Who commutes on a road bike in winter and how do you cope on icy sections of road/cycle path.

The route I take has a piece that is always very icy and last year a few people come off and broke arms etc.

Get off the bike and walk past the icy bit?

Seems a bit common sense I know, but if you are expecting the icy patch then walking around it has to be better than taking a pearler and breaking an arm.

I stay off cycle paths and ride on the road, where traffic means there’ll be less ice.

these:

different route when the temp drops. just not worth the pain nor expense of a broken bike.

Fat old 27×11/4 tyres and no clipless pedals.

these:

Get them while you can, they’ve stopped making them now.

Major roads are more likely to have been gritted and traffic also tends to reduce ice levels, timing as well, if you’re on the road very early then expect the worst…

I have slid over a couple of times on proper black ice, first time was because I picked a quieter route which was clearly low priority for the gritters, second time was because West Berkshire County council were probably trying to save money by letting the A4 become an ice rink in Feb, better tyres probably wouldn’t have helped either time, leaving the commute till a little later might have.

After coming a cropper on an icy cycle path this year I would avoid it like the plague!!

I just don’t ride if it’s icy. Even a mountain bike won’t really fair better if you suddenly hit ice!

I take the mountain bike. On sheet ice you’re still buggered, but you’re in a much more stable, upright position to be able to do something about it and style it out than on a road bike!

Wider tyres at slightly lower pressure maintain decent grip when its wet and leafy on the road bike. I avoid the roads when the temperature goes below a couple of degrees – either take the CX bike or 29er off road and onto the towpath for a direct commute from there.
Exception for road at low temperatures is when its been dry although remember the weather can change during the day for an unexpected ride home!

Ride a mountain bike with schwalbe ice spikes/ snow studs on if it is really icy. You can get marathon winters in road bike sizes with studs in the tread if you are that worried about ice.

Like phiiiiil I use the MTB off-road. Too many myopic drivers on the commute to risk mixing with them. Mind you falling in the river while alone is probably just as dangerous!

Road bike with flat pedals is easy to dispose of when the jobbie hits the fan.

I’ve found the towpath to not be slippery as it has gritty surface, just take the wooden bridges very easy when crossing in the cold or walk it across!

Until i came a cropper on the Ice I used to just mtfu and ride.

These days if it’s really icy I just work from home or wait till about 10 and potter in at a gentle pace.

Normally I just ride carefully on 25c. Have used the Paves as well. this year, however, when the ice really comes down hard and the roads turn to a skating rink, I am prepared…

How fast is that beast compared to your road bikes TiRed?

I switch to Ice Spikers on the mountain bike.

The drag makes it a hell of a workout.

Same as above, switch to mtb and ice spikers if it’s proper icy.
If it’s only slightly icy then I know the ice will only be in three short places so stay on the road bike and clench my sphincter on the icy bits.

I find that it’s very rarely cold enough for ice to be a long term problem. You end up with horrible patches of black ice, road surfaces which freeze/thaw/freeze/thaw and there’s never actually any proper ice for spiked tyres to be worthwhile.

You just end up with nasty slushy snow/ice/water/salt mixtures. No tyre works well in it and it wrecks the bike and your kit. 🙁

Bring back proper winters where the temperature would drop to well below zero and stay there for a few weeks.

Have they really stopped making the Pave?

You’re in luck:
http://www.express.co.uk/news/weather/612369/SHOCK-CLAIM-World-is-on-brink-of-50-year-ICE-AGE-and-BRITAIN-will-bear-the-brunt
http://www.express.co.uk/news/weather/611100/Winter-2015-Heavy-Snow-record-cold-weather-forecast-UK

Schwalbe 30c winter tyres with the ice studs.

I got them last year after years of taking the car when the temperature fell below freezing. Work really well, rode over lots of black ice with no problems.

They are heavy and make it harder work but worth it if you want to keep riding. I only stuck them on when needed, means swapping tyres a lot but not a major hassle.

Regards

Given the Express’ track record at weather forecasting, I’m just ordering some SPD sandals for the winter commute….

Personally if there’s actual patches of ice on the the ground I think the best option is not cycling.

