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PostPosted: Sun Nov 27, 2005 13:45 
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Snow Ice and very cold weather

Well – first requirement is to wrap up well 8-) and as with rain – where helmet is a real benefit. :wink: Warms socks, shoes, gloves, and layers of clothing all help. A draught can be a numbing chill factor. :roll:

So applies to all road users – between November and March – always assume overnight frosts and ice and set out carefully. And make sure tyres have grip and inflated correctly! :wink:

Set out carefully – be relaxed and prepared for a fall. :shock: :wink:
Brake a little as possible and always on a straight – regulate speed by changing cadence. And keep the pedalling stable and gentle. :wink:

Do not be rushed or flustered by traffic and if you see ice of road ahead – keep relaxed, keep straight and steady – do not accelerate or brake or turn sharply as this will cause a skid – lost a cyclist last winter here :cry: – through this.


If rear wheel slides :yikes:– freewheel and steer straight. If front wheel skids – again keep calm – get your body and bike upward and you may avoid a fall or simply put your left foot to ground fast.

Fresh snow is relatively easy to ride and drive on. It’s when it slushes, thaws, ridges and freezes that we have a problem If in this situation and in any doubt – only one sensible solution – walk!

We all know that driving in snow can be hypnotic - but if riding – think a peaked cap under the helmet can shield eyes from stings from snow and rain.
:wink:

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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 10:07 
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Joined: Wed Mar 30, 2005 13:55
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Location: middlish
my colleague here has just got some schwalbe studded tyres for his MTB.
he commutes 20miles each way rain or shine, will be interesting to see if they have a useful effect.

(although the effect he is after is making his ride harder, he already swapped from the road bike to the MTB and is still complaining he can't get his HR into zone 2 on the way home :lol: )


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 11:14 
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Some good pointers IG.

If possible, I'd try to get some 'two finger' gloves. Pearlizumi(?) used to do them but now Trek & possibly Altura and a few others have been making them for a few years. They are by far the warmest usable gloves you can get. (Look like claws - 3 'compartments' to keep adjacent digits together whilst retaining the ability to brake & change gear! I've tried neoprene gloves (crap), ski-mits (no mobility), cough - 'thinsulate' types all rubbish.

As this is the time of year for making better use of your rear brake when slowing & stopping! Get out and do some practice as braking distances HUGELY increase when favouring the rear, especially you 'roadies' with cold pads on cold, wet rims.

This might be a bit 'Grandma sucking eggs' but here goes!

As for the 'maintaining control on ice'.
DON'T clip in to your pedals, or keep / adjust the release loose!! Practice going very slow & do rear & front lock-ups & see how to you & your bike reacts. Better to find out on a quiet cul-de-sac than in front of a juggernaut!

I used to practice front & rear wheel drifting on frost - it causes no tyre wear as you're skating on ice. If you start to 'go' you can get a foot down.

If out in 'fresh' deep snow - try to stay in another vehicles tracks up to a point. If it's really deep - just walk as clipping the sides of a 'trench' can have you on your ass / run over. Biking in uncompacted firm snow is exhausting!

I'm not in favour of studded tyres per se, fine on solid ice, but may bugger up your braking / traction on the wet tarmac. See WRC rallies!


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PostPosted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 01:21 
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hobbes

:clap: :clap:

Cheers for adding some sound stuff! :bow:

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Drive without COAST and it's all your own fault!

A SMILE is a curve that sets everything straight (P Diller).

A Smiley Per post
FINES USfor our COAST!


Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon - but driving with a smile and a COAST calm mind.


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 15:13 
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Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2005 10:15
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Location: Co Durham
Use your observation like you do in a car. E.g. if the ambient temperature is near freezing, expect ice in the shade where the sun doesn't shine. If there is still frost on the ground the temperature is around 3 degees Centigrade or less. If water is running down the side of the road, expect it to cross over to the other side. Overnight it might have left a large patch of ice in the middle of the road - not so serious for a four-wheeled vehicle but for a cyclist....

Blinded by a low sun on a wet road? Ice has the same effect only you can't see it. Oh, and the chances are that the vehicle behind can't see you either so get a mirror so you can see them.

Go slowly down hills so that you can avoid ice patches or stop if necessary.

Remember in hilly areas that for every 100m gained in height the temperature drops 1 degree Centigrade.

If it is below freezing, consider staying on bus routes - these will almost invariably be salted.


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PostPosted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 17:38 
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FWIW the warmest gloves I ever found were a pair of 'Dry Star II' in the 'winter' section of chiba's website. (I bought mine about 5 years ago so they're not exactly the same). They are almost completely waterproof, flexible and after 5 years of abuse are still as good. Oh yeah, and they do them in tiny hand sizes which was the only reason I bought em in the first place! :lol:

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