mega huge puddles

On some of the MTB trails I ride, there is either a moving stream that is about a foot deep or huge puddles/mud that are on the trail. I find that if there is a solid surface underneath the water (if you are road riding, for example) that I can get through just fine, pretty much any depth. Just keep pedaling.

Just my experience though, anyone else?

1.) Be sure you can see the bottom. Puddles = potential potholes. You don't want to endo
2.) Watch burying the bike in water. Hubs and bottom bracket both take a severe beating. You can actually fill your rims with water; I've heard that Ksyriums will get water trapped between the spoke and bead layers and remain wet for a long time. They'll actually slosh.
3.) Loss of monemtum: Prepare for it before you get there. That resistance will definately take momentum away. You're going to have to power through it.
4.) If it's winter time, they could be frozen in sections. Best not to wrangle with ice or assume it's solid all the way across.

I find that on the MTB, I ride better when a stream is flowing rather than dried up. Not sure why, just that I do.

Edited by pitt83 2008-06-26 7:12 PM