What's the risk with sand?
 

I ride fairly often on a MUP that goes around a reservoir. The road is asphalt. It's the width a narrow two-lane street, i would say.

At several spots, I come around a curve and there's sand on the road, coming down from the hillside. Most of the time, it's not that wide a patch, nor it is terribly deep. What it IS is a bit of a surprise, usually occurring after a blind curve.

I do slow down, of course. I haven't had any spills. I'm just wondering how big the risk is with sand on the road. Other than slowing down, are there any specific techniques I should be practicing in these conditions? I tried going into "hover mode" and riding a few inches over the sand, but I can't seem to perfect that solution.

Thanks.

On asphault its slippery, try to get through it in a straight line. On offroad trails its sometimes used as a filler in wet areas and is of unknown depth. It gets really interesting when the klaxon sounds and the front wheel starts to dive.

Elsewhere, keep it out of your bathing suit.

The hazards of sand are about what you'd expect.

A light covering of sand on the road can cause your tires to skate out from under you if you try to corner too fast on it.

A deeper covering of sand can cause you to stop unexpectedly and gain entry into Club Tombay.

+1. Living a mile from the beach, we hit sand a lot. We had some high winds last week that covered a lot of the roads. Straight and steady is the safest way to get through it. Don't turn, don't brake and don't accelerate.

About 40 years ago (can't believe I just typed that), I hit some sand in a curve at the bottom of a hill. Next thing I knew I was in ditch, lying right at the base of a barbed wire fence.

And on my local rail trail someone, in their infinite wisdom, decided to patch a washed out section of the trail with 2"-3" of sand over about a 150 yard section. I now ride about 10 yards into it before my wheels stop turning, after which I push my bike.

Try to avoid braking or leaning to turn on sand. That is when sand's dangers come into play and you are most likely to lose traction and fall.

One other question arises,what is a "baithing" suit? :D

I'm guessing it's when your neighbor sues you for "baithing" on his property.

Put your hand on my collarbone there...feel that lump? That's what happens when you hit sand in the middle of a downhill corner on a riverfront path bordered with riprap boulders the size of basketballs. Still hurts sometimes 12 years later.

Fixed. :eek:


In honor of fishing season....... a baithing suit is one you put on one of your companions when you run out of chum. (big fishing season)

Slow speed, no braking, turning, OR leaning. I had a bad fall last year because of sand. Lucky it didn't break my collarbone.

Sand on the road is no big deal. Just don't corner too fast and avoid use of the front brake while in it. Well-meaning road crews dump it all over in the winter and it tends to accumulate at the bottom of hills.

One road I use at the beach is a sand road. Deep sand is really hard to ride in unless it is damp, so it is not always passable. On a sand road, you can slide one foot on it for extra stability, just as you would on ice.

Paul

Thin sand and the danger is the bike will slide when cornering. Deep sand and you need to shift your weight back a bit and let the bike steer through it. NO BRAKES.

I've had my wheel start to go out when turning a corner where sand was in the road. I stood the bike up and managed to get through it, but not the best feeling to be moving sideways.

Sand on pavement + motorcycle + me at age 15 = several scars that are still visible.

I know that feeling well. Bicycle + me at 12 + 40mph. No helmet back in those days and I'm lucky to have lived through it. Still have those scars too.

I sure was lucky on a couple of my major crashes. Both times in curves at the bottom of steep West Virginia hills, both times no helmet, both times going into grassy ditches and emerging with only minor scrapes. Got back on my bike and rode home.

If you have a lot of sand to go through (as in the only place to ride), let some of the air out of your tires, and get the weight off the front tire as much as possible. You can ride in sand, and almost enjoy it. Incredible workout though.

sand is only a hazard when: there is a thin layer on rock or asphalt, and you are turning and leaning.

it acts like ball bearings and will throw you down when leaning into it and there is no way to recover

with enough sand, not a problem. you can lean and drift in that type of stuff and it is fun

Gary - sand could be very miserable if you get any caught beween your buns and the saddle during a century! OOOOO Hurts just thinking about it!

Similar for me, but mine was fresh tar with a thin layer of gravel, not yet compacted. There were no signs, warnings, or workers visible. Road rash with tar, all I needed was some feathers.

Sand on paved trails is a big enough problem that some of us sweep it off.