beach riding

"john riley" skrev...

Quoted message said:

Every time I find myself on a beach with firm sand, I wonder about cycling on it. Seems like many
of the beaches in N. Florida or S. Georgia would work. Has any one done this? How did it go?

I did 11 km in Poland on a sandroad. Took an hour or so. I'd recommend wide tires with low pressure.
A low gear and not clipping in. Some loose patches required a bit of speed to get through without
getting stuck. But speed increased the chances of wiping out. This was on a suspended SWB with
tailbox and fairing and a good deal of luggage.

Mikael

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Every time I find myself on a beach with firm sand, I wonder about cycling on it. Seems like many
of the beaches in N. Florida or S. Georgia would work. Has any one done this? How did it go?

At the beach, firm sand is wet sand. Wet sand soon becomes dry and loose. This is not good.
It is difficult to find a place at the beach that is uniformly hard packed. Wider tires are
still required.

Quoted message said:

Some rental places _forbid_ riding the rental bikes on the sand, so there must be issues, even
where it is possible. Sand in the chain perhaps?

Dirty chains are certainly one issue. Packed Ocean Beaches are composed of sand and salt water. Sea
water is most corrosive. This is the major issue with bikes and especially cars driven on the beach
(in Texas where this is legal and a God given right).
--

Cletus D. Lee Bacchetta Giro Lightning Voyager clee.orgclee.orgOpen ↗
- Bellaire, TX USA -

Whenever I travel to South Carolina, I thoroughly enjoy riding the beaches; however, I've never
taken my expensive recumbent out there--Instead I rent a "Beach Cruiser" from a local bike shop. Yes
there are issues: As you mentioned, the sand can do damage to the gears; more importantly, the salt
and spray in the air immediately begins eating away at whatever metal parts it touches. If you are
bent on riding there and understand the possible consequences, then I'd offer a few suggestions: 1.)
Skinny roadie tires, need not apply. 2.) Stay out of the salt water puddles. 3.) Rinse your bike
thoroughly and immediately after each use.

Have fun! But I think a $15 rental could save you a lot of trouble.

Larry

"john riley" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Every time I find myself on a beach with firm sand, I wonder about cycling on it. Seems like many
of the beaches in N. Florida or S. Georgia would work. Has any one done this? How did it go?

Some rental places _forbid_ riding the rental bikes on the sand, so there must be issues, even
where it is possible. Sand in the chain perhaps?

This bike is "out of stock", but this old style might deal with some of the mechanical issues with
sand in the works, since it has very few works.

coker.comProdviewer.aspOpen ↗

johnriley1 (at) rogers.com

Cletus Lee said:

At the beach, firm sand is wet sand. Wet sand soon becomes dry and loose. This is not good. It is
difficult to find a place at the beach that is uniformly hard packed. Wider tires are still
required.

I haven't had the pleasure of any TX beaches, but my experience in N. California, Florida, and a bit
of Georgia is that there is a great deal of variety in the sand conditions. The N. Florida and S.
Georgia beaches are much firmer than others. I was recently at a beach near St. Augustine, FL and
another on Jekyll Island, Georgia and both were very firm well away from the surf. There were people
riding bikes on the beach on Jekyll Island.

Other points taken about sand, salt, and moisture - just like trying to ride in the winter in
Toronto; ok, except for the warm sunshine ;-)

johnriley1 (at) rogers.com

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Cletus Lee said:

At the beach, firm sand is wet sand. Wet sand soon becomes dry and loose. This is not good. It
is difficult to find a place at the beach that is uniformly hard packed. Wider tires are still
required.

I haven't had the pleasure of any TX beaches, but my experience in N. California, Florida, and a
bit of Georgia is that there is a great deal of variety in the sand conditions.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention, the tar balls that wash up on the beach make great bonding material for
the sand grains,
--

Cletus D. Lee Bacchetta Giro Lightning Voyager clee.orgclee.orgOpen ↗
- Bellaire, TX USA -

Quoted message said:

Some rental places _forbid_ riding the rental bikes on the sand, so there must be issues, even
where it is possible. Sand in the chain perhaps?

