I've always just ridden over gravel
(parking lots and such). What's the motivation to walk or even carry
your road bike?


I'd rather have my tires on gravel than my cleats.

It's an economic decision. New Look cleats cost less than the Brave
Soldier dressing that you'll have to use to patch that hole in your knee and
elbow. We all use to ride on gravel too, we just a little smarter after
that happens. Your turn will come some time too.

This is really surprising. I'm 35, and have been riding seriously for
15 years. I've taken my road bike on easy single track, gravel roads,
etc. and never gone down. Just lucky? Dunno.

I also have done that Hell of North Boulder road race (still going?),
and that's on a lot of gravel. No crashy.

I've crashed plenty on my MTB off road because I'm pushing the limits,
but on the skinny tires I'm more conservative.

I still currently scoot across the gravel parking lot for the Austin
Veloway a couple times a week. I rarely slow below 10mph, and that's
just to squeeze through the 3' wide entrance gate.

I guess my bike handling skills are above average, but I'm not a
miracle worker. I can trials up stairs (on my road bike) and onto
picnic tables (MTB), and trackstand all day long. I'm mediocre at
descending and cornering.

Callistus Valerius wrote:
Well, I hate gravel too:

My last crash was with my city-bike going carefully through a corner
with some gravel. I didn't go very fast, but I did scrape my knee and
Elbow. Not a big deal if I wasn't underways to an important client.

Honesty helped: I simply told he people I looked a bit disheveled
because of the accident and noone seemed to mind, but I must say it
wasn't my finest hour.

The crash itself was stupid. I had seen the gravel, so I went pretty
slow. I cornered and my frontwheel just slipped away. BANG. And there I
am priding myself on my bikeskills ^^ (I used to cross as a kid and
after that 20 years roadracing in the peloton)

Had the exact same thing happen to me, but I have a better excuse, it
was at night. Had a light but I was turning a corner slowly and didn't see
the gravel till I was on the ground. Surprises the heck out of you. Once
that front wheel starts sliding, you can't recover, it just happens too damn
fast.

Yeah, gravel in a road corner is a different ballgame. I'm talking
about gravel roads and parking lots.