[Closed] Commuting on cold potentially icy days...

I'm sure I am just being a bit girly about it!

Yep

1.5"??? I run 28mm Conti 4 seasons.

Cheers wors. Guess I should just man up and break another wrist. 🙂

So, 28mm tyres will be better Druid? I used to have 1" ish tyres on it but found the slightly bigger volume was a bit more comfy, I'm not in a race after all.

If you hit real ice no tyre will make any difference.

I was spinning out my 23s this morning when I put the hammer down. Moved to salted roads ASAP.

Yeah true, icy or not it still beats driving to work so I shall count my blessings!

No problem :-). As al says no tyres will stop you slipping, just be cautious on corners.

maxray - Member
Cheers wors. Guess I should just man up and break another wrist.

So, 28mm tyres will be better Druid? I used to have 1" ish tyres on it but found the slightly bigger volume was a bit more comfy, I'm not in a race after all.

This...

cynic-al - Member
If you hit real ice no tyre will make any difference.

Oh - and 23mm for racing 🙂

I take additional precautions and wear my helmet at this time of year.

MAn up!

Mind you I was told by the Mrs in no uncertain terms I was not cycling home this evening! It's too dangerous!

Bit miffed now as there was no fog and it seems a bit warmer now.

I got out onto the path outside of my house this morning and my feet were slipping all over the place, and I could see white frost and ice on the Tarmac so pushed the bike up to the main road and then got on. I'm a lot more wary of slippy surfaces after my SS went sideways on me at walking speed and I smashed my left knee hard on the deck, and hit my face as well. That was a damp road with Bonty Jones 2.3's. I've totally lost my confidence when hammering the bike hard now, so when it's in any way slippery looking I'd rather walk than risk smashing into Tarmac again.

I was about to post a similar post to the OP. I went to get the bike out this morning and instead jumped into the car. I didn't want to risk coming off the bike.

Looks like it shall be warmer Thursday and Friday though so shall ride then.

But it ain't even properly cold yet!

[i]If you hit real ice no tyre will make any difference.[/i]

Other than ice-tyres maybe?

oo-er Same here - felt a bit nervous today and I'm in the South East!

Other than ice-tyres maybe?

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Ahh I'm not alone then. Much preferred the headwind today 🙂 Looks like temps are set to plummet over the weekend though if you beleive the weather men so best start getting used to it.

TO clarify its this inbetween weather I struggle with, when its blatently snowy/icy it is a whole different ball game. It's the sneaky icy conditions that scare me. :o)

I don't think tyres are going to make the slightest difference if you hit ice to be honest.

I've currently got Schwalbe durano 0.9's at about 110psi on my Airnimal - pretty much slicks. I'm going to buy something with a bit more tread when I can find somewhere with them in stock but it's tricky finding decent 24" tyres. Last winter I rode in all weather on 1.5 Marathons at slightly lower psi. On ice, snow and in heavy rain.

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I just think you have to get on with it - I don't have a choice as it's either ride or walk - personally I like the colder weather, makes for a nice crisp ride in the morning. I guess it helps knowing your route well, there's a couple of places that can get a little sketchy with ice etc - just learn to slow down / take it carefully where necessary.

Indeed.. I have now lifted from my temporary "jeyboyishness" having realised the benefits of exercise, crisp mornings and a nice bowl of porridge after the ride in far far outweigh the potential for ice based shenanigans. 8)

Bring on the snow! Least you end up getting home rather than being stuck in 2hr jams in the car when everything grinds to a halt.

Indeed indeed. I head outside to check conditions before getting on the bike, and with a half rural commute at 6am I'm taking no risks.

I have discovered that the windier it is the less icy, had a HUGE tailwind this morning and not a spot of ice anywhere.

Still leaving the cross tires on the bike tho !

I've ridden in fort he last couple of weeks but yesterday indeed felt decidedly sketchy. I was letting the bike drift a bit while cornering with clenched buttocks

Bloody lovely morning to ride in though. The sunrise was spectacular. Not something you tend to notice when sat in stationary traffic, swearing at the idiot who's trying to change lanes in front of you.

