wet streetcar tracks

R

rome

Well-known member
Forum Sponsor
I went for a nice ride down on Kingston Road early this morning, all the way down to Eastern and stop over for a coffee. On my way back it started showering a bit. It was my first time riding over that road in rain, and it was the most scariest and the longest ride I've ever had.
(going over the wet tracks) even for few seconds to switch lane, I tried to stay in between the track all the way, but you still have to go over the curve track once in a while. I did not even bother going around cars that are turning left, the thought of putting my wheel on those wet track sent chills on my spine, It's scary as hell. The first one i went over I thought I was gonna wipe out. (I'm a new rider).
For those rider who use this roads, any pointer ? or how do you guys deal with it.
But after everything' I still had a nice ride this morning. Oh by the way what is the best way to clear you visors, when riding in he rain.

Cheers
 
when you need to cross over the tracks, it's best to make it quick and decisive, and you'll be fine. the greater the angle you cross them at, the better.

also, watch out for them at lights.. when I first started riding, I wasn't paying attention and had my rear wheel in one when I went to pull away at a green. it made the rear step out for a bit, a little unnerving.
 
rome said:
(going over the wet tracks) even for few seconds to switch lane, I tried to stay in between the track all the way, but you still have to go over the curve track once in a while. I did not even bother going around cars that are turning left, the thought of putting my wheel on those wet track sent chills on my spine, It's scary as hell. The first one i went over I thought I was gonna wipe out. (I'm a new rider).
For those rider who use this roads, any pointer ? or how do you guys deal with it.
But after everything' I still had a nice ride this morning. Oh by the way what is the best way to clear you visors, when riding in he rain.

Cheers
Click to expand...
Do not be scary of those things too much! You know, when you think about something, it can become like a magnet :toothy9: so don't do it.
If you cross the tracks - it's OK. Just try to avoid riding on on the tracks... even in dry weather... try to avoid riding along any elongated structure, cause that may cause some wobbling or whatever.

The best way to clear your visor when raining is to use your finger :lmao:
 
+1 on the above comment.

The first and only time that I've ever genuinely scared myself on a bike was on wet streetcar tracks. If you run into one of the intersections that has them spidering out everywhere across it just try to pick a line that allows you to hit the fewest tracks possible assertively at the biggest angle. Note, however, that you should keep the bike as upright as possible while crossing the track, since it's most stable in that position. The same thing goes for manhole covers. Those things can be damn slippery if you hit them in a turn. I learned to drive a bike in downtown Toronto and quickly found that streetcar tracks are probably one of the most important things to keep in mind, especially on a wet day. Looking far ahead also helps so that you have time to plan how you're going to deal with them.

With respect to the visor, there isn't a whole lot you can do about it if it's raining hard. If you're driving on the highway the windblast takes care of it for the most part, but since it sounds like you're driving in the city the best advice I can give is try to wipe it off when you're stopped at a light. It's kinda just something you learn to look through. Don't let it distract you from watching the road. Hope all that helps :)
 
There's traction on the other side of the track..so you may have a moment..but don't freeze up..stay even on the gas and remember that you'll get traction back soon enough. And yeah..right angles are best..
 
Well' as they say you want information, get it from the source. This are very helpful information that i will be able to use. Thanks a lot guys
 
Kingston Rd had the worst tracks in the city. They had sunken so far below the pavement you could use them as wheel chocks. Hopefully they've been fixed.
 
slogan said:
You know, when you think about something, it can become like a magnet :toothy9: so don't do it.
Click to expand...
Absolutely this. Target fixating on a street car track is gonna lead to a Bad Time. I low sided on tracks on Lakeshore and I believe I can chalk it up to "Don't put your front wheel in that track, don't put your front wheel in that track, don't pu-*CRASH*"
 
Wet streetcar tracks made me learn what its like to superman onto the pavement a couple of years ago. It was raining, I made a left turn at a light and ended up between the rails. I started to cut across to get out but my angle was too shallow and literally the second my front tire made contact with the track, it lost traction and before I knew it I was on the ground. In the back of my mind I knew I was cutting too softly but I never thought it would lose grip so easily. It felt like hitting a patch of ice that just got pampered by a zamboni. I was perfectly fine, in fact I thought it was kind of fun only because I didn't get hurt at all :p I don't ride in the rain as much anymore with the bike I have now but, I'd say cross with the bike upright as possible at no less than maybe a 35 degree angle, that should be enough to get you over. Also no throttle and disengage clutch until the back wheel is over too.
 
