First Proper Snow Commute

meanredspider

A couple of inches or so of snow overnight. First proper ride in the snow. It's actually been a pretty fast decline - probably only done 5 or 6 days on the ice tyres and I already have snow to contend with. Looks like pretty much my entire 15-mile route will be snow-covered

UndercoverElephant

Slight smattering down here too. Will be on the Day One today.

daviesee

I bottled it today as the side roads have been covered in ice since Friday and am not hard core enough for spikes. :oops:
I cycle for "fun".

uphillstruggle

No point going out in ice/ snow IMO unless no other means of making the journey.

The alleged ' kudos' is outweighed by the lack of training benefit.

A well structured session on the turbo wins for me every time as I can concentrate on cycling rather than struggling around at a inadequate speed/ power.

Kieran_Burns

Makes mental note to get the Tricross ready for winter duties... CX tyres on and mudguards set to greatest distance.

gbsahne001

10 degrees here this morning, 2 layers and I was sweating buckets

rubertoe

gbsahne wrote:

10 degrees here this morning, 2 layers and I was sweating buckets

I was already for arctic weather this morning and was disapointed!

But the CX speare wheels are ready for the cold stuff.

Wrath Rob

Yesterday's club run averaged 0C and we had to contend with several icy stretches, so I was fully prepped for a cold commute this morning. Fortunately I checked the weather forecast before getting fully dressed in winter gear, 7C! Lovely...

meanredspider

uphillstruggle wrote:

No point going out in ice/ snow IMO unless no other means of making the journey.

The alleged ' kudos' is outweighed by the lack of training benefit.

A well structured session on the turbo wins for me every time as I can concentrate on cycling rather than struggling around at a inadequate speed/ power.

Hmmm - can you say more...?

I rode in this morning in the snow on my MTB with Ice Spikers. There was 2-3". I did 15.5 miles at 12.6mph - HR averaged 156bpm (pretty much exactly what it averages on the roadie) maxing at 172bpm (vs max HR of 182) - so I don't think the power was an issue - not sure what you mean by "inadequate speed"

On the benefits side, it was more interesting than the average commute - certainly mentally harder (required more concentration) and some physical aspects (cold and wet) - but infinitely more interesting that grinding away on the turbo in the garage. It probably did far more for my core too and my hands and arms certainly worked a lot more

vermin

uphillstruggle wrote:

No point going out in ice/ snow IMO unless no other means of making the journey.

The alleged ' kudos' is outweighed by the lack of training benefit.

A well structured session on the turbo wins for me every time as I can concentrate on cycling rather than struggling around at a inadequate speed/ power.

Err, plus some people are concentrating on trying to get to work, rather than 'training'!

Love your description of the snow and ice MRS - I wore a S/S this morning and am STILL steaming sitting here at my desk an hour later.

meanredspider

It's interesting, Vermin, how the snow riding techniques come back. On the uphill, I tend to stay in the wheeltracks of vehicles (the snow plough's tyres are nice and wide and leave a waffle pattern.. 8) ) but, on the downhill, it feels far more assured to stay in the "virgin" snow as there's less tramlining. Also, on the single track roads in particular, sticking to the crown of the road offers a more sure-footed ride than the cambered edges.

Stunning how many cars were driving on side lights which there was heavy wet snow falling on a grey, grim morning :roll:

UndercoverElephant

Disappointing, really. At most we had half an inch of slushy snow up here so I'd have been as well taking the road bike - at least then I'd have had mudguards. Still the ice tyres look pretty hardcore and give you that extra reassurance.

Off to use the office shoe-drier on my hiking boots.

meanredspider

UndercoverElephant wrote:

Off to use the office shoe-drier on my hiking boots.

Wow - a shoe-drier! (or is that just standing in the gents hogging the hand-drier? )

meanredspider

rubertoe wrote:

But the CX speare wheels are ready for the cold stuff.

I have an image in my head of this type of wheel



8) :shock:

bompington

Gutted, can't ride today as I need to be home early, really fancied the chance to see how the Nokians coped with some proper snow, an inch or so here but a good bit more up the hills. Mrs Bomp set off on Bomp Jr's bike, I would have swapped the wheels (with Snow Studs) onto hers but she was gone before I had the chance.
Wondering if you can get 24" studs for Bompette's Isla, and then what about Bompetta's Toddlebike?

rubertoe

meanredspider wrote:

rubertoe wrote:

But the CX speare wheels are ready for the cold stuff.

I have an image in my head of this type of wheel



8) :shock:

That is exactally what it is like,

the spare wheels are also wintered!

