Cattle grids on cycle paths

[a.twiddler]

I've never had problems with cattle grids when on a bike with 27 X1 1/4 or 700C wheels. More recently I have had a folder with 20" wheels and a recumbent with a 20" front wheel. I've not come across any cattle grids locally but I wonder how likely the grid is to "snatch" a small front wheel if not close to 90 degrees, particularly in the wet, causing an abrupt stop and accident?

Any comments from small wheel tourists on this would be welcome. Possibly I am overestimating the extent of the problem.

[Bmblbzzz]

There are some on the Festival Way just south of Bristol but those are at points where there is field access. Restricting equestrian use is another possibility, as someone suggested above.

As for technique, I agree the round bars are nastier than the flat ones, but in both cases you need a little bit of speed to avoid it being too bumpy. About 15mph is right, I reckon.

On the Bristol/Bath there are a pair bracketing Siston 'hill' which seem to now be redundant for stock control on the common, the biggest hazzard with those examples (flat bar, quite narrow spacing) is actually inexperienced bike riders slowing to a crawl to cross, a laugh really as both have footways without obstruction at the side so you don't have to cross the grids!

Yeah, don't think I've ever seen cattle on that common but I guess the grazing rights exist. In fact the eastern grid is completely useless as for the last couple of years, the gate has been missing – looks as if it was ripped up by either vandals or hit by a maintenance vehicle – so the biggest danger now is hitting the longitudinal ridge of concrete it used to cover.

[Richard Fairhurst]

There's one on the University Parks cycle path in Oxford, over towards Marston. I think its main purpose is to cause the chain on my Bike Friday to come off.

[Jdsk]

But what a great way into the centre!

Jonathan

[alexnharvey]

Some in Cambridge have threaded bar to offer some grip.

[rjb]

So who's going to ride the gridiron.
https://www.cyclinguk.org/route/gridiron-challenge-ride

[pwa]

If it is a standard cattle grid, I'd just ride over it without a worry. We have lots on the lanes around here, often where the aim is to prevent grazing animals wandering from common land into a village, or where a common ends and enclosed fields begin. My own technique, where it is possible, is to pass over quite swiftly, but not pedal on the grid itself. If you go very slowly you go down between the bars more.

The grids round here do work, until they fill with silt.

[Pebble]

I like the ones with the bar across the middle, just line it up