Hi all. was wondering if anyone is still riding to work? i hav,nt been because of fear of falling off on ice & breaking a collar bone or somthing! Cant wait for the snow to go cause i hav'nt been on the trails for weeks!
yeah me!
I've been mtbing loads but not commuting. Its the snow thats fallen and frozen and the lack of gritters out that is keeping me on the effing bus
>:(
yep - conti xc 1.5s on the hardtail. no probs at all yet, though it is only a 2 mile commute!
me too.
Riding ofroad loads in the snow its great fun.
Given up on the road riding for a while, due to all the road salt, eating my bike.
At work today, drove from Leeds to Harrogate with little bother.
London's absoulutely fine on the main roads, i only have to tackle a 400 yard of backstreet snow in the morn so i'm still on the road bike. Will get icy tomorrow so might have to finally take the mtb out but the snow certainly isn't getting me on public transport eugh..no.. absolute chaos this afternoon.
my ride to work is 15 miles it would probably be faster riding than geting stuck in traffic & sliding all over the place!
yes still commuting in and around Reading. i have been using 1.75 schwalbe marathons at 60psi and have been great at cutting through the snow.
not sure what tomorrow will bring though if it is going to be sheet ice as the weathermen say!!
Last couple of days I've ditched the bike and run in, and I did the same the week before xmas, I'm hoping it don't continue too long as I'm knackered!!!
I would like to thanks the home helps who walked nearly 5 miles through roads that were unpassable by car to help my mum and the others in her sheltered housing block, unbelievable stuff!
I'm still riding in, 4 miles from Heaton Park to Manchester, easy. on the mtb with michelin 2.0 xc at's
I commuted on Monday, 15 miles each way across the Quantocks -4c and pitch black ice right across the road in several places and that was enough for me. Roll on spring time.
Yep, on the road bike too!
Not a chance. Conti GPs don't mix with 2 inches of snow on Ice. Mid Wales unclassified roads which font get gritted and a lot of steep hills
For some reason I've just started cycling to work. In my head it makes sense, for the following reasons:
a). Generally avoids traffic chaos (I get home even if it dumps down 6" during the day)
b). Last minute training/punishment before the 'puffer
c). Some sort of new year resolution...
I commute 11ml each way into Leeds and back, fine but hard work, it's all the cocks in cars that are making me think about using the train in the morning, tho i will ride either end of the journey.
Still riding, don't want to drive, the roads are chaos when I get to town. Coming home the long way, ungritted way as it's so much fun. Using Panacer Fire XC Pros as my road tyre for the last couple of weeks, Tioga XC SLs for the deep stuff at weekends.
20 miles each way for me today.
Off road obviously.
Although the main road from home to work is gritted, so I'd have been fine on the road bike (and saved myself 4 miles either way), but I just love riding in snow.
Joe
Yep, 5 miles each way. I did it on my commuter today but had to walk/run up most inclines as I was on slicks running 42:14 gear. Tomorrow I'm on the mountain bike with a more sensible 32:18. I'm taking lights and setting off early. I don't expect it to take me much longer but I'm going to do a few extra bits on the way.
Absolutely deserted in Newcastle at 5pm this night. It was eerily quite.
I can't get out and ride as much when it's like this but the commute this morning felt like a good 20miles trying to push through the soft snow.
oh yes please! 20 minutes each way and some of it off road :O) perfect for the singlespeed.
i live round the Newcastle area jonb. my ride to work is from whitley bay to ashington i am really debating riding tomorrow cause it took 2 hours to get home in the car! The roads where mentel!
rigid single speed with chunky tyres...perfect for an 8 miles commute across london in the snow :o) very satisfying to cycle past Looooooonnnnngg queues of cars and watch others slip and slid on the hills.
Not commuting but I'm doing my usual "fitness" road rides in the snow. Not too bad really, a few slips but I haven't hurt myself yet!
11.5 miles (each-way) mostly off-road and on quiet (this morning deserted) back roads 🙂
yesh, ditched the car though its stuck on my drive, so i'm biking to work instead, two days so far and no fall 😀
*touch wood*
I'm still commuting. I had my Enduro in today and yesterday, but I'm back on my singlespeed for tomorrow's fun.
Of course, road bike every day so far!
My only way in to work on tuesday was on the bike. The only three staff who made it in to work before lunch were all cyclists. I was quite smug about that little fact. However, when I came to ride home again, I realised that without the tracks left by the odd motorist who had ventured out, it was a hell of a lot harder going if not just imposible.
Another yep. 700c 32mm on the CX bike, yesterday waas abit squeaky bum as the snow was still falling but since then it's been fine and dandy, not much slower than a snwo-=free commute
Snow is generally Ok, it's the ice that's the problem. I came off on black ice the Mon before Xmas and still have the bruises below my knee and on my thigh now to show for it. 😥 Prefer biking to driving when the weather is like this for lots of the reasons above, but confess to being a bit timid after the off cause it blooming hurt! Just go careful.
