While off today, thought I’d take advantage and get out on the bike.
Wrapped up warm and off I went. All was going great and the snow was easier to ride in and grippier than I was expecting.

I took a route on to the local hills and then decended down through a few farmers gates and then onto a farmers lane which served a couple of houses. It started off at the top from the moorland as snow so I began to pick up speed and was having a great time until the snow disappeared and I realised I was flying at about 20-25mph on sheet ice.

Absolutely papped it, first thoughs were Arrrrrgggggghhhh, then Dont Brake, Stay neutral, no sudden movements, then oh my word Im actually drifting, Dont Panic 🙁

After about 300 yrds of panicing I managed to somehow work my way over to the grass verge at speed and stop after hitting a massive rock (part of the drystone wall) and clouting my wedding veg 🙁

Think in future I may pay a little more attention…….had to laugh though once my aching had died down a little, phew.

Anyone else had any similar nightmares?

only similar things have been on the road bike, 20mph on my bike to 20mph on my arse sliding down the road. no warning. hoping the car driver behind is paying attention.

Yeah at least all I had was a few horses watching and no other danger.
How I stayed upright I’ll never know.

Steve you rode along the canal.

I came off in the Pentlands one winter. Ice just like yours only with sharp rocks embedded in it. Think road rash with giant cheese grater.

That ice looks very similar to Cannock Chase the other week, after the initial week of snow that was trodden in, the rain came which then froze and it had that same ‘icing sugar’ look same as your pics.

Lethal stuff while I was using normal MTB tyres, thankfully I have proper winter snow stud tyres too which gives me the opportunity to ride it without fear.

ooooo nasty!!!!!

Definitely looked like a canal. What was strange was the realisation that the snowy track had finished and now I am in big trouble took sometime to sink in. I was hoping that it was a little patch and Id be over it quickly if I kept a steady balance 🙁

Good planning there Mickey. It was really thick ice, Id say 3 inches in parts, as if there had been a thor and a river was coming down the lane.

Jeez – that picture scares me more than most anything! 😯

I feel your pain (having visited A&E a couple of weeks back with whiplash from bimbling down a nice muddy slope through the trees, forgetting that it had been snowy and icy for a few days beforehand, and exiting onto a aolid sheet of ice). Wedding tackle were fine as I came off backwards – just my neck that copped for it…

I have hardly ridden in last 2 weeks due to my ‘fear of the ice’, and have been feeling decidedly wimpish as a result. This thread is restoring my self belief 😛

Gonetothehills – man I feel for you, thats not a good thing, having to go to A&E 🙁 Hope you’re ok.

Iainc – I haven’t been out either for ages as my riding buddies are too soft (or possibly sensible). We had a big fall of snow the other day and I was keen on going out but Mrs Stevo put her foot down and declared I was not going out on my own in the deep snow in case I fell over and died. She was probably right.

Cheers, Stevo. Problem is I’m desperate to get out – my buddies have been riding a fair bit, in spite of the ice, but it totally freaks me out. I can put up with the cold, wind, rain, but the ice totally takes my mojo!

I’ve ridden on my own on Christmas morning for the last few years – it’s my little reward to myself for still being alive from some other little challenge a few years back – a bit of peace, quiet and contemplation and my bike, even if it’s just around the town (there’s never anyone around at 6am on Xmas Day!) but it’s going to be -12 tomorrow morning. What to do? Man up and risk casualty again… 😕 Probably will, even if I have to push the thing!

Sorry to hear about your troubles. Id go out and take it really steady and like you say, if you need to push it do so. It is nice to be out on yer own sometimes and put things in to perspective. Bit deep that for Christmas Eve 🙂 We all should be thankful we are here as a lot dont appreciate how precious life is. Have a good ride mate, just layer-up and enjoy what you can.

me and a mate was out the other night of are usual night ride to hebden bridge and we was taking about how we should concentrate on the trial head more next thing we are both on are back watching my new spicy sliding down the road luckily it is a very unused road and the ice was similar to the ice in the picture but it just looked lick really shinny snow. must admit my elbow is still in pain (as it went in the rear spokes) how we didn’t break bones or loose the odd finger i dont know

merry Christmas

Yeah, Stevo – spot on. I’ll pad up and go for it! Well, go for it in a gentle, controlled and upright fashion. 🙂 We’re very fortunate to have (some level of) fitness, nice bikes to play, race and commute on and somewhere to do it. Simple things eh?

