It seems to me that alot of lanes are being slightly spoiled by tyre wide rut right down the middle. You know the ones I mean, 4 inches wide, 4 inches deep and an absolute night mare to ride. Both me and Simon had unplanned trips into the hedge as a result of them yesterday. Its pretty obvious what causes them - bike riders all sticking blindly to the same line, following the rut, making it deeper and more difficult not to follow it next time - a vicous circle of wearing a groove that you dont want but cant get out of.
So I have a simple plan. Whenever possible, I will make an effort not to follow the rut. It doesnt need to be much wider than a tyre to become a lot more pleasant to ride, so by keeping either left or right, or even swinging side to side and crossing the rut as I pass, I hope to make some small improvement. And once it gets a bit wider, others will not be tempted to follow the one 4 inch wide groove down the middle, and it will get easier and more pleasant still. I realise I am probably going to spend alot of time in the hedge, but I think it will be worth it in the long run. Now if everyone adopted a similar approach, the whole job might actually give a noticable improvement in my lifetime!!!!!
Yep couldn't agree more, even if you're in the rut you can weave a little and it will become wider and less deep over time. But as you say just keep crossing it and it will dissapear with the added bonus that it keeps the undergrowth down as well. Cheers Rob
Or, for the more interesting ride, you can wiggle your bars left-right to increase the width of the rut. If you o it quite rapidly the bike still tracks well but it slowly forces the rut wider. Not that I believe it's bikes making the rut (in case we're being watched) of course!
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I do know where I'm going, but the track it will decide, It's not the destination, It's the glory of the ride!
I think I will just fit some BALOON tyres.... .............. tried widening a few today, with disasterous consequences for me, but much amusement ( as ever) for those poor souls following me!!
Well, this is proving to be an entertaining game. As Withybrook said, on many occasions it ends in disasterous consequences - its like being a beginner all over again - total loss of control without any warning whatsoever, cross rutted, one wheel in the middle and one on the side, the only possible way out to stop and physically lift the bike back in line. Been in the hedge more times than I care to remember. Its obvious that some a way too far gone to make any effect on , some there is no option but to take the sheep line and follow the rut along with every one else. But some, where there is 6 inches of flat ground to balance on, can be ridden. My skills are definately improving, slowly, and its making lanes I've ridden many times appear in an entirely different light - like having a whole load of new ones to play with. The , erm, dampness of late is both a blessing and a nightmare. The edges of the ruts are nice and soft, so you can force a wheel through them from time to time. But its so slippery that sometimes there is not enough grip to hold the line - the tyre slides to the lowest point and thats where it stays. Whether or not its actually making any difference, which was the whole point in the first place, is another matter......
Otherwise anyone got a Quad
