Damn slippy wet london!

Hi, so i wiped out for a second time today in the same bloody spot in the rain! If you are cycling along Notting Hill and want to enter Hyde Park by Queensway, the entrance is covered in these stupid smooth stones.

About a month ago i turned into the park and the frame completely slipped away from me. I was going a bit fast i guess and i fucked my wrist (swelled up, still hurts) and hada huge bruise on my thigh.

So today i am coming the other way to join the road, going really bloody slow to avoid slipping, start to turn and BAM wipe out again on the fuckers (into the road - thanks god the cars were at the lights). Done my back, in another bruise and scrapes.

So my question is: how do you maintain decent cornering when it's wet and you have thin ass slicks on your bike? I have a Kenda Koncept tyre on my back wheel.

To be honest, i have wiped out around 5 times in the last year, always on slippy surfaces in the rain and always going slowly. It's doing my head in and i have to commute every day even in the dumb rain.

Can anyone give me any advice on tires, turning technique, htfu etc? How do you all get on in this weather? I assume lots of people are on 700x23/25 slicks? Are contis/rubinos/stelvios any better for avoiding this?

thanks,
Kam

Two words

Mad skizzzz!

Seriously, I don't know take it easy on tight turns I guess. I guess I must just be really slow in the wet on corners because I (touch wood) don't have problems.

Just come back from Little Venice to Fulham, using your route in the pouring rain racing a guy on a Marin, and not a glimmer of wobble. Conti 4000s semi-slicks 8 months old, and no punctures from new.

What pressure are you running your tyres at?

I know what you mean dude. This weather fucking sucks. My cork brake pads are worse than useless in the wet.
Hope the wrist clears up. My hands are fucked this week what with almost chopping the end of my finger off with my rear cog and taking a spill myself the other night.

Just take it slow and steady I guess.

110 psi. none of my mates who ride fixed seem to have this problem either...

If you can run them a bit lower when it's wet - they should be a bit more grippy then.

flash harry - ouch! careful where you stick those fingers :-)

I stuck new brake pads on after the last tumble, helps...but my problem ain't slowing down, it's turning...

andy, you build a lot of bikes right? Do you think my shady tyre choice is at all the reason? I had gators on my other bikes and never remember this being such a problem. what do you reckon?

What tyre have you got up front? It's usually the front going that makes you take serious spills.

If it keeps happening then I'd suspect the tyres. It's odd though 'cos some people will swear by certain tyres whilst others will find them okay. I hate Contis as I've always found them to lack grip in the wet (and had a bad stack 15 years ago on a pair). I think you have to find a pair that suit how you ride and stick with them.

yeah sounds like good advice. Just a bit expensive to find out. I'll think about letting a little air out although i find in the wet this make you prone to punctures (and who wants to deal with a puncture in the rain!).

f9ck - front is the same as back

It's knocking my confidence completely in the wet to be honest, and making my cornering rubbish when it's dry!

for the record kam stelle had some kenda's not sure of the model, but on the monopoly ride, (lots o rain) she felt like she was ice skating.

i've come off once in the rain and it was due to the steel edging on a man hole cover (the square ones)... Do you use narrow risers? short stem? obviously this will contribute to alot more sway for very little movement.
I tend to throw my weight slightly in the opposite direction to which im steering... for me i feel it balances the weight out a bit. And also riding at a mid speed, not incredibly fast so i get no grip and not slow enough to force my weight unevenly.
Saying that i'll probably find myself sliding chest first down the road soon.

120psi

slow down init

Skoota - that seems to confirm what i've been reading online tonight, Kenda's are shit in rain.
Shins - I know what your saying mate. I am on bullhorns or risers, but not that short.

I wanna attack those corners, not wimp through them! Off to get some new tyres...now which ones go with my HHSB?

Keep your pedal stroke smooth - any sudden back-pedalling pressure has a similar effect to panic braking with a rear caliper.

Scrub speed before the turn, pedal consistently through it, get your arse back a bit on the saddle (to keep weight on the rear tyre), bend your elbows (to lower your centre of gravity).

And like andyp said, run your tyres (about 10psi) softer in the wet. Should help.

I stacked it too! In exactly the same place i crashed my bareknuckle (high holborn).

it was completely stupid. Fairly heavy traffic, i was coming up to a bus on the left side. Ahead was blocked so I stupidly lock up my legs and try and 'skid' around to the right of the bus, resulting in my falling down. pure comedy.

Off to get some new tyres...now which ones go with my HHSB?

Legally - HHSBs must run all white Zaffiros - or if you can prove you have a medical condition any pair of colour mismatched tyres will do.

white zaffiros in nice dirty wet london - pleasant! can't you buy fluro tyres..

Drunk. Rain. Whatever.

Slow before the corner. Ride smoothly around corner slow enough that you're not leaning the bike over much (if at all). Weight centered over bike. Throw a 360 and some barspins then htfu and carry on..

white zaffiros in nice dirty wet london - pleasant! can't you buy fluro tyres..

Indeed you can:

Ah man i gotta upgrade the paint job on me hhsb to match those pink ones! Honestly some of these bikes end up looking like oversized kids toys. wtf?

if you know it's slippery,its all about keeping it steady and slow in corners. keeping your weight away from the front and your body upright as possible so in the event that you do slip you can put your feet down and prevent the body against tarmac smash effect. If you have SPD pedals, un-clip them before the corner just in case. Absolutely nothing worse than being stuck to your bike when you wipe out.