Talus

I forgot about the open grate bridge I had to cross as I was coming down a steep grade in the rain Monday. I slowed a little right before I hit it. I could feel the bike slipping under me, but kept it upright. The thought of wiping out on that cheese grater bridge gives me the willies.

What are some of your "pucker" moments?

Grumpy McTrumpy

I walk over those.

fix

we have a bf member who crashed on a cheese grater bridge in boston and got cheese grated.

Talus

Freaks me out thinking about it...

merlinextraligh

Remember to ball up your fingers if you do go down

Grumpy McTrumpy

DrPete 

You realize that slowing down may have been the most dangerous thing you could've done, right?

Momentum is your friend. Hold your line and ride over the thing. It's not hard.

Walter

You can ride over those. Like lots of things it was easier when I was younger but keep a loose grip on the bars (resist the urge to start a "death grip") and soft pedal. When I was younger and riding in Miami I used to go over draw bridges all of the time.

Nowadays most of the old drawbridges have been replaced with new spans that are high enough for shipping to pass. Every now and then I come across one of the old bridges and I have to remind myself that this used to be easy.

kensuf

My pucker moment in the past week was seeing Grant Potter line up next to me in a circuit race.

DrPete 

That's not so much pucker, that's more of a "surrender yourself to the impending pain" type thing.

gabdy

Yup.

Grumpy McTrumpy

I had to race over one of those early this year. That sucked.

KendallF

I ride over them regularly on the single bike without a second thought. Then..last year in the MS150, it was raining and I had to go over one on the tandem, with about a thousand squirrely riders in front of me. That was pucker factor. Actually, a volunteer ran out in front of me yelling for me to dismount and walk, and nearly caused me to crash avoiding him. Well intentioned, but stupid.

HigherGround

Good point. Many years ago, a breakaway in the Tour de Trump / Tour Du Pont (I forget which it was called at the time) crossed a wet metal grate bridge. There were many injuries, including broken fingers that became caught in the grate.

The peloton was warned of the slick bridge, and they slowed down considerably, as I recall.

andr0id

I hate those and low water crossings with slime in them. They are pretty much the only things I will dismount for. I've taken a few falls in water crossings and don't want to anymore. Thankfully, I've never gone down on cheese grater decking.

mtclifford

It is too early in the morning, my first thought was, I hope the poor guy wasn't made of cheese.

clausen

I used to go over a bridge like that every day on my ride. Thing was slick on dry days, I road out of my way to avoid it on wet ones. The trick is to keep pedalling and go straight. Like riding in loose dirt.

erik9108

Good advice! My cousin-in-law went down on a grate bridge about a year ago. He took the skin off his palms (no gloves), broke a thumb that got caught in the grate and I believe some skin was missing from his left hip. The carbon Trek he was riding (I think it was an older 5.2) took minimal damage.

Now he walks over those.

DataJunkie

Yuck

Mine involves a torrential downpour in the dark and railroad tracks that crossed the street at an odd angle. I was only travelling 5 mph and I almost wrecked. Managed to pull myself upright using a clipped in foot somehow.

roadiejorge 

I learned that the hard way after slipping on one of those metal plates they use on the road. Now I just make sure to hold the line and it works out fine.

Tulex

Are you guys talking about any of the metal bridges you can see down through, or a particular type?

McTufferton

Some of these are hard to read.

The thought of going down on a surface like that makes me cringe.

unterhausen

yes, they are talking about the bridges that you can see through. The surface is made up of metal plates on edge. I haven't had any trouble riding over this kind of bridge, but I'll try to remember to ball up my hands if I ever fall on one.

toshi

There's a drawbridge here just like that. If you do any sort of turning or swerving in the wet, you're toast. Holding your line as mentioned above is crucial, and apply moderate force to the pedals so they're creating traction. Driven wheel is more grippy than a passive one.

Also, keep your weight over the rear wheel -- really plant yourself in the saddle.

Talus

Yeah, I didn't try to brake on the bridge and I held a straight line. I know enough from riding motorcycles not to brake or steer on slippery surfaces. I just didn't want to be doing 30 when I crossed it. Road snakes suck in the rain too.