Rock n' Gravel

[doctorgski]

What is the best way to ride slow in rock or gravel?

[cactusjack]

Ride slow.

[pirate]

I'll second that...

[Yellow Jacket]

Practice.

[Top Cat]

Stay off the front brake if the tire is turned.

[josh]

Stay off the front brake period, forget its there even. Also I know when I pull on the stretch of gravel leading into work, I flip my visor up and make sure I am in first gear before I even turn in.

[dantama]

There isn't a short answer to this question, there are many variables to figure for.

The worst surface situation is a hard surface, with a loose surface on top of the hard one. Think of pavement with small loose gravel on top. Next is deep sand.

The easiest surface is hard packed dirt/rock.

The worst situation is turning and stopping, followed by accelerating.

If you grew up riding dirt bikes, you are way ahead in the game. On dirt bikes you get a good feel for traction management, and what the sensations are like as the bike responds.

The main thing to keep in mind about gravel is that any sudden movement is potentially bad news. If you take the exact same corner and do it with good pavement, then the same corner with gravel, you will need to slow down considerably to do the same line in gravel.

You would also do well to make your turn in less abrupt, so it is a gradual arc, not a sharp turn in and back out. It is more like driving on ice in your car.

I love driving on dirt and gravel roads and the Nomad does it very well. You will get a good feel for where the traction limit is, and be able to react accordingly by slowing or straightening your line etc.

I do use the front brake, but am aware of it's traction limits too. As you are learning the limits, it's best to be very light with it, especially when near the point where you are stopping, and even more so when stopping in a turn. But it can very effectively be used if you are familiar and conscious of it's traction limits, and don't exceed it.

Here is a picture of some switch backs on the Burr trial on a dirt, sand, gravel road in Utah that is about 50 miles long that I rode. There is a lot of country that you can see on a Nomad, if you get comfortable with gravel.

[rksaw]

Beautiful picture, and good advice.
Rich

[dantama]

With a little more reflection, I really recommend that you do gravel like you do ice in your car.

No sudden changes of direction, no sudden stops or acceleration. Try to be smooth and carry just enough momentum so that you aren't accelerating, decelerating any more than you need to. And don't go too fast around corners, just like driving a car on ice.

Enjoy when you've got it down. :)

[tkd]

I learned with a trial by fire. In my area, they "slurry coated" the roads surrounding my neighborhood. It's a layer of emulsified asphalt with about 1" of chip (1/4 the size of pea gravel) on top. The weight of the cars is used to mash it into the slurry. Supposedly durable, definitly messy and slick. I rode on it once and then decided to not ride for a week till it cleared. All of this in the second week with the Nomad


Next, they did the same to the roads in my neighborhood. Very scary stuff. When I take corners on that stuff, I slow down extra slow and try very hard not to lean the bike in the turn. Does it annoy some people, yes, but I'm ok with that. I did nearly loose it the other day when they did a section of the road while I was out and didn't post any loose gravel signs. It was dusk and I saw it so I did the panic stop and released the brakes just before I hit it. The front started to slide but someone was watching because it stopped and the bike righted itself after about a 1/2 second. All of this was at less than 10mph on a straightaway

Now I avoid gravel like the plague.

[formikec]

I actually believe there should be warning signs on the side of the road if there is a rock quarry ahead. If you don't know the area, you may not know what is over the hill, and in front of a rock quarry entrance is a damn good place to learn riding on loose over hard in a hurry.

Other than saying that, I can't add anything to what everyone posted. I don't make sudden changes in direction or speed, I take it easy on both brakes, but use the rear most if possible, and I try to keep a "balanced" acceleration...it's actually easier to drive on gravel when you stay on the gas (rear tire pushing).

[nightmare]

Originally Posted by Dan Lund

There isn't a short answer to this question, there are many variables to figure for.

The worst surface situation is a hard surface, with a loose surface on top of the hard one. Think of pavement with small loose gravel on top. Next is deep sand.

The easiest surface is hard packed dirt/rock.

The worst situation is turning and stopping, followed by accelerating.

If you grew up riding dirt bikes, you are way ahead in the game. On dirt bikes you get a good feel for traction management, and what the sensations are like as the bike responds.

The main thing to keep in mind about gravel is that any sudden movement is potentially bad news. If you take the exact same corner and do it with good pavement, then the same corner with gravel, you will need to slow down considerably to do the same line in gravel.

You would also do well to make your turn in less abrupt, so it is a gradual arc, not a sharp turn in and back out. It is more like driving on ice in your car.

I love driving on dirt and gravel roads and the Nomad does it very well. You will get a good feel for where the traction limit is, and be able to react accordingly by slowing or straightening your line etc.

I do use the front brake, but am aware of it's traction limits too. As you are learning the limits, it's best to be very light with it, especially when near the point where you are stopping, and even more so when stopping in a turn. But it can very effectively be used if you are familiar and conscious of it's traction limits, and don't exceed it.

Here is a picture of some switch backs on the Burr trial on a dirt, sand, gravel road in Utah that is about 50 miles long that I rode. There is a lot of country that you can see on a Nomad, if you get comfortable with gravel.

Looks like the road to my house

[bosko]

Originally Posted by Dan Lund

On dirt bikes you get a good feel for traction management, and what the sensations are like as the bike responds.

I rode alot of dirt bikes, and got a good feel of rocks and gravel.
The sensations were painful.

Seriously though, I recommend riding dirt bikes. It really gives you alot of hardcore experience in a short amount of time.

I can't add too much to what's been said. Just take your time and make slow steady changes with your controls. Front brake is ok if your upright, but I put more bias to the back.

[VulcanE]

Originally Posted by formikec

I don't make sudden changes in direction or speed, I take it easy on both brakes, but use the rear most if possible, and I try to keep a "balanced" acceleration...it's actually easier to drive on gravel when you stay on the gas (rear tire pushing).

I have to agree with this, 450' of my driveway is gravel, so I get at least 2 doses of gravel riding a day. No sudden direction changes, and light braking. When you put your feet down, and when you are peddling the bike, be aware that your feet can and will slide out from under you.

[unwind2]

I will never forget one of my first gravel road experiences. We had gone on bikes to an outdoor concert. I did not know we would have to navigate a small gravel entrance. Having never road on gravel before I was very apprehensive when I discovered this.

We had to go about a half mile on a down grade gravel road with a curve in it. I creeped down the thing and was more worried about leaving and the up hill travel. When we left my hubie was in front and knowing how nervous I was had gone over everything with me.... slow steady speed...use the clutch no quick acceleration/stopping etc...as he told me...you'll be fine. We edged on up and I could see his baseball cap falling off his bike (he had forgot about it and left on his back seat)....I wasn't about to stop for it or blow the horn and tell him about it as I didn't want him to stop! Once we made it up the hill to the blacktop off we went. I took off behind him ......a few miles down the road when he stopped at a stop sign I told him about his cap. Told him I just couldn't stop and didn't want him to stop since he was in front of me. I felt bad about his hat. Told him I would wait if he wanted to go back and look for it. He laughed it off....said forget the cap. LOL