How To Cross Railroad Tracks

[charlie chitlins]

I thought this would be easy, but they kick my butt!

The rail bed is built up with gravel and it shifts easily.

I have a hard time getting enough traction and holding pressure over the first rail, so the front drops, hits the next rail and stops me dead.

I can sometimes do it diagonally, but if I don't hop the rear up enough, it hits the rail and it's very slippery.

I fell the other day and there was actually a train coming!

How do you cross the tracks?

[copemech]

Weeelie!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tony27]

Use the sleepers to avoid the gravel

[0007]

If you're taking your life in your hands maybe get off and walk it over

Or just take a 2 and do some dabbing

[axulsuv]

I've always wheeled across them , with a little speed ... But I have found you have to hit them square , They are always slippery ! And the distance between them is perfect to stop your bike cold . If the tracks or your tires are wet , stay away !!! They are not forgiving at all .

Glenn

Ground clearance on the FLH may be a issue !!!

Edited August 26, 2013 by axulsuv

[thats_a_five]

Are you doing this on your FLH or the Sherco? Older bikes with less travel and shorter wheelbase can be challenging. The modern bike should be able to simple roll over the tracks. Keep your weight back and your knees loose so the bike can come up to you when crossing the rails. Best to ride straight across, not at an angle.

[sectionone]

Frozen railroad tracks are the most treacherous when everything looks dry and grippy but the rails are like ice.

Dry tracks are easy once you get the timing down either straight or at an angle. I can cross them in 4th gear with speed at an angle by doing a couple of quick bunny hops.

[charlie chitlins]

Are you doing this on your FLH or the Sherco? Older bikes with less travel and shorter wheelbase can be challenging. The modern bike should be able to simple roll over the tracks. Keep your weight back and your knees loose so the bike can come up to you when crossing the rails. Best to ride straight across, not at an angle.

Not the FLH...yet!

It's not just a ride-over as the tracks are just the right distance apart the both wheels hit at the same time.

I always think the way is to carry the front wheel over the first and hold pressure when the rear wheel hits so the front will come down past the second one.

Those little buggers are sharp and under cut and the front always seems to slam down early.

I also think it's because I've blown it so many times and there's the extra added pressure that I'm trespassing on active rails.

I'll have to find some abandoned ones and practice where the stakes are lower.

[thats_a_five]

Can you get some old railroad ties (aka sleepers)? Put them the same distance apart as the rails and you can practice in a different location away from oncoming trains. Nothing like a couple million pounds of train coming at 30 or 40 miles per hour to make all the muscles pucker up!

I ride over RR tracks frequently. The real key is to let your knees bend and let the bike come up to you. Picture your body moving across without moving up or down. Just allow your legs to bend easily, like doing a squat, except the bike comes up to you then falls back away. Essentially you are unweighting both ends of the bike just when it hits the rails. If your legs are stiff it will buck you off. If you unweight, all the movement is below your hips.

This is also a great technique to ride of jumbled rocks. Let the bike work.

[sectionone]

The thing I notice about riders inexperienced with crossing RR tracks and having trouble is that they are going way too slow.