Biking on the Sidewalk
 

I have a question about biking on the sidewalks. This is not about the legality nor safety of doing it. My town ordnance allows it and there are hardly ever any pedestrians on the sidewalks. Whenever i do see a pedestrian, I always yield to them by going on the grass or on the road. I also do no bike fast. I am going at a leisurely pace, slightly faster than a person jogging. My question is whether or not biking on a sidewalk can be damaging to my bike. I have a Priority Ace of Spades. Its more of a road bike. The tires are 32H Alloy/WTB ThickSlick 700x28. There is also no suspension on this bike. My side walks are like any standard sidewalk, with a crack/line/divet every 2 or 3 feet. Will riding on a sidewalk, and biking over the cracks cause damage to my tire, wheel, or bike in general? I have always ridden mountain bikes. So I feel like I am noticing the bumpyness more often now that I have a road bike.

It won't damage the bike.

Are you joking?

gm

I’ll bet our roads are way worse then your sidewalks!
Tim

More hazards on sidewalks than the roads where I live.

What makes you think riding on a sidewalk is a safer way to go?

Riding over the sidewalk cracks won't break your bike. But, noticing the bumps is why I prefer riding on the road. Way back in the day I only rode a mountain bike and I could ride over anything without much notice. Now on my single speed bikes I feel all those bumps. Road is smoother so that's where I ride, plus my city has ordinances against sidewalk riding, unlike your city.

You will certainly feel more of surface irregularities on a road bike. It’s the nature of the beast. The good news is that the majority of rims and tires can take substantial impacts and keep on rolling.

When my wife and I used to ride our road/racing bike tandem, we were riding through a small town when a latte swilling Karen yelled at us, “Get off the road and on the sidewalk!” The funny thing was that we were riding very courtesly and well to the side of the lane, but she had to wait 5 seconds for us to go by her while she was trying to pull out from Safeway.

Nope. You've got nothing to worry about. Google Paris-Roubaix or Tour of Flanders and you may be surprised at what road bikes can handle.

won't harm the bike but it might drive the rider crazy over time

We had some genius in a passing car yell "Single file!" Seriously.

You could possibly damage the bike if you bump curbs to get on and off the sidewalk. More likely a motorist will pull up to the road from a driveway, not expecting a vehicle (your bike) on the sidewalk. That could damage your bike and/or your person.

Lot of suburban arterial roads are horrible for cycling; 2-3 lanes in each direction, 50-55mph operating speed, and curbs on both sides (no shoulder) plus frequent traffic lights so the cars are always getting bunched together. Since the OP is talking about riding to work, he's probably up against some of the higher-use times of the day. Add in that most drivers in this environment aren't looking for cyclists, don't see them until it's to late, and then can't / don't / won't give any room; I can see why the OP would rather take to the sidewalk, than grind through 45 min ~an hour of close passes and getting pinched against the curb, just to get to work.

In that kind of environment, on the sidewalk, you approach the hazards, on the street, the hazards approach you.

Just don't step on a crack...

I would think that the bike won't be damaged but the likelihood of flat tires rises with concrete cracks and imperfections.

No problem from the sidewalk. Although if it's in bad repair you have all the same problems of a road in bad repair.

One issue though is pulling off the sidewalk. You might get something in the tire that will cause you a flat later down the road... or sidewalk. Whenever I have run off the pavement of our MUP, It has been more likely that I'll flat if I don't stop and make certain there aren't any rock shards, glass or thorns in the tread.

Being struck by, or crashing into, a car whose driver didn't expect a rider coming from a sidewalk into an intersection is your bike's biggest danger. This is especially true if you are riding against the direction of anticipated traffic from the driver's perspective.

Also, Paris-Roubaix.

On a sidewalk, ALWAYS ride the same direction as traffic. If you ride opposing traffic your chances of getting hit by people pulling out of driveways turning right goes up exponentially.

I ride 99% of the time on the road except when I enter high traffic/high risk areas, then the sidewalk is more safe. If a lot of pedestrians on the sidewalk, then its a judgement call.

sidewalk cracks knocked the blinkie off my bike

If the OP is smart enough and skilled enough to ride safely on the sidewalk, and if it is legal in his region .... why not?

I strongly dislike riding on the sidewalk, but I have decades of experience fighting for space at the side of the road with drivers who would swerve, open a door, or throw stuff (back before there were bike lanes and "Share the road" signs, in certain regions, cyclists were always in season.)

If the OP really thinks sidewalk cracks will break the bike, though ......

There's your culprit. ThickSlicks are mostly used by fixie riders. The thicker, tougher tread lasts longer with skid stops (or skidding just for fun). But the ride is harsh. Another popular choice by fixie riders in my area is the Conti Gatorskin, especially more cautious riders who don't skid stop much or skid for fun.

At a minimum, try a more supple tire on the front wheel, which rarely skids and is less vulnerable to wear and punctures. Most of the perceived comfort issues are related to the front wheel/tire/tubes. Almost any tire, other than Gatorskins, would be more comfortable than ThickSlicks.

Latex tubes can really tame the jolts and vibrations too. Pricey, a bit fussy to install correctly, but a pleasure to ride. I use 'em on my road bikes, but not on my hybrids.

Or go tubeless. With just liquid sealant all you'll feel is the quality of the tire. The better the tire, the better the ride.

Regarding riding on the sidewalk, it's no big deal as long as you're riding as safely as possible. Be aware that drivers won't be watching for you. They don't even watch for pedestrians on sidewalks. There are more blind spots -- parked cars, trees, shrubs, etc -- so even attentive drivers might not see you until the last moment.

The entire paved portion of our multi-use path is just a sidewalk. For years it was standard suburban width, around 4', with cyclists weaving around pedestrians, and passing each other at combined speeds upward of 40 mph. Only recently did the MUP authority widen some of the paved segments, mostly in the higher traffic areas used by recreational riders and pedestrians. But it's still just a sidewalk made of segmented blocks of concrete that will eventually rise and fall with the soil and be a mess to ride on.

So while we don't deal much with motor vehicles on the MUP (although very fast electric motorcycles and mono-wheel skateboards are becoming a nuisance), it is just a sidewalk with all the attendant drawbacks. Yet I rarely hear any Elite MUP Strava Triatholon Aero Bar-riding Kings and Queens griping about that particular sidewalk.

Except for me. I gripe about it at the slightest provocation.

Mother back damage was not OP's question.

A sidewalk seems far safer to me than a road with two lanes in each direction, lots of businesses and side roads, no shoulder and people doing at least 45 between lights. I have seen cars barely clearing a bike as the operator tries to time drifting partway into the left lane to clear the bike without getting hit by the cars in the left lane. It sure seems safer to me to be on the sidewalk.

I get there is danger on the sidewalk, but you have to pick your poison.

if you just bomb away on those sidewalks without any care, you'll probably damage yourself before your bicycle.

As a driver exiting and entering a driveway, you are not expecting a cyclist at 15 mph closing distance fast and often visually impaired by vehicles and trees.
Certainly some streets are to be avoided, however, do not convince yourself sidewalks are a safe haven.

Learn when and how to take the lane.