Cycling in Ice - What's the crack?

awavey

DeVlaeminck wrote:

In the past I'd just stick to a local A road that is always heavily gritted and it's been fine - however this Christmas we tried that and it was like an ice rink - ride abandoned after about a mile and we had to get off and walk part of the way back because the surface was so treacherous. I suspect local authority cut backs mean that gritting of roads may be reduced from what we've seen in previous years - OK it may just have been freak conditions that morning but it wasn't much better the next day (apparently - I didn't try it again myself) and this is a road I've been riding in Winter well over a decade and never experienced anything like it.

I cant say what theyve done in your local area, but round mine they are always reviewing which roads are gritted so you cant always assume the same roads are done year to year, theyve also switched to that new version of grit, which is supposed to hang around on the road more so they do less gritting. which I find even on 4 wheels seems to make the roads slippy, on two it doesnt feel particularly nice either.

itboffin

It was minus 2.5 last night and barely made plus 2 all day today so it took the studded MTB out yet everywhere was just wet & muddy oh and foggy really foggy, no idea why.

norvernrob

awavey wrote:

dnrc wrote:

NorvernRob wrote:

Got up ready to get out this morning, looked out of the window and instantly binned the idea. Cars and grass covered in thick frost and ice, road shining at me like a slippery demon ready to smash up me and my bike.

25mm slick tyres really aren't going to cut it!

same here, it rained all day yesterday and today the road outside and cars are covered in frost and ice. the bigger road at the end of mine looks ok but i just know when i get out of the city it's bound to be icy everywhere.

last year i would have probably gone anyway but i had an off recently and ended up in hospital and needed a week of work. Now i'ts just not worth it to me.

shame as it's a beautiful day otherwise and i'm itching to go out.

thats the thing, you look out and see blue sky, sun, barely any wind, feels perfect conditions for a ride,and Im sure plenty of people have still gone out, if it wasnt for the risk of ice Id have joined them.

But yep look abit closer, the grass is all covered in frost, people were scraping ice off their cars in the morning, the thermometer has stuck resolutely at -1c all day so far, you know full well after a days rain on untreated or tree covered roads, youll find alot of ice still and its not really a matter of skill/bike control whether you stay upright or not. Im sure some people ride in these conditions knowing theres ice but assuming theyll be able to catch it like any normal step out if they hit it.

A drive to my sisters absolutely confirmed that I'd done the right thing. Driving down a country lane that was shaded I could see a small amount of frost on some sections of the road still (this was at 1pm), I slowed accordingly and even then the car was moving about underneath me, I could feel it losing traction. If that was a bike you'd be very lucky to stay on.

meanredspider

Reminded by this that my bro went down last year. One of his group went down on ice in front of him and he had no option but to ditch it in sympathy. His leg was a right mess and he ended up having hospital treatment for a day or two.

I might be faced with my first decision on the commute tomorrow - for the last 15 months I've only ever cycled: I'm not sure the best way to get there if I don't cycle (walk? several trams? - I'm sure Google will help). I don't know how well the paths will be treated - esp Vondel Park.

thegibdog

itboffin wrote:

It was minus 2.5 last night and barely made plus 2 all day today so it took the studded MTB out yet everywhere was just wet & muddy oh and foggy really foggy, no idea why.

Similar here (without the fog), opted for the Snow Stud shod CX bike but didn't really encounter any ice. Managed to destroy the mech hanger and rear wheel so I am glad that it's looking a bit milder this week.

Emphursis

"Luckily" I'm commuting in London, so the majority of roads I'll be riding on in the morning will either have been gritted or the amount of cars using them will have melted it. Unless its a really, really cold day. In fact, I think there's only the one road I ride on that could get pretty bad and I can avoid that easily.

chris_bass

itboffin wrote:

It was minus 2.5 last night and barely made plus 2 all day today so it took the studded MTB out yet everywhere was just wet & muddy oh and foggy really foggy, no idea why.

was the same by me, fog has only just cleared now, i hate winter!

slowbike

Yesterday was 56 hard hilly miles - absolutely no ice anywhere despite the late rain the night before - foggy this morning - off my bike, but only because a) I'm still knackered from yesterday and b) I had family errands to run.

cougie

Where do you live Slowbike ? Was icy round my way. :-(

slowbike

South downs - over the hills to the north the temperature dropped and it was foggy and cold (no ice) ... was nice to get back to the coast at the end of the ride...

