http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: "Heavy" roads? en Thu, 02 Jul 2026 07:00:15 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12825#post-153779 Fri, 16 May 2014 14:43:15 +0000 PS 153779@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yes, our roads have a rougher surface, which makes them grippier, causing greater rolling resistance. I assumed it was something to do with the proportion and type of gravel in the tarmac mix, but I could be wrong.</p> <p>This sounds bad, until you see what happens on the non-heavy roads of Italy when they get a bit of rain on them (cf, the Giro yesterday: mahoosive crash as riders slid out on a roundabout -&gt; procyclists with broken ribs, broken femur, broken thumb, and an awful lot with significantly less skin than they used to have). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12825#post-153776 Fri, 16 May 2014 14:31:21 +0000 calmac 153776@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>My perception has been that we have rougher roads with more friction because they are wet all the time - even after rain, this far north it can take a long time for a wet raod to dry out. Further south roads spend much less time wet, so can be smoother. </p> <p>That could all be rubbish, though. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12825#post-153774 Fri, 16 May 2014 14:27:33 +0000 ARobComp 153774@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>the surface in general is slower than the continental stuff you find in France IMHO. </p> <p>I think in general the roads in France take less of a beating weather and traffic wise, but they also seem to be made of slightly smoother tarmac. I noticed a 2mph difference on average riding speed a few years ago on my single speed which I put down to better road surface. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12825#post-153773 Fri, 16 May 2014 14:25:29 +0000 I were right about that saddle 153773@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I am privileged to have drunk a small quantity of heavy water. It's exactly like drinking ordinary water, but several hundred times more expensive. Perhaps it's the same with heavy roads? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12825#post-153762 Fri, 16 May 2014 13:36:15 +0000 SRD 153762@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I wondered that too! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12825#post-153761 Fri, 16 May 2014 13:32:23 +0000 gibbo 153761@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Before the women's tour they had in England last week, Lizzie Armitstead made a comment about the UK having "heavy roads".</p> <p>What did she mean? Are UK roads made of different stuff to continental roads? </p> <p>Or was she alluding to the poor, broken surfaces that make cycling more of a slog? </p>