When you can do everything right and still come flying off it’s a day to drive.

I have commuted the last 10 winters and came off more than once every year. If you ride the same route every day you will soon identify the worst places for black ice and take it easy. Unclip and be prepared for the front wheel to go at any moment, using your legs as a stabiliser and most importantly, slow down!! If you have an alternative off road route it is a very good idea to take the MTB on the very worst days.

The Pave is still made, instead of the CG2 it’s now the CG3. Doesn’t look as good though.

Marathon Winters / Ice Spikers etc all work really well. Too well in fact. You find out just how icy it is when you stop and put a foot down then it slips away from you.

The Pave is still made, instead of the CG2 it’s now the CG3. Doesn’t look as good though.

Curious. No longer listed on the Vittoria website and not part of any of their trade shows. Seems they reckon the Corsa is all you need.

I don’t ride on the road if there is a risk of black ice. Not worth the risk of a broken hip. I have got a spare MTB hanging up in the shed with a set of Ice Spikers on. Good for a bit of fun when it really freezes. I was riding around frozen Lochs and rivers in the big freeze 2010/2011. Got some funny looks when people saw me riding up hills on solid ice hills where you couldn’t walk. But as said too draggy for any distance on road.

If I needed to bike commute all the time I’d go for a set of Marathon Winters. Enough spike to keep you upright but less draggy.

Thanks for the replies peeps.

The cycle path in question is never gritted and last year a stretch was covered in water that had drained off the field alongside it. This eventually froze to. It seems to be very random where it freezes day by day although there is one corner that is a different tarmac surface finish that’s the problem.

I’ve got a genesis equilibrium with sks full mudguards and 23c tyres. I’m not sure there is room for anything bigger and an orange 5 29 is probably a bit overkill.

Once the first solid frost hits i switch to marathon ice spikers .

Adds approx 7 minutes to my commute – which is an hour normally.

How ever as scotroutes says . Lets you ride over stuff you wouldnt be able to walkover.

Hell my marathon ice spikers have done quite a few early laps at the strathpuffer when the tracks solid ice…. I got laughed at on the start line for having brought a hybrid , when i blistered up the sheet ice with the front runners away from those on their muds wheel spinning struggling to get moving i had a little chuckle.

How fast is that beast compared to your road bikes TiRed?

A bit slower actually. I replaced the Marathon Plus tyres with Duranos and the rear wide nine speed block for a corn-cob 11-21. Cruises at about 17 mph, but I struggle to really keep it above 20 mph for long periods. I think the recumbent position means I can’t get as much force over the pedals and my heart rate doesn’t reach Zone 4 as easily.

Still good fun though, and a fairing may be purchased for added speed.

Have they really stopped making the Pave?

Now available in bike matching black and re logo (to match the corsa) and still in green. Racing 25’s today. I also have the 27’s.

Vitorria have stopped manufacturing the Open Corsa and Open Pave in favour of their new graphene based range, which are called “Corsa Speed” and “Corsa” available in open tubular (clincher) and tubular versions. Corsa is available in 23/25/28 widths.

They are also doing a range of the less expensive Rubino Pro in graphene.

I’ve been running the black on black Open Pave in 27c and have bought some spares to see me through a while.

Fishers are still holding stock of current Open Corsa and Open Pave in limited quantities, the new graphene tires do not have a landing date in the UK yet

I commute by bike 2-3 times a week through the winter here in Norway. Best option (as said above) are some spiked tyres on an old mtbike

and the open pave are great but I used to get ca. 800 km max out of the rear tyre

bit expensive

If it’s just a few well-known metres that can be icy, you can probably mince around and over it. If it’s worse than that, I’d avoid the route if possible. I’m not a fan of off-road paths, they are usually crap IME though maybe you are lucky with a good one (or your roads are particularly bad).

Also, perhaps take the MTB on the cold days. Might only be a handful of times per year.

I also run Paves – open 27s on the commuter and tubular 27s on my training wheels.

I wasn’t aware that Vittoria have stopped making the Paves, that must be a reasonably new development. May have to stock up on them now!