Last edited:
When riding down Kingston rd just ride in the parking lane...it is safer then riding between the tracks.
 
OP - when they say "angle" or sharpest angle they mean as close to 90 degrees or square to the track as possible in case it was not clear.
Let the bike roll over it rather than ever hit the brakes. I'm "respectful" of wet tracks and iron grid bridges but you do have to relax and let the bike roll on.
The front brake in particular is prone to put you down right quick on a slippy surface and that includes the painted lines on pavement. So caution and confidence particularly if it's just been a light rain ....then any area with traffic may have a little film of oil on it til the rain washes it off.

It's one reason I encourage riders to get off the beaten track onto to some light gravel or dirt roads and find out how their bike handles and after the first while your confidence will grow immensely on uncertain surfaces.

I don't envy you having to deal with them everyday and Toronto traffic. Even after 43 years I still give them a wary eye.

There was a set in St. Catherines that were full train tracks running along the street into the GM plant - I can still see buddy on MY bike in the dead of winter bouncing across them .......laid down.
Luckily bikes then tended to be cheap fixes - bend a couple of bits back and good to ride home.....I rode it home.

Speaking of winter who the hell turned it back on???!!!!!:(

••••

what Silverbullet said too.
 
silverbullet132 said:
When riding down Kingston rd just ride in the parking lane...it is safer then riding between the tracks.
Click to expand...

Did that the other day as Its been a while for me down there and my first attempt to get across to the area between the tracks had me stuck on the track!! Yikes.
 
York Street just north of Front has a whole slew of them up to Queen that cross in multiple ways. I ride through them every mornin on the way to the office and there's no avoiding going over them at very little angle, but you get used to them and how your bike will react. That being said, it's always an adventure.
 
What about the 3 train tracks across lakeshore before leslie when coming off the gardiner. I hate those in wet conditions
 
I lowsided in the rain on Gerrard last November. I was riding in the left lane, inbetween the tracks, went to switch lanes, thought "it'll be easy to fall here". Next thing I know, the bike wobbles hard and I'm on the ground, looking on as it's sliding away, accompanied by the startled gasps of onlookers. I don't know what I did wrong, but I suspect I must've cut the throttle when the bike wobbled exactly because I was so worried.

As a result I now try to avoid riding along streets with tracks in the rain. Crossing them at 90 degrees doesn't bother me too much although I can't help but wonder about it sometimes.
It probably doesn't help that the gs500 doesn't have the widest of tires.

Not trying to make the op worried, that is :D.
I agree with MacDoc's advise about being steady on the throttle. Anything else is just asking for it.
 
The worst is the metal grate on the draw bridge on Poulson (Cherry?) near Commissioners. When I go over those things I just pull in the clutch and hope.

Before I was confident crossing streetcar tracks, I used to pull in the clutch as well. Eventually I figured out that little lateral twist movement cyclists do for hopping across tracks. The smarter ride is to just not cross them, ride as though you plan to deal with traffic changes by stopping instead of relying on being able to cross the tracks.

In terms of your straight-line "outs" in a given traffic configuration, with tracks, just make braking your A-plan.
 
My first ever fall was while crossing streetcar tracks on a rainy day :(.

I was changing lanes and the car pushed on his breaks suddenly so I did the same...unfortunately that was at the moment I was crossing the tracks. Luckily I went down at a slow speed

One thing I like to do now when it's raining, besides not hitting the break on the track, is to put my feet out to glide along the road as I'm making a slow speed turn. I find it helps me to be a bit more stable and boosts my confidence in the turn so I don't tense up as much.

I don't do this when switching lanes, just if I'm turning onto another street from between tracks (especially intersections downtown where there are track lines coming from all directions)
 
GentlemanRacer said:
The worst is the metal grate on the draw bridge on Poulson (Cherry?) near Commissioners. When I go over those things I just pull in the clutch and hope.

Before I was confident crossing streetcar tracks, I used to pull in the clutch as well. Eventually I figured out that little lateral twist movement cyclists do for hopping across tracks. The smarter ride is to just not cross them, ride as though you plan to deal with traffic changes by stopping instead of relying on being able to cross the tracks.

In terms of your straight-line "outs" in a given traffic configuration, with tracks, just make braking your A-plan.
Click to expand...

Yikes man! Pulling the clutch will actuall disengage the motor and you may in fact speed up! You no longer have consistent drive across the obstacle !
Forum Sponsor
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom