[Closed] Riding on ice , is it just me but.....

It's most definitely not you! I know exactly what you mean and my traditional pre-dawn Christmas Day ride got junked in favour of a fantastic moonlit hike. I'm glad I did it as I didn't fancy Casualty on Christmas Day.

So saying, I bimbled around the main roads at dusk on the mountain bike and survived... 😕

Yup - stay safe Roly. Plenty of days to come (oh and happy Christmas 😀 )

Me & matey were out around Swaledale last weekend. Sheet ice under a few inches of snow is not fun. Speshly when you don't know if it's tussocky grass or rocks that your'e gonna land on. I came off 3 times & still have the bruises to prove it.
I'm staying in till it thaws! 😕

aye, had my warning last Monday on the way home from work, almost under the tyres of a truck after he pushed me to the side of the road where the ice was, after picking myself up I decided that I wot be riding again till its gone 🙁

I came off on Wednesday while trying to ride on sheet ice. No real damage done but being clipped in meant I pulled my calf muscle as I went down. A few words that would get me a ban and banging my other leg into the ground as a distraction and I was ready for the challenge of just trying to stand up. Managed to get back on the bike and eventually found enough grip to start off again. A little further on I lost all traction but managed to remain upright. I then found myself unable to move at all. I was perched on the saddle both feet just touching the floor and it was obvious that whatever I tried to move would result in me ending up in a heap again. It was quite funny trying to decide just how to get out of it. I managed to slide sideways till one foot was off the ice and got off the bike. Then I discovered that MW80's may be warm and pretty god in winter mud and filth but have no place on an ice rink. Then I had a very short 5M roll downhill back to the road but even that was scary. I ride all winter on wet bare chalk and I'm used to the odd moment where I'm convinced I'm about to go as the front wheel slides out but the ice is something else. The only good thing I find is that your on the ground before you have time to think on no this might hurt.
In your position I think caution is well advised. I avoid the roads when it's icy after coming off a few years ago and looking up to see one of the work coaches coming towards me as I lay sprawled on the floor. Luckily it was being driven by someone who had the sense to leave a decent gap and he stopped a good few meters short of me.

If you're going in a straight line, keep the bike upright and stay still. If you're going round a corner, you know which way the front end will go, so be ready to turn the other way. Use the back brake to make sure it's the rear end that spins out first, so you don't hit the deck. Not a lot else you can do!

Happy Christmas Oldfart. Bet you wish you were in Whistler now!!!

A couple of us rode the best part of 7 miles on Loch Leven yesterday. There was maybe 3 inches of frozen granulated snow on top of the ice. A wierd sensation as my rear wheel squirmed with every crank revolution, took a bit of getting used to but great fun.

However I did fall off earlier on the ride when my front wheel caught a frozen rut.

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Came off on some ice in the week, riding an ungritted/rarely used road. Hip is hurting and bruised a bit 🙁 I'm sticking to mtb for the time being I think.

get a set of these

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it means you can do this. In places the ground is sheet ice and these tyres just grip.

Today was the first day in eight I haven't been out. If you've been off the bike for a week why haven't you used the spare time to make some ice tyres?! I'm not in my first flush of youth either and am allergic to stacks also, and the trails round here are sheet ice.

The last month has been amongst the best for mountain biking that I have ever known. I wonder if it'll ever happen again?! Hope so.

gehghis remind me who you are again ? cheers folks and stay safe !

After being iced off for weeks at the beginning of the year some proper tyres were ordered well ahead of time. Given the amount people spend on bikes, some tyres are relatively small beer to keep you safely on the bike in the ice.

+1 Waverider

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Anybody in the Perth area, I saw that Perth City Cycles had studded tyres in the window on Friday, no doubt at a premium, but it beats sitting on your sofa 😉

Bloody hell isogoat, you have my bike! Same forks, brakes and rims. Similar anyhow.

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Came off on black ice commuting when the first snow turned to black ice, and have struggled to get the bottle to ride in again since. Hoping Santa was going to get me enough money for some ice tyres, but apparently the money I've had so far from my folks is being offset against the jacket I bought when the old one died.

Just been out for a couple of hours around Newlands Corner and the North Downs. Lots of ice but thankfully also lots of grippy snow. I was amazed at how good my Swampthings were.

Have literally just fallen off my bike on sheet ice. Was checking out tomorrows commute, as it's 90% country roads, and it's impassable. Hip, elbow, knee and hand are aching already. Standing up was difficult to say the least! Looks like no commuting until it thaws out 🙁

Trailrakers doing it for me so far. The only falling off I did today was into big piles of snow. Love it 😀
The main roads are clear, the minor roads are very dodgy but most have a crushed snow section down the middle that's good to ride on. I sorted a route with road uphills and off road downhills.

Just pootling along at about 10mph on a bridleway on the way to joining a group ride, bike went over very quickly without warning and I'm now in A&E with a broken ankle... Packed down snow had melted yesterday, refrozen overnight, resulting in inch thick glassy sheet ice.

Merry Christmas Oldfart.

I'm now in A&E with a broken ankle

Oof, get well soon mate!

Roads are mostly clear round here now and woods were all crispy packed or re-frozen snow on yesterday's ride - but it was still v hard going breaking through the frost all the time.

Had a dodgy moment on one big patch of black ice (on road) but managed to stay on the bike while performing a massive speedway skid. Was quite pleased with myself.

I just want to ride my bike on some hard, dry trails now. Or wet ones even. I just want to not have to pedal downhill anymore.

Just posted in another thread about ice regarding my ride today- was pretty disasterous and I won't be bothering again until it's thawed, had numerous off's today.

Yep, Happy Christmas Old Fart, and thank you.....
thank you so much for starting this thread!
I'm in Devon, and it seems we had the best/worst of the snow locally. It hit monday last, and took us til wednesday to even try getting out in a car, then it was hairy. On Xmas Eve the lane beyond was still packed snow and ice, even now the thaw has started and rained all day, still have ice/snow in the middles of the lane and along the edges.
So, I've had sheet ice and packed snow up to a foot deep everywhere, and I live half way up a steep valley side, so nowhere is 'sensible' to ride, yet reading a lot of threads, it seems everybody's out enjoying it. I've sort of hunkered down and stayed in, trying not to be wimpish, but trying to actually be sensible, telling myself if i do try to get out I will easily run the risk of a serious 'off'.
....and now realise I'm *not* the only one!

Phew. thanks everyone for making me realise it's not just me.
Here's to a good New Year's worth of warmer drier trails, and good riding for all
cheers peeps
Q

Dry dusty trails or falling off in the snow/ice and breaking an ankle - I now know which I prefer.

Bike locked in garage til ALL the nasty white stuff goes away