Comments on: Guest Article by Frederick Lippens: Riding on Cobblestones

By: Cobblestones? Yes « In The Spin

Cobblestones? Yes « In The Spin — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:46:15 +0000

[...] September 18th, 2008 by Jack “Ghost Rider” Sweeney · 2 Comments [...]

By: Raiyn

Raiyn — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:39:50 +0000

@ Ghost
It’s only nitpicky because I watch Paris-Roubaix and Flanders every year.

By: Raiyn

Raiyn — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:25:07 +0000

@ Ghost
“Real” cobblestones? Whereabouts in Tampa? I’m not really doubting you, but it must be a really small section on the spendy side of town, ’cause I don’t remember seeing them when I lived on that side of the bridge. Augusta Blocks a plenty, but no imported granite.

By: Frederick

Frederick — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 00:51:26 +0000

In Brussels they changed a lot of cobblestone street to tarmac because these cobblestones (more than a handful of granite each) were often used in protests as projectiles. You DO NOT want to get hit by one of these, riot helmet or not.
Roman roads still cross Europe nowadays and in some case have been transformed to bicycle paths.
Anyway cobblestones can be a pain, it just depends on how you approach them.
Just use, like Jack put it, use your imagination!

By: Ghost Rider

Ghost Rider — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:55:40 +0000

You’re right, it IS nitpicky! Sounds like a traffic engineer talking

In the U.S., such brick streets are commonly referred to as “cobblestone” even though it is a different material. Cobblestones are typically granite blocks…and in Tampa there is a little bit of that, but primarily red brick and some weird blocks that look for all the world like they’re made of compressed asphalt and pea gravel (such as the street I live on).

By: Raiyn

Raiyn — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:08:36 +0000

@ Jack
This is rather nitpicky, but Tampa doesn’t have cobblestones. They have brick, most commonly made by Augusta Block. The technique is the same, but the material isn’t.

By: Val

Val — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 16:24:03 +0000

The fatter your tires are, the better off you will be in these conditions. Balloon bikes rule!

By: Ghost Rider

Ghost Rider — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:30:31 +0000

That would be cheating! Take your bumps like a man, I say.

By: Iron Man

Iron Man — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:01:04 +0000

Or do like Bobke and head for the ditch.