Lowsided on Muni tracks

[therok229]

Just giving everyone a heads up, those tracks are slippery. Combine that with low front tire pressure = suckage and concussion. I'm pretty sure I was not on the brakes for any reason. I was at constant throttle.

How it went down:
Riding on the right side of the tracks but it gets a little more narrow with the bus stops. So decided I'd have more room in the middle of the tracks so doing about 30MPH started to transition over the tracks and next thing you know I remember picking myself up from the ground. People around me telling me to stay down, etc....


Things that could have avoided the situation:
I knew my front tire was low on air and probably caught a rut or just went in at bad angle.

 

[Enchanter]

What makes you think that a higher tire pressure would have helped prevent this crash? What pressure was in your front tire and what would you have rathered it be?

 

[silverbelt]

Need some more info here. Highly doubt it was due to tire pressure. Was there any elevation change? Did you push on the bars a little too much? Were you accelerating?

 

[therok229]

I was probably 15lbs below, I could feel ruts pull the wheel. Was at steady throttle. I've done the muni tracks thousands of time.

 

[mototireguy]

Wet Muni tracks?

Wet RR tracks are like ice. I've been there and done that on wet N-Judah tracks years ago.

Dry tracks not much worry. Wet track beware.

 

[louemc]

Sounds like shallow angle of crossing the tracks...You got away with it, when they were dry...but this wet...made it a not get away with it.

It is always wrong, just sometimes wronger.

Thing to do..Fore Thought. See the need, plan the line to take, with the zig and the zag, to cross the tracks (or Cattle guard or painted arrow, or loose road patch material, or whatever) at close to 90 degrees..riding straight (no turning while on the material that could be slick as ice). No turning, No acceleration, No braking....do everything before or after...Never during.

Just do this, as Gospel...it doesn't work to let things slide (no pun intended) and find out if it was too slick...that's the laying on the ground wondering what happened..way.

 

[Darwin]

Possibly an Edge Trap - change in surface height running parallel to path of travel. Tire pressure likely had nothing to do with it. Crossing the tracks at a shallow angle, nearly parallel, is likely what trapped the front tire in the rut/groove and down you go - happens in a split second. Need to take more of an angle when crossing tracks. Probably got away with it when street was dry and offered a little more traction but always dangerous. Swing wide in your lane, cross at as much of an angle as you can and then straighten up in your lane on the other side.

 

[afm199]

Sounds like shallow angle of crossing the tracks...You got away with it, when they were dry...but this wet...made it a not get away with it.

It is always wrong, just sometimes wronger.

Thing to do..Fore Thought. See the need, plan the line to take, with the zig and the zag, to cross the tracks (or Cattle guard or painted arrow, or loose road patch material, or whatever) at close to 90 degrees..riding straight (no turning while on the material that could be slick as ice). No turning, No acceleration, No braking....do everything before or after...Never during.

Just do this, as Gospel...it doesn't work to let things slide (no pun intended) and find out if it was too slick...that's the laying on the ground wondering what happened..way.

This. Cross tracks at as close to a 90 degree angle as you can. You can get away with shallow angles in the dry, in the wet you can't.

 

[therok229]

This. Cross tracks at as close to a 90 degree angle as you can. You can get away with shallow angles in the dry, in the wet you can't.

I was running parallel. I did try to go out then in at wider angle. That might have caused it too. It was bone dry out. Maybe morning dew or oil... I'm just staying away from them now as much as possible

 

[afm199]

I was running parallel. I did try to go out then in at wider angle. That might have caused it too. It was bone dry out. Maybe morning dew or oil... I'm just staying away from them now as much as possible

Basically I never cross tracks at a shallow angle. Not only can there be dew on them, they can be slick as snot from other substances, there is often a gap between the track and the roadbed, and it's a good way to crash, as you discovered. I'll avoid them at all cost.

 

[tzrider]

Sounds like shallow angle of crossing the tracks...You got away with it, when they were dry...but this wet...made it a not get away with it.

It is always wrong, just sometimes wronger.

Thing to do..Fore Thought. See the need, plan the line to take, with the zig and the zag, to cross the tracks (or Cattle guard or painted arrow, or loose road patch material, or whatever) at close to 90 degrees..riding straight (no turning while on the material that could be slick as ice). No turning, No acceleration, No braking....do everything before or after...Never during.

Just do this, as Gospel...it doesn't work to let things slide (no pun intended) and find out if it was too slick...that's the laying on the ground wondering what happened..way.

The only thing I'd add to this is to be sure that you have as little lean angle as possible as you cross the tracks. If you're going to zigzag to approach the tracks at 90 degrees, get the bike upright and going straight before you hit the tracks.

 

[louemc]

The only thing I'd add to this is to be sure that you have as little lean angle as possible as you cross the tracks. If you're going to zigzag to approach the tracks at 90 degrees, get the bike upright and going straight before you hit the tracks.

Absolutely....I thought I'd said that with the turn before and after, never during, and straight, and don't turn, don't brake, don't accelerate while on the could be slick as ice....But it can't be said enough, really.

And....I know I gloss over things....because they are so ingrained into the way I do it....I feel that I'm talkin too much...and have to cut it off,somewhere.