chip and seal, boo hoo...

[Miranda]

Got any tips for learning to fall in love with riding on chip and seal type roads?

Just got the word some of my favorite routes that the club rides are getting a face lift. For the worse. Such nice roads since they are low traffic. Thus, hand-picked by the club.

I was reading some guy's cycling blog trying to give reasons to get happy about it. I can only see one. That is when rain riding, I noticed my hated road section (that is currently that way) became my friend = more traction.

It was chip and seal that drove me to a carbon frame. I really don't want to give up riding 23s for tires (had wider on the old bike). Shoot... I was just thinking about giving up my stock tires that are wire bead w/treads to slicks too.

One other thing I can think of is getting a carbon bar. In hopes in would suck up more road vibration like the frame I love. Maybe this is the last straw to that purchase.

Route is really beautiful otherwise.

*sigh*

Miranda

[Tri Girl]

Boo to chip and seal!
I don't think there is anything you can do. It sucks- plain and simple. I ride chip and seal on my full carbon bike and get shaken, on my commuter with tires twice as wide and get shaken, and on my mtn. bike (on the way to the trail) and get shaken. I don't think you can do anything to make it less irritating/shaky.

I know it's cheaper, but it's horrible either in a car or on a bike. They just "fixed" some roads around here by chip sealing them. Thanks a LOT! It will get smoother with more traffic smooshing it, but on low traffic roads that doesn't offer any consolation (and even on high traffic roads it doesn't help much).

Sorry I ranted a bit. Can you tell how much I hate it, too?

Sorry about your roads...

[sundial]

Seems like that's all we have around here. Our road was recently patched and there's fresh tar and gravel.

Can you reconsider using 25's with a lower PSI to absorb the teeth rattling road noise?

[Miranda]

Thx for the replies thus far. I know what you mean... that chip & is brutual on any type of bike. And thx also for the idea on 25s. That's what was on my old bike. I was just geeking out some tires today on the net considering my plan of action, vs giving up the route.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Can you reconsider using 25's with a lower PSI to absorb the teeth rattling road noise?

I second this suggestion.

We will all probably be seeing rougher road surfaces in the future as states have a hard time funding constant re-paving. Of course in the Northeast here in New York state, we've been used to awful road surfaces for years now. Love my 25's and 28's.

[Zen]

a steel touring bike and 32's

[Geonz]

What zen said -- tho' I think my front tyre's a little bigger. You get used to it. Hey, it's better than some of the "adventures in asphalt" I read recently

Sympathies extended.

[Cataboo]

I'm actually fine on chipseal on my titanium road bike with 700x23 tires... doesn't bug me too badly, but I do have carbon handlebars.

On my carbon road bike, I have carbon handlebars as well... If I use my carbon wheels with 700x23s & 120 psi tire pressure, I don't feel the chip seal at all... (I could put non carbon wheels on it and see... but I think the wheels really soak up vibrations) I feel a bit "slower" just cause things don't roll as nicely.

[Miranda]

Not to be dragging up old news in my aging thread here... but just wanted to say thanks for those additional ideas posted.

[Mr. Bloom]

#2 reason to love chip and seal:

It's better than the alternative...taking the asphalt out and replacing with gravel which is a trend I'm seeing on many rural roads.

Feeling your pain in the lower half of the state!

[OakLeaf]

Lots of fresh chipseal here. I had to take a busier road home than I like yesterday, because my preferred route was closed for bridge replacement, and my second choice was closed for chip seal patching. The road I wound up on had fresh chip seal patches. Three of my regular roads have gotten complete chip seal resurfacing in the last couple of months. Is it the stimulus money?

IAE, after the first couple of days, and apart from some loose gravel that can remain between the wheel tracks, honestly around here they're nearly as smooth as macadam. Maybe it has to do with the size of stone they use, or the amount of tar? You kind of have to watch your speed on descents, and cornering on the moto where you'd normally cross the line of the wheel tracks; but really on the bici, around here, it's fine.

Granted I'm on carbon frame (alloy bars and seatpost, 700x23 alloy spoked wheels @ 115 psi), but once it's been packed down, around here newer chip seal is plenty smooth, way smoother than most of the torn up cracked macadam, and I never hear any of my buds on alu complaining about it either.

[SadieKate]

I'm with Oakleaf. Once it's worn, it's not that big a deal. The freeze/thaw expansion cracks in any road surface are what get you. Or the potholes in rainy climates, or . . . or . . . or.

Chip seal isn't as fast as asphalt, but, really, who cares?

Put on some 25s and go ride.