D
Doug Taylor
Guest
Still raining in the northeast and the trails are not rideable.
So, another road ride in drizzle/rain conditions this a.m., with one twist. One steep climb by road
standards (13.5% grade for about .7 mile) not only was wet but still had patches of sand left over
from winter road maintenance.
Only rarely climbing on a road bike do you encounter such conditions as rear wheel spinning and/or
front wheel coming off the ground, which, as we know, are commonplace climbing steep stuff off-road.
Mostly, there are very few paved roads steep enough for either to occur. Off-road, we climb more
gnarly grades, and learn instinctively and instantly to shift mass fore and aft to keep the rubber
on the ground, traction, and balance, so as to clean the hill without having to dismount.
So, I'm climbing standing in the wet and sand, and my rear wheel spun more than a few times up this
grade. I figure if I didn't have an off-road backround, I wouldn't have had a clue how shift back
quickly but smoothly so as to get traction and keep moving . I probably would have mashed and laid
rubber, and ended up off the bike and walking. Particularly demeaning for a roadie.
--dt
So, another road ride in drizzle/rain conditions this a.m., with one twist. One steep climb by road
standards (13.5% grade for about .7 mile) not only was wet but still had patches of sand left over
from winter road maintenance.
Only rarely climbing on a road bike do you encounter such conditions as rear wheel spinning and/or
front wheel coming off the ground, which, as we know, are commonplace climbing steep stuff off-road.
Mostly, there are very few paved roads steep enough for either to occur. Off-road, we climb more
gnarly grades, and learn instinctively and instantly to shift mass fore and aft to keep the rubber
on the ground, traction, and balance, so as to clean the hill without having to dismount.
So, I'm climbing standing in the wet and sand, and my rear wheel spun more than a few times up this
grade. I figure if I didn't have an off-road backround, I wouldn't have had a clue how shift back
quickly but smoothly so as to get traction and keep moving . I probably would have mashed and laid
rubber, and ended up off the bike and walking. Particularly demeaning for a roadie.
--dt