ever ridden cobblestone?
04-14-09, 03:46 AM
#26
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Harrow, Middlesex
Posts: 267
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
who needs cobbles when you have your average greater london road? but yeah, they are murder on wheels, and triceps.
on an unrelated note, some bloke sued his local council beacuse he fell off his steed when bouncing through a pothole, and WON!
on an unrelated note, some bloke sued his local council beacuse he fell off his steed when bouncing through a pothole, and WON!
04-14-09, 03:54 AM
#28
Sua Ku
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Hot as hell, Singapore
Posts: 5,705
Bikes: Trek 5200, BMC SLC01, BMC SSX, Specialized FSR, Holdsworth Criterium
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
That shot is actually on my work laptop rotating screen saver.
04-14-09, 03:59 AM
#29
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Someplace trying to figure it out
Posts: 10,664
Bikes: Cannondale EVO, CAAD9, Giant cross bike.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 67 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 7 Times
in
6 Posts
When I lived in Waterloo and was at home to start a training ride (most days) rode them daily. There was a cobbled road at the end of our block that got me out of the neighborhood.
I've raced on many of the roads used in Tour of Flanders.
I've raced on many of the roads used in Tour of Flanders.
04-14-09, 04:18 AM
#30
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 18,138
Bikes: 2 many
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1266 Post(s)
Liked 323 Times
in
169 Posts
In this location the Police stop you if you ride a bicycle on the cobbles. If they catch you. They did.
Riding them is lousy anyway.
Riding them is lousy anyway.
04-14-09, 10:13 AM
#31
Descends Like Avalanche
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Somewhere between Funkytown and Margaritaville, PA
Posts: 5,769
Bikes: Lynskey R240, Sportive, and a Helix Sport disc model in the works; Eddy Merckx MX Leader; Specialized Rock Hopper Comp (1988!)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I've ridden on some in Rambouillet, France. I was glad when they were over! The ones I drove over in Belgium made me wonder if I was going to damage my rental car! 
__________________
The rider in my avatar is David Etxebarria, not me.
04-14-09, 04:15 PM
#32
In Real Life
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Down under down under
Posts: 52,152
Bikes: Lots
Mentioned: 141 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3203 Post(s)
Liked 596 Times
in
329 Posts
That's where I cycled across the bowling-ball style cobblestones ... in Ieper. If I had wider tires it might have been better.
__________________
Rowan
My fave photo threads on BF
Century A Month Facebook Group
Machka's Website
Photo Gallery
Rowan
My fave photo threads on BF
Century A Month Facebook Group
Machka's Website
Photo Gallery
04-14-09, 04:44 PM
#33
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: New York City
Posts: 1,757
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
These are in my neighborhood (Forest Hills, NY). Just a short section. Best on steel fixed gear bike, but not bad on carbon either.
04-14-09, 05:03 PM
#34
Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 34
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Ironman Frankfurt
I rode a section of cobbles.......luckily its only around 100 meters long in Maintal, Germany during the Ironman Frankfurt. I had to do it twice since it was a 90KM loop course. It really sucks. I can't believe the Pros can ride them as fast as they do. Paris Roubaix is really the toughest one day race in the world. Anyways, here is a pic of me on my Colnago Oval Crono riding the section of cobbles.
04-14-09, 05:28 PM
#35
Senior Member
Did the Paris Roubaix Cyclo in 2004, the cyclo-tourist's fun ride. 261 km with 50 km of cobbles, the year the pros didn't do the Arenberg Forest because that section was too dangerous. Lucky for me it was a dry June, it would have been very nasty on the wet. The cobbles are so rough, my watch rubbed through the skin. I still have a small scar on my wrist.
Most French cobbles are actually setts, square cut pavers laid roughly level. True cobbles are rounded rocks, much harder to maintain a straight line on.
Most French cobbles are actually setts, square cut pavers laid roughly level. True cobbles are rounded rocks, much harder to maintain a straight line on.
04-14-09, 06:52 PM
#36
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Hampton Roads VA
Posts: 1,787
Bikes: '07 Trek 520, '09 Gary Fisher Triton, '04 Trek 8000, '85 Trek 500, '84 Trek 610, '85 Trek 510, '88 Trek 660, '92 Trek 930, Trek Multitrack 700
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 19 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Both Norfolk and Richmond VA have cobbles downtown, I don't see the attraction.
