Le Col Top Tips on The Spring Classics | Le Col BE
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| Yanto Barker

Le Col The Spring Classics

Top Tips about Rising on Cobbles

 

The classics are coming, are you doing a sportive with cobbles in? Here are my top tips about rising on cobbles.

There are a few important factors about riding on cobbles that you will benefit from if you can do them.

The first is pick your line. There is a massive difference between the smooth line and the none smooth line. But it's not so simple. Sometimes there is a smooth edge to the cobbles that is only very narrow. This will be easier to ride on BUT if everyone is fighting for that line it can be dangerous and slow you down. It also means you can't see what's coming up on the edge, things like pot wholes or if riders fall off the edge this will also slow you down and when you lose momentum it is hard to get back on cobbles. Sometimes it might be better to pick the centre of the cobbles and ride straight down them. You just need to be aware of the hazards.

 

Your hand position on the bars is also very important. You need to find a place that gives you control but also is comfortable enough that you can stay in that position for long periods of time over the course of your ride. It's personal to you and sometimes will need a bit of practice but you should try a few positions and pick the one that offers most comfort and control.

Tyre pressure is also very important. We did some testing and with the tyres and wheels we were using most guys weighing between 65kg and 75kg found that 5.5bar offered the best pressure for on cobbles and on Tarmac between the cobbles. When pressure were up above 6.5bar it was easy to feel the added vibration come up through the bike. Again this is something that will be personal to you and you should try a few different pressures to check what feels best.


Thanks for reading.

Yanto Barker
Founder of Le Col