This is where those "chainless" or "shaft drive" bikes may have an edge.

chainless.comchainless.comOpen ↗

Edward Wong Orlando, FL

john riley said:

Every time I find myself on a beach with firm sand, I wonder about cycling on it. Seems like many
of the beaches in N. Florida or S. Georgia would work. Has any one done this? How did it go?

Some rental places _forbid_ riding the rental bikes on the sand, so there must be issues, even
where it is possible. Sand in the chain perhaps?

This bike is "out of stock", but this old style might deal with some of the mechanical issues with
sand in the works, since it has very few works.

coker.comProdviewer.aspOpen ↗

johnriley1 (at) rogers.com

I rode my GTO on the beach for about 5 miles or so on this past Bike Florida. And it was fun! But
I did run into a couple of "soft" spots where I had to get off and walk the trike to firmer sand.

--
Larry Varney Cold Spring, KY home.fuse.netlarryvarneyOpen ↗

john riley said:

Every time I find myself on a beach with firm sand, I wonder about cycling on it. Seems like many
of the beaches in N. Florida or S. Georgia would work. Has any one done this? How did it go?...

Without additional comment: < ransbikes.comHattar.htmOpen ↗ >

Tom Sherman - Various HPV's Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

ransbikes.comHattar.htmOpen ↗

What's more, if you look at that photo for more than thirty seconds, you'll suddenly see a bike ;-)

Dave Larrington - legslarry.crosswinds.netlegslarry.crosswinds.netOpen ↗
===========================================================
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
bhpc.org.ukbhpc.org.ukOpen ↗
===========================================================

[email hidden] (john riley) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Every time I find myself on a beach with firm sand, I wonder about cycling on it. Seems like many
of the beaches in N. Florida or S. Georgia would work. Has any one done this? How did it go?

snippp johnriley1 (at) rogers.com

Years ago, when a Schwinn MTB with city tires was my bike of choice, I pedalled the 7 or 10 miles
from parking lot to False Cape State Park. False Cape is the southernmost piece of Virginia, and is
walk/canoe/bike in only, protected by Back Bay Wildlife Refuge. Going in, I used the inland
dirt/sand roads- dry and soft, but passable. Going out I, like you, wondered about riding up the
beach. So I did
it.

The wettest sand is the hardest sand, so I rode just at the water's edge. Then the surf washed thru
my spokes. Since I was already sand/salted, I rode in a few inches of ocean water for a while. Works
fine. Then the shore dipped a little and more surf hit my hubs. So I rode deeper. I rode a good mile
with my tires completely submerged- in about 2 feet of water- pushed around but never knocked over
by the gentle surf. I could see blue crabs slide away on the sand below.

By the time I got back to the parking lot, monsoon rains had hit. The lot was empty except for a 10
year old local boy with a BMX bike. We plowed enthusiastically!! thru hub deep rain water in the
parking lot. I hoped to flush the sand and salt, but no luck. When I got home I had to completely
disassemble the bike- every bearing, every cable- to clean and oil.

Worth it? You bet. Do I recommend you try it? Not with your best bent. Not even with the $15
rental... But if you still have that Walmart special in the garage- go for it.

I have ridden on the beach in northeast florida for 20 years. We even had a 5 mile time trial here
about 15 years ago (never repeated as organizers thought 10- 15 mph speeds and what they witnessed
scared them. About 150 participants winner averaged 32mph, wind aided on a time trial bike. Remember
auto racing in florida began on the beach.

I commute daily and depending on the tides will often do 3 miles of my commute on the beach.

Larry Varney was ridding in the norther portion of a 30 mile stretch of beach from Mayport
Naval Station/Hanna Park at the Saint John' River to Saint Augustine Inlet. I have only done
the full metric sand century once...low tide is the time to ride so have to complete the ride
in about 4 hours.

Currently use trek R200 and Catrike Speed Comp pools on trek and rear of trike and City Jet 16x1.95
on front. I cannot float over the soft sand above the high tide line as many can on mountain bikes.
Always rinse bike after use and lube chain freqently. You buy new chains if you forget to take care
of them and on bents not an inexpensive event...a good motivator for chain care.

Mike

[email hidden] (Mikeatlbch) wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

I have ridden on the beach in northeast florida for 20 years. [...] Mike

Thanks for the post, Mike. I'm saving it. It sounds like you know whereof you speak. Maybe I'll see
you on the sand next winter.

John Riley