Happy Christmas – here’s to some dusty trails sometime in the next 6 months… Have a great one!

cheers mate, same to you, take it easy and enjoy.

thedyslexic1 – that’s pretty unlucky, I’d cry if I had a spicy that was sliding away from me. Hope your elbow gets better soon.

stevo both bikes had no marks, some how. anyway my elbow is ok ,my arse is still hurting and my mate has ice burn all up his leg (as we both where wearing shorts as you do in winter :lol:) next snow ride the ss is out just in case we run out of luck

Came steaming round a corner near Chartwell a few years back to be faced with about 50meters of sheet ice which I negotiated on my arse.

I was out tonight on compacted snow in some woodland and it seemed to have loads of traction……….. but when I stopped I found myself making like Torvil and Dean.

You did well is all that needs to be said!

Shorts, definitely the way to do it. If I had gone down it wouldn’t have been pretty. Glad no Spicy’s were harmed in your tom foolery 🙂

Descended to Bigert Mire (Duddon..Lakes) this time last year and got a round of applause from the farmer…….it was pretty dodgy….didn’t have the heart to tell him I walked a lot of it.

A few years ago was out with a couple of friends in fresh snow. All was well till we came to the top of a hill and started a fast descent down the far side. The bloke in front suddenly went down and shouted “look out”. The two of us following did exactly what you would in those circumstances – and hit the brakes. Instantly on arses and sliding down the hill. The slope was north facing and unlike the other side of the hill had not thawed, and under the fresh snow was last weeks sheet of ice…

As we bounced to the bottom of the hill came across two more bikers who had done the same and were recovering at the bottom of the hill. Joined them and spent a fun half hour watching more bikers toboggan down the hill.

Nothing to hit, so only injuries were to pride… (and I seem to remember something about it coming before a fall?).
🙂

I went out for a ride up south head and down beet lane. Beet lane was just like that. Walked most of it 🙁

Around -14 degrees C, ice stops being ‘slippy’.

Many airports in Russia are sheet ice for 3 months of the year, with no problem for landing planes.
It was thought, until recently, that the pressure of your shoes/tyres on the ice surface caused a little bit of friction, which heated up the top layer of ice molecule enough to partially unfreeze them, and make them a slippery semi-liquid.
This has been shown to be wrong, as the friction generated is nowhere near enough to cause any melting in that short a time.
Instead, it is thought at above -10, the top layer of molecules is still trying to break free from the lower levels, hence causing a loose surface.
Below -10, all of the water is frozen, and it very like a smooth concrete road.

So you may have been very lucky, with the road temp. being so cold that it had completely frozen, and gave you some traction.
More info here:
http://www.iceskatingintnl.com/archive/features/slippery_ice.htm

Alan.

steveo2010 that is the lane before you hit the top of mill moor road in meltham by the looks….local stomping ground 🙂

I went out this morning – but using Shanks’ Pony. I hiked down into the valley behind the house, through the fields then back through the houses and up onto a hill above our place that gives great views into the Peak, towards the sun rise. It was magical – the moon made the snow sparkle in the fields – a very memorable start to christmas day.

I’m glad I opted to walk (I might yet get out on the bike after lunch…) as I passed a good 2 or 3 spots that I’ve come off the bike on ice at over the years 🙂

Many years ago on a winter ride in the Lakes I was coming down a rocky track at a fair old speed, crested a rise and, while not particularly high off the ground I was in the air for what felt like a long time as the ground dropped at the same rate I was.

Unfortunately as I took off I realised that the landing zone was sheet ice but incredibly the rear wheel broke through with that wonderful cracking, ripping noise that ice makes and it held on the stony ground. The front wheel just skated across a few feet of ice then gripped again when the ice ended. How I held it I’ll never know, it certinaly wasn’t skill on my part.

That’s super lucky Crazy-legs. My riding style is mainly based on luck.

Blower – It certainly is the top of Mill Moor road. I hope you saw the ice before flying down it like a donkey 🙂

no steve0 havent been up there recently

don’t move, don’t steer, don’t brake, wait to fall.