I've been commuting on the Soul since about the 20th of December. It's either that or motorbike so for me it's not still commuting by pushiron despite the weather, it's only commuting because of the weather. Still, I know I'm going to get home at the end of the day, it's like commuting by tractor 
My proper commuter on its slick 700cs is decent enough with snow but it's completely hopeless on refrozen ruts and footprints...
Yep, still commuting to work on the bike - 4.5 miles each way. Swapped the SS commuter for the more sensible 32:16 P7 SS today. 6 inches of snow makes even the towpath interesting - much more fun ride into work this morning than usual! Only 4 people in work today, the other 3 walked so I got the satisfaction of the only tyre tracks on the office driveway.
Absolutely no chance I'll take the bus, whatever the weather.
yep every day..not been that deep but was big drifts last week...around 1 ft deep..easy on pugsley though..just eats it up,even frozen untreated ruts...amazingly good on ice too..pressure down to 6psi...just have to be carefull..so far stayed upright.. 🙂
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
yep, still on my 23mm slicks road bike, though it was -11 tonight on the way home
Who saw C4 news last night? Great helicopter shot of a MTBer tanking along, off road, in the snow.
Yep - off road every day this week so far - lots of fun 🙂
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
Still trundling in here. Snow's fine but the Xmas ice was impossible. Fell off once on xmas eve on sheet ice you can't even stand up on. I'll be glad when it's all over but there's no sign of a thaw for weeks!
yes, but most of the route is off road & canal paths while its silly on the roads.
Seen a jump in the number of bikes using the paths too since the snowfall.
Decided to run the 8 miles this morning, mainly because of the idiot car drivers on the road.
BB
I've done twice this week, but I'm knackered! 14 miles of country lanes and cycle paths, with a touch of off road. Usually it takes me fifty minutes, but today took one hour forty. There were also a few bum clenching moments going down hills over ice patches.
Luxury commuting on the Ti456 across London this morning again. Main roads are clear of snow but lots of ice, really enjoyed it. SS set for mud and hills so spinning out....takes ages but waaaaaay better than walk, tube, tube, bus, walk.
Nope. Manchester from the south is sheet ice all over the place within 2 ft of the kerb and there's no off road alternative. On the one hand it speaks of a lack of commitment. On the other hand I've got a busy season ahead and 3 weeks of turbo training and swimming is better than 6 weeks of nowt through a sprain or worse.
Good luck to all those still pedalling.
I rode my mtb in this morning and it felt like cheating. Would have taken no longer than a normal fair weather commute but I went round for a second go on some bits. Great fun. Hope we get let out early again and I can take the scneic route home 🙂
Satisfying though, flying past stuck cars and sliding pedestrians (at a safe distance of course).
bloody cold this morning on the way in, my fingers were pure agony for the first 10 minutes in the office. lights died too, the battery must be affected by the cold, so it's an early shoot for me!
Nope, ditched the bike in favour of driving.
8" snow on lanes to my house, frozen snow on my usual commute makes it just too 'interesting' and the road part of my commute I feel too exposed because the snow has reduced the width to about 1 1/2 car-widths of icy compressed snow 🙁
would be silly for me to attempt the car - the queue starts about 2 miles beyond my house and goes all the way to my work atm ... thats the haudagain r/about in aberdeen to pitmeaden drive.
works 5 miles. id spend longer defrosting car than ridingto work
Ridden every day this week. Its been tough and thinking of taking tomorrow off. 26 miles round trip taking 40 mins longer than normal with mtb and spike tyres. Not fallen off yet!
I was when it was more snowy, but now it's harder ice I'm not so keen so walked in today. I'm only a couple of miles from uni anyway so it's already only marginally worth it by the time I've got the bike out and teetered to the first rideable bit.
Glad I'm not the only one who's speed has halved 🙁 It's almost like my Nevegals are even stickier than on tarmac 😥
Stuipdly brought my normal commuter bike in this morning (old skool dawes horizon) as i couldn't fnid my rucksack. Was skecthy as hell on cycle path and road. Pulled the brakes in going down a slight hill (which doesn't have traffic) and they did nothing 😯
Will bring the mountain bike with nobby nics tomorrow
Yep, 12 miles each way mostly off road. -6 this morning at 06:00.
I am. 5 miles through south the central Manchester. This morning was painfully cold until I got into town, where it was warmer but still minus 8.
Nope. Manchester from the south is sheet ice all over the place within 2 ft of the kerb and there's no off road alternative.
It is becoming more so. The better routes seem to be the less driven, so still have some srunchy snow on. Plenty of ice underneath, though. I'm on SS MTB (33x16) running super soft 2.3 inch tyres.
On the one hand it speaks of a lack of commitment. On the other hand I've got a busy season ahead and 3 weeks of turbo training and swimming is better than 6 weeks of nowt through a sprain or worse.
For this reason, I'll ride home tonight and get the bus in tomorrow. I've hit the turbo twice already this week, and will do again tonight. And again at the weekend.
about to
Ridden in all days so far on the Airnimal (skinny slick high pressure tyres), but iffy about tomorrow - it's gonna be more slippery than today and I don't need an injury.
Riding on my commute at the moment. 10 miles but have a good choice of routes from main roads to country roads to off road. The bike is much more practical than the car and I can walk bits which get too much to ride. Very few cars on the road at the moment as well and they quite often are holding me up.
