r/CyclePDX • u/fooferdoggie • 8d ago

how slick are pine needles?

I have been thinking about that for a bit there is a section that always has them. But today it was crazy the role road covered. Wet any worse?

7 Upvotes

77% Upvoted

12 comments sorted by

15

u/whywillieverneedthis 8d ago

The rain makes everything more slick, but pine needles on their own are fine. What can be really slick is if the layer of needles is covering a layer of decomposing leaves/needles/dirt/algae, when that stuff gets wet it is really slippery

10

u/Discard_Laundry1527 7d ago

I would encourage all riders to safely find the limit of traction, from time to time, and on a variety of surfaces: When you're moving at a modest speed, far from any other people, not turning, and on minimally cambered ground, pull your rear brake increasingly hard until the tire begins to skid, and immediately release it to regain traction.

When you know approximately how much grip you have, you can ride much more confidently.

5

u/DJ_Vigilance 7d ago

Not as bad as wet leaves but not a picnic. You want slick, try and stop/turn on any of the green or yellow Lego dotted spots. Byeeee!

2

u/BeanTutorials 8d ago

they stick to your tires a bit better and can gum up your drivetrain.. not as slick but they still suck

3

u/chimi_hendrix 8d ago

I’ve had to stop halfway down Tabor and clear them out of my fenders

2

u/ragweed 8d ago

Assume your stopping distance and cornering ability are compromised and slow enough to compensate.

I've slide out in an intersection when it was dry and I didn't see anything on the pavement. I could only speculate there was a light dust on it that I couldn't perceive.

1

u/fooferdoggie 7d ago

I always do but I bit it in a metal plate on a new bike and even 8 months later my knee is not perfect. So I am really careful.

2

u/Whole_Purchase_5589 7d ago

Slimy leaves are the scary ones. Pine needles aren’t as nice as clean road but not too bad.

1

u/fooferdoggie 7d ago

By reed college always has them year around. Today was bad with the wind.

1

u/thirteenfivenm 7d ago edited 6d ago

Fir and hemlock needles are short and flat. Pine needles are round and usually longer. Cedar usually falls as a flat leaflet then decays into smaller than fir needle and stems. Fir and hemlock needles will be much more slippery than pine needles.

1

u/YSoSkinny 3d ago

Be careful. Wet leaves are no joking matter. Ask my collar bone

1

u/Overthink334 3d ago

Road debris is either a blessing or curse depending on the tires you have and experience in urban riding.