I'm in a new job (been here a month)and I'm getting the usual response to arriving on a bike. They all think I'm insane (its a reasonable distance). The irony is that I'm presently designing the companies 'environmental statement' encouraging people to be greener, and walking or cycling gets a mention

I genuinely think they mean it too, rather than it being a bit of 'green-washing. So I'm hoping people seeing that I ride in and haven't frozen to death or been hit by a bus may encourage one or two people to give it a go.

Damn... I've just cursed myself, haven't I. I'll be lucky to make the week out alive!!!

Bought a £100 Giro (atmos?) helmet for 'posh' warm weather rides. Popped it on last winter. Got 5metres on my road and went down sideways like a bullit. I was still holding the handlebars as I landed sideways on my head.

When its really icey there is **** all chance I'd ride on the roads to work in the early morning. Someones got to pay my bills.

Nothing grips ice unless it's spiked. Just stay alert and be careful. If it get's really bad I switch my commuter back to flats.

It's not just corners either. IF you are caught by surprise, ice anywhere is bad. I went down at 20mph on a flat piece of road at the weekend when I hid some ice on my road bike. Didn't see it and when I hit the deck I was still holding my bars and clipped in it happened so fast.

I find sticking to well used and gritted roads helps as the ice doesn't linger as long.

I find the ice forms in the same places all the time, if you ride the same route each day you'll soon get to know where it is.

Kev

Get some pedals that are flat one side and spd the other. When you're worried about the conditions don't clip in.

When it gets into the depths of winter I switch to the longer route to/ from work which is twice the distance of my usual on-road route but it's completely off road through parks and along cycle paths away from the traffic. Slower pace and far safer.

What's this "man up" BS?

Hit black ice on a bike and you come off - usually at speed and usually pretty hard. Seen plenty of nasty bike splats due to black ice.

Yes ice tyres may help but unless you have them, you are stuffed.

There's nothing "manly" about trying to cycle on ice - it's called "stupid."

I can smugly sit here and say I took it easy on the small bit of tarmac I use, then hit the mud track followed by the gravel track (it's like a permanently gritted pathway) so I only had one sketchy moment and the rest was just a beautiful cold crisp ride in.

Really looking forward to the new phone arriving so I can start 'tumblr'ing the scenes in each morning!

It may sound odd but I'm looking forward to the slightly later sunrises so I can ride in as dawn is breaking - I pretty much ride due east as well so I ride into the sunrise.

I may well have selected the location of the house I bought solely on the commute to work by bike, but that's just hear'say!

If any of you are the rides I see on the retro Marin Hard tail, the Litespeed or any of the others then feel free to say Hello 😛

Never mind the ice, the layer of greasy, dead leaves on tarmac has caused a few hairy moments in the last couple of weeks.

I might fashion a salt shaker on a stick on my handlebars that acts as a personal gritter.. I can see Peter Jones reaching for his money on dragons den already! 😛

I feel decidedly non-MTFU for resorting to the car today. For no other reason than it was made available by Mrs North.

Yesterday was fine, mainly because it was dry. I think I saw one small patch on the route, and that was in the 'burbs, rather than the rural part of the ride.

I'm deffo going to sort out my fixie to be a SS cross bike and then on the really icy days take a looooong meandering route alongside the River Mersey.

There's nothing "manly" about trying to cycle on ice - it's called "stupid."

No, I feel very manly when I do it. Noticably more manly.

Stunning ride here this morning post storm - floods and debris everywhere but nice and sunny. Cold but nowhere near icey yet.

You MTFDed?

Anyway, just get the ice tyres. Very simple, extremely effective, and you can ride whatever. When it was snowy and icy in combination last year I had my studded mtb tyres on, I was the only person not worried about transport.

Never mind the ice, the layer of greasy, dead leaves on tarmac has caused a few hairy moments in the last couple of weeks.

Add to that diesel spill. Current temp is enough to make the surface slick. Worth noting in a car let alone a bike.

Who cares about MTFU. On mornings when you are particularly tired from a baby that cries all night sometimes you need ALL your wits and balance about you on a bike.

Slight issue with ice tyres:

1) What if there's no snow this year (likely in Cornwall)?!
2) They are pretty damn pricey!

