Bill,
Your observations are very valid but let me tell you that I was one of those
who also went down on the tracks. I was going slow and at right angle and had no
problem until the cyclist in front of me went down......now I had 2 options....
jump over him and his bike...and mind you I do mt bike but am not really into
bunny hopping my Le Monde over another cyclist on wet tracks ...or option 2 veer
to the side....where I am no longer at right angles. Fortunatley I was in
control and going slow so I slipped into the tracks which I will point out are
quite deep. It bent my wheel but not a true taco. I was able to hobble the
last miles to Portmouth where they did the best they could to true it back up.
I have never gotten off my bike to walk across tracks but did on the way home as
a women went down in front of us injuring her arm. The cost of a new wheel was
enough to make me never try to ride those tracks again if there is anyone in
front of me.
I hope you never do go down on tracks...it really sucks lol. BTY I don't
think going down on those has a thing to do with your type of bike either...it
is all angles

Patti

Bill Conley <bconley@...> wrote:
The RR tracks in question has nothing to do with your style of bike. Mr.
Bolton is correct on every point with how to negotiate a set of tracks.
Especially when those tracks are WET, which the Rushtown tracks were for
this years event. However, Iım still amazed at how many cyclists went down.

I was in a peloton of around 20 cyclists, and we were scooting along at a
pretty good clip. As we approached the Rushtown tracks there were PLENTY OF
WARNING SIGNS. Everybody in the peloton was slowing and yelling ³tracks!²
Itıs not like the tracks all of a sudden hit us. Two guys went down hard in
the group. I waited at the side for the rest of my buddies, and while I
waited another set of cyclists went down. The volunteers were yelling to
³slow down,² or ³get off the bike and walk.² The volunteers at that
intersection told me a biker was falling every 10 minutes. Even though the
tracks were wet, I couldnıt understand why they were going down. Given the
fact that it had rained for, what, the whole morning, wasnıt it obvious that
this was a hazardous set of tracks? The steel rails were wet, and it was
obvious. Werenıt there enough warning signs (and there were plenty leading
up to the tracks)? Gotta err on the side of caution when it comes to Œiffyı
intersections and tracks.

I too havenıt fallen on tracks. Of course, that doesnıt mean it wonıt happen
to me, if donıt follow Mr. Boltonıs advice, but if I take the tracks at a
right angle, I will not fall &shy; even if the tracks are wet.

Hope youıre recovering well. And I hope the accident on the recumbent wonıt
slow you down. Remember &shy; itıs not the bike.






On 10/17/03 4:55 PM, "Brad Bolton" <bbolton@...> wrote:

> My impression of recumbents is that they are safer in a fall because you don't
> fall as far down as from a standard bike. Maybe you could describe why you
> feel your recumbent is not as safe.
>
> When crossing tracks, I'm really cautious. I stop pedalling, keep the bike in
> a straight line, cross at right angles to the tracks, and don't use the brakes
> while crossing. I know Rushtown is tricky because of the angle of the tracks,
> but I slow down and make sure I cross at right angles. Haven't fallen on
> tracks yet!
>
> But there's always next May ;o)
>
> Brad Bolton
>
>
> I must say that I was one of the "crashes" on the RR Tracks. It was
> quite a sight (so my buddy tells me). I rode my recumbent (Rans V2)
> and it whipped me off and I landed on my shoulder. My shoulder
> still hurts and my Doc thinks I may have a partially torn rotator
> cuff.
>
> I don't think I will ever ride my recumbent except for occassional
> weekend joy rides
>
>
>
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