Greasy slippery city roads

John_Rambo

Hi cyclists.

I'm a Northside Dublin based commuter cyclist/driver. Recently, whilst doing a right turn on the Clontarf road (from a standstill) to the Howth road I did numerous wheel-spins, my back wheel was actually loosing traction and spinning as I accelerated in a low gear every time I pushed my weight down on the pedals.

A much as I'd like to think that this was down to my massive, tree trunk like, sexy, defined, tanned muscular legs... it's not. (because none of the aforementioned info is true) I mentioned it to my Dad (keen motor enthusiast) and he reckons it's due to the Euro-boner for diesel cars and their downward facing exhausts pumping black shyte on to the road surface.

We've had a warm, damp, mucky Winter with not too many massive, washout rainfalls on the East coast and I reckon my Dad's right! Where I was wheel spinning was exactly on the acceleration point where cars would rev and dump from their exhausts!

Obviously now, when turning I take it like it's turning on banana skins - carefully!

Anyone else found the winter roads very greasy and slippery where there's heavy stop-go traffic?

(I just checked, my diesel car has a downward pointing exhaust pipe)

secman

And your Dad isn't speaking through his exhaust pipe
Generally after a dry spell, roads tend to be greasy after rain,, even way before the boom of the diesel car.

melloa

John_Rambo wrote: »

Hi cyclists.

I'm a Northside Dublin based commuter cyclist/driver. Recently, whilst doing a right turn on the Clontarf road (from a standstill) to the Howth road I did numerous wheel-spins, my back wheel was actually loosing traction and spinning as I accelerated in a low gear every time I pushed my weight down on the pedals.

A much as I'd like to think that this was down to my massive, tree trunk like, sexy, defined, tanned muscular legs... it's not. (because none of the aforementioned info is true) I mentioned it to my Dad (keen motor enthusiast) and he reckons it's due to the Euro-boner for diesel cars and their downward facing exhausts pumping black shyte on to the road surface.

We've had a warm, damp, mucky Winter with not too many massive, washout rainfalls on the East coast and I reckon my Dad's right! Where I was wheel spinning was exactly on the acceleration point where cars would rev and dump from their exhausts!

Obviously now, when turning I take it like it's turning on banana skins - carefully!

Anyone else found the winter roads very greasy and slippery where there's heavy stop-go traffic?

(I just checked, my diesel car has a downward pointing exhaust pipe)

roads are v greasy at the moment,

sure there's a thread over on motors where a fella claims to have driven 300 km leaking diesel,

and it took 44 posts before anyone even considered bikes or motorbikes

Weepsie

On a wet day you can see the patches of diesel on the the ground. It can be like black ice when you miss it and send you a cropper, worse still on manhole covers but I'm extra vigilant since last year when gravity and a greasy road had their fun with me lead inexplicably coming off bike on a routine bend i took 100s of times then and since and saw me fracturing my elbow

Pinch Flat

Diesel spills becoming more common - Dublin bus are notorious, they over fill their buses, so wouldn't be unusual to see one fresh from the depot literally leaving a stream behind them. Also the upturn in HGVs due to increases In construction activity traffic as well.

AndrewJRenko

My LBS is blaming squeaky disc brakes on contaminated pads from greasy, oily road gunge.

arybvtcw0eolkf

I cycle the same route and haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary tbh.

What tyres are you using?.. Reason I ask is on wet/damp roads the Gatorskins on my roadbike are a bit skittish through through Northstrand and Fairview but grand once I'm past the Alfie Byrne Road, whereas my Schwalbe Marathon II's on my hybrid are no matter where I'm cycling.

With emission laws and NCT testing diesel cars really aren't a problem like they used to be back in the dirty old days. Same goes for commercial vehicles (including Dublin Bus).

John_Rambo

Hi Makikomi, how's the figh'n and cycl'n going?

My tyres are Schwalbe road tyres. I've definitely noticed grease on acceleration points.

magicbastarder

i haven't noticed any slipping on pulling away except in malahide village on a wet greasy day about a year ago. maybe my legs aren't strong enough.