Another hot weather cycling hazard: tar seams
07-13-11 | 02:43 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 7,381
Likes: 219
Another hot weather cycling hazard: tar seams
On Saturday I went out for an organized Century ride and unfortunately discovered a hot weather cycling hazard I had never considered in years of commuting, touring, and road cycling:
The front wheel was taco’ed and the eyeglasses were temporarily repaired but I will need new frames. A couple fellow riders commented about noticing those tar seams too. Buzzman also replied about his experience:
The picture below is near the scene, and note the tar seams on the road surface.
[also posted on the Commuter Forum]
…I had my crash at 94 miles. I was immediately assisted by some bystanders who claimed I was KO’ed for a bit, and the ambulance and police soon arrived. The upshot was spending from about 4:00 to 8:30 PM in the Emergency Room, with abrasions on my arms, knees, and a couple ugly ones on my face; and a gash about 1 inch long requiring 18 stitches to close. But not to worry, I’m OK, though I haven’t checked out the bike.
Wha’ happened? I was riding about 5 mph on the main street, and on that road surface were these strips of tar, the policeman called “tar seams,” apparently a cheap fix for cracks. In the 90 degree heat they [the tar seams] became soft and sticky and grabbed my tire, and since I was going slowly, one pulled me down. The officer said that they had also received complaints from motorcyclists about these tar seams…
Wha’ happened? I was riding about 5 mph on the main street, and on that road surface were these strips of tar, the policeman called “tar seams,” apparently a cheap fix for cracks. In the 90 degree heat they [the tar seams] became soft and sticky and grabbed my tire, and since I was going slowly, one pulled me down. The officer said that they had also received complaints from motorcyclists about these tar seams…
…These "tar seams" are a real hazard and one I've noticed more and more in the past couple of years. They've patched the frost heaves in the Berkshires with them and I've hit them on some fast downhills on +90 degree days and gotten some serious wheel wobble and one almost wipe out at the bottom of a hill as I veered into a turn. It would be a worthwhile thread in either Advocacy and Safety to see if other riders have had similar issues. And worth bringing up to MassBike and LAB.
[also posted on the Commuter Forum]
07-13-11 | 05:30 PM
#4
Peloton Shelter Dog
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 90,508
Likes: 32
From: Chester, NY
Bikes: 2017 Scott Foil, 2016 Scott Addict SL, 2018 Santa Cruz Blur CC MTB
They're much worse on a motorcycle. Trust me on this.
__________________
https://www.cotsiscad.com
https://www.cotsiscad.com
07-14-11 | 08:25 PM
#6
07-15-11 | 06:24 AM
#8
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,279
Likes: 42
From: Nabob, WI
Bikes: 2018 Domane SL7
It's not the tar so much as the crack that it's hiding. Some of the roads around here have been taared and then lightly resurfaced with a coarse sand/asphalt mix. The essentially hides the tars seams, but they're still there.
07-15-11 | 07:24 AM
#9
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 13,358
Likes: 665
From: northern michigan
Bikes: '77 Colnago Super, '76 Fuji The Finest, '88 Cannondale Criterium, '86 Trek 760, '87 Miyata 712
Yup, we have them all over the place. Each fall the road maintenance crews seal up cracks in the pavement to prevent moisture from entering and freeze cracking the asphalt. I run over the seams all the time....in fact, you cant prevent hitting them unless you ride a ***ahem***....bike path.
07-15-11 | 08:59 AM
#10
Fat man in a little coat
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 951
Likes: 0
From: Chicago NW Burbs
Bikes: Trek 7.3 FX, Trek 1.2T
Those things suck! Here in Chicago, we call them "Road Snakes" because they will bite your ass if you aren't careful. Yes, most of the time they just make it feel like your bike wheel has hit an ice patch, but sometimes if they are covering a deep crack, they will bite, and when they do, they can wipe out many people. Usually it comes from someone middle of the pack as they don't see it until it is to late. We have one road where I would say 75% of the road is filled with road snakes near the shoulder.
07-15-11 | 09:23 AM
#11
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,356
Likes: 6
From: Lewisburg, TN
Bikes: Mikkelsen custom steel, Santa Cruz Chameleon SS, old trek trainer bike
I've never had an issue with them on my bicycle before, but on motorcycles we call those "tar snakes". They suck in the heat, and suck in the wet. I've lost traction accelerating over those in both conditions on my moto, but I never thought about them as a hazard on the bicycle. Good to know.
07-15-11 | 10:05 AM
#12
pan y agua
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 31,812
Likes: 1,234
From: Jacksonville
Bikes: Willier Zero 7; Merlin Extralight; Calfee Dragonfly tandem, Calfee Adventure tandem; Cervelo P2; Motebecane Ti Fly 29er; Motebecanne Phantom Cross; Schwinn Paramount Track bike
I've never had an issue with them on my bicycle before, but on motorcycles we call those "tar snakes". They suck in the heat, and suck in the wet. I've lost traction accelerating over those in both conditions on my moto, but I never thought about them as a hazard on the bicycle. Good to know.
__________________
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
07-15-11 | 11:02 AM
#14
nil
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 106
Likes: 1
Bikes: 2010 Scott CR1 Team
chip and tar when freshly laid is also not fun to ride your bike on..
07-15-11 | 11:39 AM
#15
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 7,381
Likes: 219
Originally Posted by Wikipedia
On 14 July 2003, during the ninth stage of the 2003 Tour de France, Beloki was in second place overall (just 40 seconds behind Lance Armstrong) and negotiating a turn at speed while descending the Cote de La Rochette, just 4 km from the stage finish at Gap. He lost control of his bicycle after his rear tire came off the wheel on a patch of tarmac[citation needed] that was softened by the sun (the road surface temperature was reported to be 50°C, or 125°F), sending his rear wheel skidding first in one direction and then the other. Beloki suffered a hard fall that broke his right femur in two places, his elbow and his wrist. Armstrong was following immediately behind Beloki and, to avoid the fallen rider, headed off the road to go down the hill through the underbrush and across a small field. The crash effectively ended Beloki's career as a premier bicycle racer.
After reading about Joseba Beloki, don’t cry for me, Argentina.
07-15-11 | 12:54 PM
#17
pan y agua
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 31,812
Likes: 1,234
From: Jacksonville
Bikes: Willier Zero 7; Merlin Extralight; Calfee Dragonfly tandem, Calfee Adventure tandem; Cervelo P2; Motebecane Ti Fly 29er; Motebecanne Phantom Cross; Schwinn Paramount Track bike
It was hot, and I slipped on a similar patch but, just a bit of slipping nothing catastrophic.
And as for the lack of sympathy, I think the way you posted it, it came off more as a technical issue about melting tar, than a story about your injury,
We didn't mean to be lacking in sympathy.
__________________
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