Surely ice tyres are rubbish when its not icy. Metal studs on tarmac = bambi on ice?

I'm still suffering from an ice related issue 2 weeks ago that ended up with me using my right thigh and right knee as a brake.

the profile on some of the ice tyres is quite low and are okay on tarmac

Slid off on my road bike yesterday, on OK-ish looking country roads. Whether I ride to work when it's icy depends on a combination of things really, but I usually walk to the end of my road till I get to something gritted- sometimes I try and ride it but the potential for damaged bike/clothes/body means it isn't worth it most of the time.

A friend of mine broke his hip coming off on ice. He spent 3 months on crutches and tow years to get back to full health, though he has discomfort even now - can't walk all day on the hills anymore.

If you think it's worth cycling when you know there is a high risk of black ice, go ahead, knock yourself out!

Has anyone used winter specific tyres? The sort where the compound is changed and granules added to the rubber for grip, rather than spikes etc.

Fall off a mountain bike off road. Ok.

Fall off a roadbike on a dark wet or icy morning? who is coming behind you on this road with reduced visibility or passing you as you go down?

i fell off my road bike on some black ice and it was very unpleasant. I was on flat pedals too, which lessons the impact a small amount, but everything happens so quick theres nothing you can do.

I bent the handlebars, damaged pedals/cranks, whacked my knee on the concrete, gave my head a big knock and nearly broke the laptop in my rucksack. was off the bike for several weeks. This was doing about 6-7 mph up to a roundabout.

As above, off-road in poor conditions is fine, but i stay off the roads if its icy now.

Oh aye. The head knock on a very very hard surface with a silly flimsy helmet. I had a seriously pulled neck for weeks as well!

Commuting in icy conditions is 'manly' however there is a greater chance of you coming off without being prepared or expecting it.

At least in snowy roads etc the impact and shock is lessened.

Plus on roads with the ice approaching people taking LONGER to brake to avoid you laying there.

I'd rather man up and walk into a Man utd fans pub and call them all losers and tosers. Punch in the mouth but at least I wouldn't have broken anything major. Why risk months of the bike losing your fitness?

I commuted all last winter on Nimbus Armadillos but spent a lot of the time worrying about black ice (two falls) and frozen snow/slush (lots of falls). Did knock my confidence quite a lot.

Just beginning to worry about conditions again especially as I commute through big lorry country and tram/rail lines (they're lethal when it's cold). I just take it slow, slow, slow and bale out and push if it gets too sketchy

I think a tricycle would be awsome on ice 💡

Don't commute in though. I used the Remedy last year through all the snow & ice, got in every day, thus setting a precedent and giving myself zero opportunity for transport related excuses.

Idiot.

Good to hear it's not just me with a lack of confidence and worrying about coming off! I had quite a nasty off last winter after hitting black ice, still clipped in, laying in the middle of the road - hand to be heled up by a pedestrian. Not good!

I've taken to riding further out into the road where the car tyres have been.

On a related note, does anyone wear any form of knee protection riding on the roads in winter? I've got more scar tissue on my knees from coming off on my road bike than any other bike injuries. Something minimal (neoprene knee support?) would be ideal.

D30 Knee pads, troy lee lycra shorts, stay unclipped ❗

Spongebob - Member

A friend of mine broke his hip coming off on ice. He spent 3 months on crutches and tow years to get back to full health, though he has discomfort even now - can't walk all day on the hills anymore.

If you think it's worth cycling when you know there is a high risk of black ice, go ahead, knock yourself out!

For some of us, the bike is the only option 😉

doof_doof - Member

I've taken to riding further out into the road where the car tyres have been.

Correct road positioning.

I must say I have never found ice on the roads an issue, Maybe its riding in town

I guess its true that you dont have massive stretches of ice around town unless its really baltic but it's the road furniture that might actually be colder, man hole covers and the like and anyt white arrows;/chevrons etc on new tarmaced stretches.. they seem slippy even in normal conditions!

For winter road commuting...

[img] [/img]

...no falling off problems, though you might get squashed by a car

ooh I could actually like that for work.. going in anyway as I only get passed by about 3 cars. Would feel vincible on the retun journey at rush hour.