To see a picture of a cattleguard, click here and scroll down 6 pictures.

A few years ago Cycle O and other rides/tours started putting a strip of carpet at the extreme right end of the Cattle Guard held down with tape.

Some of us that don't want to cue-up for the carpet and/or scrub downhill speed, either un-weight (like Skiing) over the guard while on the pedals/butt off the seat which works just as well as a "bunny hop" or go for the big bunny hop air. Also if you have some decent speed you don't have to do anything since speed gives you float over the gratings, single or tandem. This all changes with RAIN especially for tandems because of their configuration (harshness/stiffness just below the stoker) which makes the rear end harder to control so sounds like the carpet for you in RAIN.

On the uphill, more speed is your friend so a lot of us jump (sprint) just before the cattle guard to get some more momentum as above.

Hope this helps,
Sal G

The disruption of the cattle guard is inversely proportional to speed of crossing. Slower speeds translate to harsher jolts sustained over a longer duration.

CO "pads" a several foot wide strip to the right with a carpet piece. While this may "dull" the impacts from each crossmember it funnels traffic sometimes with undesirable side effects. As long as your crossing is relatively straight across a simple blast across is smoother and less prone to unexpected co-mingling with other riders darting into the same funnel.

Don Bolton

Oh man, don't rely on signs! I remember coming down the hill into Madras last year... my life flashed before my eyes when I, at the very last moment, realized that I was about to smear myself across the asphalt like cattle poo! WHO PUT THAT CATTLE GUARD THERE?!?!?! I certainly didn't, or I would have remembered that. Or would I? Can somebody tell me?

Steve "S#*t Disturber" Heim

Usually, there is a warning about an impending cattle guard.

But your best warning is your own eyes. You should see them way before you need to react.

Steve Heim

For your pot hole, two words: Bunny hop.

Igor....

P.S. There is no such thing as too fast.

Those are good words of advice coming from Igor. During the 1999 Cycle Oregon, Igor taught me to bunny hop cattle grates at 50 mph.

Jeff Hall