so who's commuting in the snow?

hatbeard

dhope wrote:

Cycled in today having wussed out yesterday, saw all of 3 other cyclists from Greenwich to City. Roads were okay, bit slushy at the sides so just went a bit more primary than normal and quite cautious. Roads were fairly quiet tbh, this at about 7am

the slush was gone by 8am, just damp roads for 99.5% of the journey. I doubt I could have even made a snowman out of the sum of snow I saw on the roads this morning.

Butterd2

No probs this morning, back up to full speed. Baselayer, thin fleece and waterproof jacket were too much though and made it a bit of a sweaty one.
Pavements looked horrible but roads were just wet.

bigmat

I also had fun from Crystal Palace down to Elmers End yesterday afternoon, I decided half way down Anerley Hill that 700 x 23 slicks weren't up to the job, although I was in a hurry so I still half cycled until Anerley station but gave up after that. Walking was awful though, balls of ice kept forming around my cleats giving my calves a killer work out.

Meant to get the train today but it was cancelled so ended up biking in on the MTB (also on slicks - doh!) Wasn't too bad after the first couple of side streets, although College Road was a bit hairy. Anyone know a (more or less) completely clear route from Beckenham to the City?

lost_in_thought

Seemingly no snow about at all this morning between Ealing and the West End, roads seemed dry and not icy.

Bit of a breeze though...

UndercoverElephant

We got an extra couple of inches last night, I reckon we're up to 13 or so. Rode in on my Genesis again, I love that bike in this weather. Roads were nice and quiet as relatively few tin boxes could make it out onto the main roads.

notsoblue

My road was pretty slippery, but once I got to the main road there was no snow at all. It was really quite quiet out there too. Very little traffic and I got in almost record time!

fatherted

rjsterry wrote:

Well there's 6" of frozen snow down in SM5 and an absence of grit so no cycling for me today.

??

Wallington to the City was fine. Well gritted roads all the way thorugh Mitcham, Tooting etc etc

Pufftmw

Nobblies do not make for easy riding but came into their own once I hit Lewisham & my road to home - there was a Mondeo trying to get up the hill, wheels spinning like crazy. Me? I just sailed past him with no effort whatsoever

It dropped another couple of inches last night & froze, which meant the road back down was icy so I kept to the snow and had no problem. Once I got to the main road, it was just cold wet & clear with a ghastly headwind. I don't think I had fully recovered from last night's karate/ride home so I struggled bigtime - still managed to scalp a specialised drop bar fixie on the way in

fatherted

notsoblue wrote:

........... but once I got to the main road there was no snow at all... !

Likewise.
Just need to take care on the side roads then it's business as usual

MonkeyMonster

lost_in_thought wrote:

Seemingly no snow about at all this morning between Ealing and the West End, roads seemed dry and not icy.

Bit of a breeze though...

I got badly knobbled by the millbank wind tunnel in reverse... ouchey

itboffin

I under dressed this morning which was handy as cycling into that headwind really kept me warm, I did however have a few moments were a quiet word in my shell was needed, on more than one occasion I may have swore and utter MTFU out loud.

Hard work and soul destroying to be putting in so much effort for 10mph only slightly more going downhill :evil:

Very odd weather around here at the moment, there's plenty of snow in some places and none in others, my road having it's own mini weather system seems to have opted for the cyclist slide of death.



I walk the bike to the end of the road this morning, screw that for a game of soldiers.

Alphabet

i have a half mile downhill stretch which is pretty much sheet ice. utterly terrifying, but i'm too manly (lazy) to walk it. it's kind of like skiing on one ski, but with less control.

Finlab6

Cycled in blizzard conditions this morning in Aberdeen. Took 35 mins which is about 10 mins longer than normal but about 1/2 hour less than it would have taken to drive.

Fireblade96

I'm starting to think this snow is a myth dreamt up by the media and bought into by slackers who can't be bothered going to work.

Not a flake here, roads are clear, grass is green, temperature is about +2C.

:roll:

ketsbaia

Took the commuter hack this morning which has 700x25 slicks ( :roll: ) on it. Moved gingerly along the side road to the OKR, but from then on in it was plain sailing, except for the gusts of wind and the entire roof of snow blowing in my face from a passing car.

Bit boil in the bag, though, as I had four layers on. :shock:

itboffin

Fireblade96 wrote:

I'm starting to think this snow is a myth dreamt up by the media and bought into by slackers who can't be bothered going to work.

Not a flake here, roads are clear, grass is green, temperature is about +2C.

:roll:

Tiz odd that, I noticed yesterday as the train went through Reading zero snow yet last year Reading got it worse than most places in these parts.

