What size tires do you feel safe riding across steel bridge grates with ?
09-17-20, 08:14 PM
#26
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After you get past the bizarre feeling of the tires tracking with the direction of the grates, it's not a big deal. Don't fight it too much, just work to maintain your balance.
09-18-20, 12:02 AM
#27
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32mm. Would choose between the grates and the sidewalk when on 28mm depending on how many pedestrians were on the sidewalk (the bridge I most frequently cross actually has the bike lane merge onto the sidewalk, despite it being terribly narrow and slow to get across when it's busy). 25mm and under, or if the bridge surface is wet, definitely the sidewalk.
09-18-20, 06:25 AM
#28
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I've been going over a similar steel bridge grate down on the South end of Amelia island with 700c x 25mm Continental Gatorskin tires with no problem. One thing I've learned is to install the best vinyl rim tape & heavy duty tubes you can find. Make sure you have good rims, rim tape, tubes &, tires before going out on rough ****. Be good. Have fun.
09-18-20, 07:23 AM
#29
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Never had a problem with 700x23 Michelin Pros or 700x23 Vittoria tubulars which which my goto race tires back in the day.
There are a lot of cattle grates out where I live and never had a problem over those either as long as you hit them at a 90’ angle.
There are a lot of cattle grates out where I live and never had a problem over those either as long as you hit them at a 90’ angle.
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09-18-20, 08:05 AM
#30
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The OP hit an edge without unweighting his rear wheel, and he blew it out. It had nothing to do with steel bridges, per se, but rather had to do with the depth of the square lip over which he rolled heavily.
As for steel bridges, I don't think about flatting. I think about skidding out and crashing when the conditions are slippery. Specifically, rain at about freezing air temperatures or just above. Typically, these bridges aren't warmed by the surrounding land and develop a thin layer of ice earlier than do the adjoining roadways. I have slipped going over a bridge onto my work installation on occasion. A few years back, a co-worker got sloppy with his line and wiped out, smashing an Ultegra brifter while crossing that bridge. Ouch.
Width of tire is largely irrelevant. Riding "weight", technique and understanding of the roadway conditions are paramount.
As for steel bridges, I don't think about flatting. I think about skidding out and crashing when the conditions are slippery. Specifically, rain at about freezing air temperatures or just above. Typically, these bridges aren't warmed by the surrounding land and develop a thin layer of ice earlier than do the adjoining roadways. I have slipped going over a bridge onto my work installation on occasion. A few years back, a co-worker got sloppy with his line and wiped out, smashing an Ultegra brifter while crossing that bridge. Ouch.
Width of tire is largely irrelevant. Riding "weight", technique and understanding of the roadway conditions are paramount.
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09-18-20, 08:22 AM
#31
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Got a picture of the vehicle with those tires?
The only steel grate bridge I remember crossing was in the San Francisco Bay area when I lived there a few decades ago. It was the one connecting Martinez to Benecia where the San Joaquin/Sacramento rivers come into the San Francisco/San Pablo Bay. Pretty unnerving the first times I did it as the distance down to the river is huge (just don't look down!). But as for flats I never had a problem on it and I used either 700x 28-32 tires or 26 x 1.5 on a street-converted mountain bike (from what I recall from those days). Usually had to slow down anyway since the winds coming across the bridge can get quite gusty.
09-18-20, 12:06 PM
#32
Full Member
I know the steel grate discussion has been had before, but I'm wondering about a little more specific info...... What size tires do you all feel safe riding across steel grates with?
I've been using a mountain bike for neighborhood fitness rides, and my route always includes crossing a small draw bridge with steel grating, twice. I have to cross this bridge to get to my disired route where I can take many route variations through a nice easy going neighborhood. With the mountain bike tires I cross the grating with no concerns. I do have a hybrid bike on order and the tires are listed as 32c, and Im guessing the tires while slimmer have more beef than a traditional road bike tire. Back in 2014 I crossed this bridge, in the rain, on my CAAD10 road bike and my rear gatorskin tire blew out causing me to have a nasty crash requiring stitches. Trying to avoid having that happen again.
I've been using a mountain bike for neighborhood fitness rides, and my route always includes crossing a small draw bridge with steel grating, twice. I have to cross this bridge to get to my disired route where I can take many route variations through a nice easy going neighborhood. With the mountain bike tires I cross the grating with no concerns. I do have a hybrid bike on order and the tires are listed as 32c, and Im guessing the tires while slimmer have more beef than a traditional road bike tire. Back in 2014 I crossed this bridge, in the rain, on my CAAD10 road bike and my rear gatorskin tire blew out causing me to have a nasty crash requiring stitches. Trying to avoid having that happen again.
09-18-20, 12:18 PM
#33
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Quite a few bridges in Indiana with steel grate decking. I've only had trouble with them once..........we dumped our tandem on its side on a wet bridge at slow speed six years ago. We fell on our sides, too. Minor injuries - we were able to complete the 20 remaining miles of the ride. Don't recall ever riding on wet steel decking before or since. We were gun-shy of those bridges for quite a while afterwards. Walked more than a few dry bridges over the next couple of years. (1.5" tires but I don't think tire size was a factor)
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09-18-20, 12:34 PM
#34
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Got a picture of the vehicle with those tires?
The only steel grate bridge I remember crossing was in the San Francisco Bay area when I lived there a few decades ago. It was the one connecting Martinez to Benecia where the San Joaquin/Sacramento rivers come into the San Francisco/San Pablo Bay. Pretty unnerving the first times I did it as the distance down to the river is huge (just don't look down!). But as for flats I never had a problem on it and I used either 700x 28-32 tires or 26 x 1.5 on a street-converted mountain bike (from what I recall from those days). Usually had to slow down anyway since the winds coming across the bridge can get quite gusty.
The only steel grate bridge I remember crossing was in the San Francisco Bay area when I lived there a few decades ago. It was the one connecting Martinez to Benecia where the San Joaquin/Sacramento rivers come into the San Francisco/San Pablo Bay. Pretty unnerving the first times I did it as the distance down to the river is huge (just don't look down!). But as for flats I never had a problem on it and I used either 700x 28-32 tires or 26 x 1.5 on a street-converted mountain bike (from what I recall from those days). Usually had to slow down anyway since the winds coming across the bridge can get quite gusty.
EDIT: I had JUST washed and waxed the car. Two days later, it was covered with a dusting of ash.
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Last edited by genejockey; 09-18-20 at 12:39 PM.
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