UndercoverElephant

meanredspider wrote:

UndercoverElephant wrote:

Off to use the office shoe-drier on my hiking boots.

Wow - a shoe-drier! (or is that just standing in the gents hogging the hand-drier? )

No, no, we have an actual shoe-drier. Guess who they asked to specify the changing room when we moved offices?



Looks a bit rubbish, but works superbly well. Works just as well for shoes, boots, gloves, socks. Blows warm air (43 degrees so it's not hot enough to damage leather, etc) into the footwear and works on a timer.

bobbygloss

bompington wrote:

Wondering if you can get 24" studs for Bompette's Isla, and then what about Bompetta's Toddlebike?

Maybe this instead?

bompington

Bobbygloss wrote:

bompington wrote:

Wondering if you can get 24" studs for Bompette's Isla, and then what about Bompetta's Toddlebike?

Maybe this instead?

Good idea. She can put a crampon on the pushing foot :-)

meanredspider

UndercoverElephant wrote:

Looks a bit rubbish, but works superbly well. Works just as well for shoes, boots, gloves, socks. Blows warm air (43 degrees so it's not hot enough to damage leather, etc) into the footwear and works on a timer.

Looks like something (interesting) from an Ann Summers shop! :shock:

I have the big, white, water-powered MK1 version in my office

asprilla

UndercoverElephant wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

UndercoverElephant wrote:

Off to use the office shoe-drier on my hiking boots.

Wow - a shoe-drier! (or is that just standing in the gents hogging the hand-drier? )

No, no, we have an actual shoe-drier. Guess who they asked to specify the changing room when we moved offices?



Looks a bit rubbish, but works superbly well. Works just as well for shoes, boots, gloves, socks. Blows warm air (43 degrees so it's not hot enough to damage leather, etc) into the footwear and works on a timer.

Xmas list just got revised.

suzyb

Who knew you got such a thing as a shoe drier.

vermin

Does it come with gas masks in the box?

UndercoverElephant

vermin wrote:

Does it come with gas masks in the box?

No, but in the picture, the two tubes in the middle have special deodorising balls in them. But what's likely to smell worse, shoes that are dried well, or shoes that are sitting there festering whilst damp.

We also have a large extractor fan in the changing room.

keyser__soze

Asprilla wrote:

Xmas list just got revised.

+1. Also trying to find one that'll run off a cigarette lighter socket - found out this summer (well, alleged summer) that stage races with soggy shoes are no fun.

willy b

Those shoe heaters are very cool!

Done a bit of ebaying, and this looks "ok"
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Scalable-Shoe ... 2a2426771b

Then just need a cheap inverter to run from teh cigarette lighter and you're away!

meanredspider

Back to dull commuting as I think the snow has pretty much gone - though I'm sure it will freeze again very soon tonight. More snow forecast for later in the week

meanredspider

Been hearing about snow down south so thought I'd see more posts on here. Ride home last night was shocking - frost, ice, re-frozen slush and meltwater, remains of snow - was ultra-careful even on the Spikers. Snowed again last night but I need to be in the car today and thanking the Lord for snow tyres. Bike again for the rest of the week.

rubertoe

It snowed where i live this morning (left home at 6 am) but it turned to sleet and then rain withing 10 minutes, so it wasnt worth worrying about.

graeme_s-2

I had a couple of mini-slides on ice yesterday morning, so put my ice tyres on my hybrid last night. Learned several things in the process. I noticed that I'm missing 8 spikes from one patch of the tyre (which I'd already put on the front wheel when I spotted it). I also discovered that latex glove and spiked tyres are a terrible combination. While changing the rear tyre I managed to puncture the tube, which was very annoying.

Didn't look too bad when I left the house this morning so I went on my fixie. There were patches of frost and black ice about though, so I walked across a patch I've come a cropper on before, and then nearly fell off on the roundabout outside my building as I pulled my front wheel sideways across a patch of ice as I was accelerating away. Bit of a squeaky bum moment, but avoided a fall. Now wishing I had come on the spikes, although I probably won't need them on the way home.

I really hate this halfway between normal and ice tyre weather that we get a lot in the midlands. I much prefer it when it's just snow or ice everywhere and it's obvious ice tyre weather.

meanredspider

Can empathise, Graeme. Had a horrible commute on the road bike a couple of weeks back where it was icy towards Inverness (which is very rare if it's not icy at my place). Dunno if you have Marathon Winters but they seem really poor for losing studs. On my 3rd season with the Ice Spiker Pros and I'm only about 10 studs down across both tyres (out of 722). Anyhow, will take to MTB/Spikers if I'm in any doubt for the rest of the winter.