Clever Pun

MatHammond wrote:

Meant to get the train today but it was cancelled so ended up biking in on the MTB (also on slicks - doh!) Wasn't too bad after the first couple of side streets, although College Road was a bit hairy. Anyone know a (more or less) completely clear route from Beckenham to the City?

get on to the A21 through catford then either Jamacia way or the A20/A2 roads are clear there

Alphabet

aye, A21 is a bit slushy in places, but generally fine. the bus lane coming into Catford is a bit icy though.

Alphabet

although saying that, the road out of beckenham to the homebase junction is fucking terrifying - where in beckenham are you? I'm on South Eden Park Road

Pufftmw

Just remembered a new hazard - don't go on the outside of lorries turning corners as snow comes off their roof & lands on your head :shock:

nich

Alphabet wrote:

although saying that, the road out of beckenham to the homebase junction is ******* terrifying - where in beckenham are you? I'm on South Eden Park
Road

I go around this way too...

I go up / down beckenham hill rd.

It's fast, and I imagine right now it's not in a great state, I'll have a check later I think.

What I'll probably do is go via beckenham palace park which runs parallel, then get get some grip on the snowey / grass areas

dhope

nich wrote:

Alphabet wrote:

although saying that, the road out of beckenham to the homebase junction is ******* terrifying - where in beckenham are you? I'm on South Eden Park
Road

I go around this way too...

I go up / down beckenham hill rd.

It's fast, and I imagine right now it's not in a great state, I'll have a check later I think.

What I'll probably do is go via beckenham palace park which runs parallel, then get get some grip on the snowey / grass areas

Ah, reminds me of school days, Langley Park...

MonkeyMonster

Pufftmw wrote:

Just remembered a new hazard - don't go on the outside of lorries turning corners as snow comes off their roof & lands on your head :shock:

Hee hee awesome

rolf_f

Arse!

I get a puncture whilst the weather is still OK and conveniently find a bus stop to change the tube. I then get caught in a blizzard and get blinded for a bit by snow build up between my eyes and my specs. I carry on with my extended 18 mile commute.

I get into the office after 10 to discover the carpark virtually empty. Rumours are now flying around that the office will be shut as there aren't enough people in it!

People these days..... Naaah, lets not evacuate Dunkirk - it looks a bit choppy out there!

flicksta

Week off the bike plus two days of galloping trots plus bit of wind this morning spelled n-o-p-o-w-e-r this morning.

itboffin

Rolf F wrote:

ars*!

I get a puncture whilst the weather is still OK and conveniently find a bus stop to change the tube. I then get caught in a blizzard and get blinded for a bit by snow build up between my eyes and my specs. I carry on with my extended 18 mile commute.

I get into the office after 10 to discover the carpark virtually empty. Rumours are now flying around that the office will be shut as there aren't enough people in it!

People these days..... Naaah, lets not evacuate Dunkirk - it looks a bit choppy out there!

but think of the miles

Alphabet

dhope wrote:

Ah, reminds me of school days, Langley Park...

langley park school is over the road from my house. actually, the main reason we moved there as I've got two boys.

rolf_f

itboffin wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

ars*!

I get a puncture whilst the weather is still OK and conveniently find a bus stop to change the tube. I then get caught in a blizzard and get blinded for a bit by snow build up between my eyes and my specs. I carry on with my extended 18 mile commute.

I get into the office after 10 to discover the carpark virtually empty. Rumours are now flying around that the office will be shut as there aren't enough people in it!

People these days..... Naaah, lets not evacuate Dunkirk - it looks a bit choppy out there!

but think of the miles

I am! Trying to work out which way to go home - do I crack another 18 miler blizzard ride (but mostly with tailwind), go for the minimum extended commute of 9.5 which has some steep climbs or go for the pathetic 6.5 which is really not much better than taking the bus home (not that the buses are running.....)

Finlab6

First time I went out in snow I couldnt help but remember the feeling of christmas day and heading out with my new bike in any weather with all the other kids in the neighbourhood

fossyant

Extra few inches of snow last night in Manchester.

I usually help the neighbour dig the road out, but as I'd put grit down last night, I couldn't be ar$ed (and the wife was walking the kids to school) so I rode past him with a cheery 'morning'.......... I dig it out tonight though !!!!!

Nice trail route in again, although there had been 4/5 bikes down it already even by 7.45am..... buggers........

MTB worked faultlessly, despite BB/crankset/front & rear mech/cassette/brake callipers all being blocks of snow & ice........... took ages to knock it all off before bringing in the office.....