Dangers of Gravel While Cycling
Loose gravel is always to be worried about, even at intersections on paved roads. On trails that are newly paved, you must be extremely cautious. The trail by our house in St. Charles County MO (the Katie Trail) was originally a railroad bed, was leveled and repaired and then a layer of small gravel put over it and rolled down. This surface was adequate for hybrids and larger tired bicycles, but not overly safe for the smaller tired bicycles. The trail is older now and the bed is compacted and just like a paved surface, but still requires a rider of any type bicycle to be cautious, because it is still gravel.
I used to help with the MS150 here is Eastern Missouri, where bicycle riders would ride 75 miles from Warrenton, MO, the starting point (and ending point), to Mexico, MO. The riders would camp over night, have supper and breakfast, then return to Warrenton by a different route for the final 75 miles. Many of the wrecks that we encountered were from people getting on the gravel shoulder and spilling, along with hitting loose gravel along the route at the corners of paved roads, gravel roads and driveways. Gravel is always dangerous, but when on two wheels, it is even more so. Hybrid bicycles are more stable than a road bike because of the greater tire width, but still requires caution and diligence from the rider. Many road bikes are used on the MS150 because of the pavement, and the number of cycling teams.
During the Moonlight Ramble in St. Louis, Missouri, gravel can be a big concern even on the city streets. The ride is late at night (midnight), thus the name the Moonlight Ramble. Riding while using the city lights can make visibility difficult at least. A bigger concern than gravel are the slotted drain covers along the side of the street. The smaller road bike tires fit right in the slots. The hybrid bike is better, but still can be extremely hazardous.
Bicycling can be a lot of fun, but also dangerous. Wearing the proper safety equipment is vital for your protection against mishaps. Helmets are a must. Even a minor mishap on gravel can cause serious injury. A scraped or broken leg or arm can be painful, but a concussion or head injury can be devastating. When riding a bicycle, gravel is not your friend.
James F. Murley has been a business owner, auditor, truck driver, temporary on several different assignments and avid gardener on patio and in regular gardens. He holds a BA from Harris-Stowe College and a MA from Webster University. His main site is found at www.JamesMurley.Com and his bicycling tips are found at www.HybridBicycleBlog.com. He is currently working on several sites in areas that he considers interesting, which are linked on his main site.
