[WithoutLimits]

I have a lot of railroad tracks around my house! What is the best way of riding over them with a road bike? Should I go slow over them, or get off the bike and walk it over, someone said I should bunny hop over them!! Most of the tracks aren't too bumpy, but they aren't in the best shape either!!

 

[Industry_Hack]

Perpendicular, knees and elbows bent. Speed will depend on how bad they are, and how stout your wheels are.

 

[davereo]

Coming from a guy who just bit the big one going over tracks two weeks ago.
Cross over them at a steady speed. Try not to slow down speed up or change directions during the crossing. Cross the tracks as close to perpendicular as possible.

 

[bikertank]

Been there myself on the tracks about 3 weeks ago - wish you guys would have posted it this sooner

 

[katz]

If they're anything like the tracks I have around my area, you will want to dismount & walk the bike across.

In my area, we have tracks that haven't been in use for years and they are very uneven in comparison to the road surface. If I crossed them with a road bike, it would be very easy to get out of shape on them & lose it.

 

[davereo]

Walking is exercise. So if you are not comfortable and the tracks and roadway are in disrepair by all means walk over. We ride today so we can ride again tommorow.

 

[davereo]

These are the tracks which I crashed on recently. Notice how the run almost pararel to the road. The center between the tracks is steel plate and smooth as glass. I was crossing them when the traffic was on the busy side and cars were going by me over 50 miles an hour. I cut over closer to the edge of the roadway just a little to soon as my rear wheel was still on the steel plate and my front was on the asphalt. I was not able to regain control as my rear slid out on the plate. I went down not because of the tracks but because of the mistake I made while crossing them.

[ame]http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=41.801339,-71.052981&spn=0.000002,0.000713&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=41.801284,-71.0531&panoid=yotiwprzECePcYa_skWjNQ&cbp=12,75.47,,0,22.5[/ame]

 

[greenhorn]

No need to bunny hop, but wouldn't want to cross them diagonally either.
I would simply pull up on the handlebars to lift the front tire over the direct contact with the tracks. The rear wheel will follow. It doesn't take much finesse or force, and a lot easier that trying to bunny hop the entire bike.

 

[WithoutLimits]

Thanks or all the input!!

 

[Buffalo-jon]

one more thing to add, get your butt up off the seat so your legs can absorb most of the bumps.

 

[WithoutLimits]

These are the tracks which I crashed on recently. Notice how the run almost pararel to the road. The center between the tracks is steel plate and smooth as glass. I was crossing them when the traffic was on the busy side and cars were going by me over 50 miles an hour. I cut over closer to the edge of the roadway just a little to soon as my rear wheel was still on the steel plate and my front was on the asphalt. I was not able to regain control as my rear slid out on the plate. I went down not because of the tracks but because of the mistake I made while crossing them.

Video Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=41.801339,-71.052981&spn=0.000002,0.000713&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=41.801284,-71.0531&panoid=yotiwprzECePcYa_skWjNQ&cbp=12,75.47,,0,22.5

Are you hurt?? Looks like it could be a dangerous intersection with a lot of traffic!

 

[davereo]

A little banged and bruised but I am alright.

 

[Dos_Ruedas]

All very good advise. Follow it. But....
Still, be ready to go down.

I routinely cross tracks on my rides. I don't like them, but I has become comfortable crossing them until....
I did everything by the book. Yet, while crossing tracks in the rain last year (during my first century), my rear wheel stepped out. Way out!
I nearly went down. It was an act of God that saved me. Not riding skill. With the vehicles behind me, it would have been ugly.
The slide out and resulting snap back was so harsh, it threw one of my water bottles out.

Although I bet it looked like a sweet bike trick to the people behind me, I nearly messed myself. After gathering my bottle, I stood in the rain near the tracks, trying to figure what went wrong.

Just be ready. You never know. Even the greatest plans fail on occasions.

Safe riding to you.