Hypno Toad

And I hate myself for failing to learn how slippy wet wood decking is.


This is not the first fall on a wood deck bridge, there are a couple of them in my neighborhood and I use them often. I'd like to think I'd learn ...apparently, that's just not going to happen.

(if you're wondering about the camera - this is a wrist mounted GoPro Session)

Hypno Toad

And all the bruises/scraps from CX where almost healed up.

coupster

Not so much the material but the standing water - you hydroplaned. Hope nothing is bruised more than your ego.

andr0id

No, no, really he didn't.

Hypno Toad

No real injuries, took some skin off my knee, I can feel a nice bruise on my hip... it'll take a couple days to bloom, and that kink in my neck/shoulder from the fall I took at CX - that fall yesterday, that didn't help at all.

Bike looks OK, quick inspection at the time of the fall showed nothing damaged. I take a deeper look before riding it again.

Kinda funny, since I traveled over a long two sections of bridge decking prior to the fall, this is the last (& shortest) of three bridges and that's the one that bits me in the butt!

gregf83 

At least those boards are running at 90 degrees to your path. We have an old wooden bridge planked with 10 or 12" boards. There are gaps up to an inch or so between the boards so you have to careful to stay on one board or cross the gaps at an angle. Friend wasn't so fortunate and broke his hip last year.

Ride safe.

BlazingPedals

Wood decking is pedestrian-friendly, but not so much for bicycles. It's rough, and it's slippery when wet. Add leaves and it's treacherous. Just one more reason for me to avoid MUPs.

fietsbob

River MUP includes Planked In Trestles ,between the rails , 5, 4x12 . the drying out over time now has a gap.. of 1/2"

not quite like dropping a wheel right next to the tracks, but there is some taking over the front wheel.


Not a place for skinny tire bikes.

Yendor72

I am at work and can't see the video, but I know the scenario well. I have never fallen, yet. They tried some stiff rubber mats on our MUP last year, that made the slick spots even worse. Enough people complained that they took them off this spring. Hope you're okay.

bikecrate

Just curious. How fast do you think you were going?

I can't say that I've had too many problems with wood...now wet metal grate bridges have produces some scary moments.

rydabent

Look on the bright side. You have a bike path, and a bridge!!!

Jiggle

Wood (plus leaves on it) is dangerous, but those low water creek crossings covered in algae are impossible to get across without falling. I have those.

Hypno Toad

Too fast, I let myself get confident on the other two bridges and hit this one around 15 mph; the other two were around 10 to 12 mph. Plus I'm riding 23c tires at 100psi. Many user errors.

Yendor72

Time to break out the fattie.

winston63 

I've got a couple of wooden bridges to cross and they make me plenty nervous! Running 23 tires at 100 psi is asking for trouble for sure - I usually ride my AWOL when the weather gets crappy and I've got 42 mm tires on that. I still try to be careful though - we get the delightful combination of leaves on the wooden planks and it's all too easy to lose control.

spoiledrotten

Glass with dew is worse!

prathmann

That would be most impressive if he did. To hydroplane with the high-pressure bike tires of the OP would require that he be going about 100 mph.

The type of finish on the wood makes a big difference. We have a few wood bridges where I live and they've never been a problem when crossed with reasonable care. But the surface of the wood is left quite rough on these. OTOH, I crossed a wood bridge where my daughter lives and promptly went sliding despite holding a straight line and going slow. That bridge had a much smoother finish and a slight slimy algae coating on top that I didn't notice until I was on the ground and could see and feel it close up. It hadn't even been raining - just the early morning dew made it as slick as ice.

Gnosis

I concur 100%; the OP most definitely didn’t “hydroplane” at that low speed.

no motor?

I was thinking this morning after riding through 37 degree mist that it's time to start thinking about putting the wider tires on to avoid problems like this. Thanks for taking one for the team!

GovernorSilver

Sorry about the bruises, man!

I only have to cross one wooden bridge on my morning commute, fortunately.

Staying off MUPs entirely is not an option for me. There's no other way to cross the Potomac River. The other lanes on the bridges are freeway lanes - with traffic going 60mph or faster, it's both too dangerous and illegal for cyclists to ride on them.

Hypno Toad

I never understand the universal hate for MUPs. The MUP is not my go-to, but if the MUP goes where I'm going (& isn't a horribly-planned glorified sidewalk), I'll use it. I'm lucky to live in Minneapolis where I'd say we have best-in-class MUPs.... In addition to the typical horrible glorified sidewalks.

In the video, that bridge saves me 4 miles of riding, including ~2 miles of 4-lane 40 mph road with no bike infra & a very busy interstate exit. I ride that road often, but not when it's raining, plus I was ready to get home with cold, wet feet too.

wphamilton

MUP is awesome in my book if it's on the way to where you're going and you're not in training mode. I can do without the wooden bridges though. It seems like I'm always learning another way to slide out on one, usually when I think I've got it handled and get cocky.

Hypno Toad

That ^^^ ... then new bruises.

fietsbob

Do a regular Pressure Washing to take off the Moss and its not as slippery.

Get The contract with the appropriate authorities. and you can make Money doing the pressure washing..

RidingMatthew

i think it was because you were riding with 25 mm tires at a high pressure plus the speed. Wet decking sure is slick. Be careful out there.