I’ve been reluctant to get back on my road bike this spring because the roads round here are so potholed that it feels like I’m risking a trip to A&E, especially if there are puddles hiding them. Do you feel the same, or am I the only jelly ?
I don't ride into any standing water on the road if I can possibly avoid it. Some years ago I was cycling home after a few drinks and there were large puddles all over the place. I rode into one which had a pothole the size of a Belfast sink. I managed to stay on my bike and thought I had just buckled the front wheel. When I check the bike in the morning it had a bent frame and forks as well as wheel damage.
I was very lucky probably due to being relaxed after a couple of pints, still cautious about puddles.
Go round the puddles.
Isolated accidents will happen. Especially if you are on your own, you control your speed to match what you can see is clear and safe.
We're 4 months in to the year and in our club of 150+ I'm not aware of a pothole related incident.
The fear of potholes has helped drive the growth of gravel. Cos off road is safer, obviously.
Don't ride in the puddles (on the road - I encourage puddle riding off-road as it helps stop erosion spreading wider), you will have to be further into the road but that should also help make you more visible (not, I've said 'should also help' - as usual with motorised vehicles, there is no guarantee that the driver has seen you!).
If you can, just be a bit more cautious rather than avoid - far easier to type than do though.
Go round the puddles.
Not easy when there is torential rain and large puddles cover half the road.
Not easy when there is torential rain and large puddles cover half the road.
And those puddles are a mix of rainwater and slurry run off from a farmers field. It tastes exactly the same as it smells.
Not easy when there is torential rain and large puddles cover half the road.
And those puddles are a mix of rainwater and slurry run off from a farmers field. It tastes exactly the same as it smells.
This is why God invented proper PDW Fenders.
If large puddles cover half the road, slow down and go round them when the traffic around you allows. A lane near us was like that in the winter, which resulted in the edge crumbling away, the drains sinking and huge potholes appearing. Drivers knew to avoid going through it, they always seemed happy to give us space/time to do the same.
Cars round here are often driven by nutters who see 60 as being a target speed on a country lane with blind corners 🙁
My local routes I know the potholes pretty well now and where roads are liable to flood (and if those areas conceal potholes) but it's definitely getting more dangerous just to go out riding on the road because of them. I find having a rear radar helps as I don't need to think too much of glance over my shoulder every time I need to move out to avoid a pothole. A gravel bike is the best solution though (and riding it off-road, not because you can blunder through potholes on one, although I guess it's a bit safer than on a road bike if you do).
It is putting me off road rides with the local club though, 75% of them don't use hand gestures to point anything out and some don't even shout "hole" for giant potholes. So I either have to ride on the front or hang 5 metres off the back
Been out with clubs like that before. Don't ride with clubs anymore...It is putting me off road rides with the local club though, 75% of them don't use hand gestures to point anything out and some don't even shout "hole" for giant potholes. So I either have to ride on the front or hang 5 metres off the back
Avoid them were you can - I commute all year round, but that's on the old MTB. Road bike, then keep clear where possible. Although....
Penmachno a few years back - we did a loop, pretty wet. Came down one descent and thought, oh a puddle, went through it, but didn't, disappeared into it, and quickly stopped. Water was halfway up the seat tube. Dragged the bike out looking more like it had come out of a swamp. Funny. Did need a full strip down after that ride.
When there is standing water, i will ride in the middle of the road, not the middle of the lane. I never ride through puddles.
Find a better club. We call everything. We also ride the same route most weeks, so you know where the life-changing pothole dangers are already.
OK, off topic, but a fully little tale the thread title reminded me of.
My missis works in a SEN school, one of the lads in her class has a verbal tick which is "I'm scared of ... [whatever happens to be in eyeshot]"
I'm scared of peas! I'm scared of the minibus! that kind of thing.
A few weeks ago, looked the class teacher, (Maria) in the eye and announced
"I'm scared of your beard!" Hardest thing she's ever had to not laugh at apparently, and at an SEN school that's not a unique situation.