Using my old mountain bike which has some file type tread tyres on. Could do with some better choice of tyres but it's too cold at night to change them.
Was -7 this morning. Had to stop in a shop for 5 minutes just to warm myself up halfway in.
We're commuting and are open!! Bit interesting though it must be said...
Absolutely!
The normal fixed gear has been left at home in favour of the SS hardtail for the 6 miles of canal ice path followed by 5 miles of icy/slushy road. I love riding in these conditions, just wrap up and get out there.
Combination of train and walking on Tuesday (when the snow was fluffy and fresh), since then I've been doing the off-road route on my FS MTB with its normal FastTrak tyres at about 20psi.
Canal towpath then a mix of farm tracks, quiet back roads and bridleways, the last 2 miles is on road. It's been OK except that all the packed snow is now rock solid and really bumpy! 2+hrs each way for 18 miles - depressing really given that in summer I can do it on the CX in 1.20.
Borrowed my mates Giant Bowery fixey to try out on Monday... such a fearful commute in snow having never ridden fixed. It has put me off getting a similar bike somewhat!
Not me unfortunately. My bike commute is 20 miles all on road/cycle path, about half of which is across a moor. It's bad enough driving on the a road and the cycle path has very thick snow on it. It's doing my head in.
Yup, back at work after two weeks off and back onto my daily commute home today of 15 miles from Blackburn to Preston on my hardtail. The only thing that has keept me commuting for the last two years on my bike is that I am not prepared to pay silly prices for petrol or diesel like most people do. Cold, does not bother me. I would like to think I am a man and not a mouse. 🙂
Cold doesn't bother me either, sliding on ice does, as does being hit bit a skidding car. I guess I'm just not man enough.
Someone else turned up at my office on a nice Five today, only 2 bikes parked in the shed instead of the usual 30 but I think they're worth more than the usual 30 rat-commuters 😆 He said "I've been watching you coming and going and you seem to be surviving". I'll feel quite responsible when he inevitably rides into the canal.
i try to cycle to work year round but its getting harder the older i get
[IMG] 
[/IMG]
thwang
Yeah, every day this week.
Black ice in bus lanes is scary as **** though so it's riding on the main roads for me at the moment.
Even had to buy some proper winter gloves after my Specialized Deflects proved useless against sub zero riding - Gore Tool III's now keeping my fingers all cosy like 🙂
Skiing in tomorrow... 8)
Of course.
32-22 gearing
22psi in the tyres
flat pedals and combat boots (and tights got some funny looks today!)
perfect ice bike - until i get a pugsley. 🙂
Yep. Two pairs of gloves and two pairs of socks mind - obviously getting nesh in my old age. Snowploughs are a masjor hazard when they pass you. Snow drifts are entertaining. Riding in snow is knackering though! Probably fit enough to join Team Sky now
(Having said that I have ducked out of the last 36 hours - spent them hairing around in an MR land rover. We are the new ambulance service for Greater Manchester and the Peak District. Something not right about being in Mountain Rescue kit, and wearing crampons in Wythenshawe!)
Back tomorrow after 2 days "off" - 10 miles each way. Just put a Conti 1.5 on the front to help with steering on some of the minor roads 🙂
Ski gloves, fully charged battery and **all** my clothes at the ready for 7:00am start
I'm still riding 17 miles a day, but using my MTB instead of the road bike - taking 50% longer and killing me after a couple of weeks off over Christmas.
Seen quite a few cars struggling on the ice and snow away from the main roads, makes me feel even more irritatingly smug than usual....
I've been riding in as usual, only three hilly miles but on closed road therefore no ploughs or even farm traffic to pack the snow down. Taken journey time from 15mins to one hour
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
Cold doesn't bother me either, sliding on ice does, as does being hit bit a skidding car. I guess I'm just not man enough.
If my commute was along a busy road i wouldn't be doing it either. I have the option of riding 7.5 miles along a busy A-road to work which i have never done.
Instead i ride off-road and along quiet country lanes which takes the commute up to 11.5miles but much more enjoyable. The worst bit is the 200m along the main A-road from my house. Didn't make it this morning but hoping to make it out again tomorrow.
Great pics btw. franksinatra
32-22 gearing22psi in the tyres
flat pedals and combat boots (and tights got some funny looks today!)
perfect ice bike - until i get a pugsley.
word...
[img] 
[/img]
Done all but Wednesday, usually takes about 50 mins but is taking about an hour and a half at the minute.
Could have made it in Wednesday by bike but was knackered. Really takes it out of you mentally as well. Didn't fancy the slog to find I am the only one in, I can work from home just as well.
Need to commute tomorrow, keep up the 2010 record etc. Not sure what clothes work with -12 though....-6 I'm ok with.
Finding the downhills slower than the uphills is hard on the motivation 😉
Only 5 miles like but loads of fun.
Getting faster & braver on the roads ETC.
45 miles so far this week which is about usual.
Kev
Nope. The one day I tried it I hit ice and hit the road. Been walking since.
Absolutely, racing around on my paper round