__________________
"When I hear another express an opinion, which is not mine, I say to myself, He has a right to his opinion, as I to mine; why should I question it. His error does me no injury, and shall I become a Don Quixot to bring all men by force of argument, to one opinion? If a fact be misstated, it is probable he is gratified by a belief of it, and I have no right to deprive him of the gratification."
T. Jefferson
"When I hear another express an opinion, which is not mine, I say to myself, He has a right to his opinion, as I to mine; why should I question it. His error does me no injury, and shall I become a Don Quixot to bring all men by force of argument, to one opinion? If a fact be misstated, it is probable he is gratified by a belief of it, and I have no right to deprive him of the gratification."
T. Jefferson
04-14-09, 08:27 PM
#37
Announcer
I rode Arenberg last summer.
Shot this video.
I was going maybe 14 when that was shot. It was like a jackhammer.
Looks a lot better standing still.
Shot this video.
I was going maybe 14 when that was shot. It was like a jackhammer.
Looks a lot better standing still.
04-14-09, 08:37 PM
#38
gmt
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Binghamton, NY
Posts: 12,509
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 45 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
I rented a bike when I was in Austria and rode on some pave "roads". I don't think there were any cars. It was not bad. A little bumpy.
04-14-09, 09:57 PM
#39
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: La Verne CA
Posts: 5,049
Bikes: Litespeed Liege, Motorola Team Issue Eddy Mercxk, Santana Noventa Tandem, Fisher Supercaliber Mtn. Bike
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 14 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 11 Times
in
7 Posts
did a race in Old Sacramento that had a section of cobbles, it is unbelievable how much your arms hurt afterwards.. I could not imagine riding for 6+ hours on that stuff..
04-14-09, 10:05 PM
#40
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Georgia
Posts: 1,753
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
04-14-09, 10:08 PM
#41
stole your bike
I've ridden on some of the cobblestone streets here in NYC and as short as they are they weren't much fun, I'm not really keen on riding that kind of surface for long.
__________________
I like pie
I like pie
Last edited by roadiejorge; 04-14-09 at 10:13 PM.
04-14-09, 10:15 PM
#42
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Northern Nevada
Posts: 3,811
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I rarely have to use them anymore, but some other things that come to mind are keeping your weight back and allowing the front wheel to go where it wants to (within reason). I've read that good cobble riders go about one gear higher than they would on smooth pavement, to keep pressure on the pedals to stabilize the bike and unweight the saddle, but it seemed to work better for me to spin a bit faster in a low gear.
Warning, though: My total cobblestone experience is a single afternoon, and it hurts when you fall.
04-14-09, 11:14 PM
#44
Shoebomber
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 1,071
Bikes: 2008 Canyon CF Pro w/ Chorus, 2005 Moots Vamoots w/ Ultegra, 1988 Cannondale commuter
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
This is the closest thing we have to cobbles in Seattle. Obviously it's not too hard on the arms and arse.
04-15-09, 02:53 PM
#47
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Toronto area
Posts: 1,124
Bikes: Cervelo, Pinarello, Specialized
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
after watching snipits of paris-roubaix last night, i was interested in the seemingly spontaneous crashes that took place on the cobblestone sections. i have never ridden on that type of surface myself.
are they just slippery on the surface? tires get caught in the grooves? other?
on a side note, the bikes set-up specifically for that race looked pretty sweet, i would imagine the tires used would need to utilize a compound designed to handle a whole mixture of surfaces, overall that race looks very challenging.
are they just slippery on the surface? tires get caught in the grooves? other?
on a side note, the bikes set-up specifically for that race looked pretty sweet, i would imagine the tires used would need to utilize a compound designed to handle a whole mixture of surfaces, overall that race looks very challenging.
https://www.xs4all.nl/~ewoud/tmp/pr09_carrefour.html
04-15-09, 08:47 PM
#48
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Bristol, UK
Posts: 1,136
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Posted this in another thread as well - but a great view of what it's like to ride the cobbles, see this. I was amazed at the speed these guys are flying over them:
https://www.xs4all.nl/~ewoud/tmp/pr09_carrefour.html
https://www.xs4all.nl/~ewoud/tmp/pr09_carrefour.html
Matthew
04-16-09, 06:56 AM
#50
Senior Member