Biomech

Out of interest, those of your who have fallen on ice and suffered head injuries - were you wearing helmets?
I was part of a helmet thread recently and the general consensus was that helmets are pointless (I don't agree)

Bobbinogs

Biomech wrote:

...
I was part of a helmet thread recently and the general consensus was that helmets are pointless (I don't agree)

...and that one went downhill, like most helmet debate threads, so why start it again but with someone else's thread?

bianchimoon

We ride all year round, all weathers, ride to the conditions, some enjoy it, some hate it, personally would always rather be out than on the trainer whatever the conditions

alex222

Biomech wrote:

Out of interest, those of your who have fallen on ice and suffered head injuries - were you wearing helmets?
I was part of a helmet thread recently and the general consensus was that helmets are pointless (I don't agree)

The nurse who stitched me up thought it might have been the glasses that caused my cuts above the eye.
But the helmet itself was grazed, dented and had a crack through the internal foam. So I think it took more of the impact than I first thought. So I am glad I had it on.

dnrc

Alex222 wrote:

Biomech wrote:

Out of interest, those of your who have fallen on ice and suffered head injuries - were you wearing helmets?
I was part of a helmet thread recently and the general consensus was that helmets are pointless (I don't agree)

The nurse who stitched me up thought it might have been the glasses that caused my cuts above the eye.
But the helmet itself was grazed, dented and had a crack through the internal foam. So I think it took more of the impact than I first thought. So I am glad I had it on.

I used to think they were pointless and wouldn't wear one but have now revised my opinion.

Have come off the bike twice this year not wearing a helmet and both times have hit my head.

-first time was pretty slow and i just ended up with a lump on my head and a fractured shoulder
-last time was going a bit faster and i landed on my temple, knocked myself clean out and ended up getting an ambulance ride to the local hospital followed by an overnight stay. my head swelled up one one side so i looked like the elephant man. I fractured my cheek and the docs were quite worried about my left eye for a while.

both times the majority of the impact would have been taken by a helmet had i been wearing one.

gimpl

I also would rather be out than sitting in the garage on the trainer however after an off on ice in late 2012 I am never going out again if there is even a remote chance that the roads will have ice on them. I have said it before on these boards; if you ride on icy roads without studded tyres and haven't come off yet it's simply down to luck, not skill. I was literally just pootling along very slowly when I went down and fractured my elbow. It happened so fast I didn't even get a chance to take my hand off the bars - scary and painful.

I did go out the other week thinking all the frost had gone but even then some roads were very slippery and on one particular stretch I could feel the rear end moving around a bit - not good.

alex222

dnrc wrote:

Alex222 wrote:

Biomech wrote:

Out of interest, those of your who have fallen on ice and suffered head injuries - were you wearing helmets?
I was part of a helmet thread recently and the general consensus was that helmets are pointless (I don't agree)

The nurse who stitched me up thought it might have been the glasses that caused my cuts above the eye.
But the helmet itself was grazed, dented and had a crack through the internal foam. So I think it took more of the impact than I first thought. So I am glad I had it on.

I used to think they were pointless and wouldn't wear one but have now revised my opinion.

Have come off the bike twice this year not wearing a helmet and both times have hit my head.

-first time was pretty slow and i just ended up with a lump on my head and a fractured shoulder
-last time was going a bit faster and i landed on my temple, knocked myself clean out and ended up getting an ambulance ride to the local hospital followed by an overnight stay. my head swelled up one one side so i looked like the elephant man. I fractured my cheek and the docs were quite worried about my left eye for a while.

both times the majority of the impact would have been taken by a helmet had i been wearing one.

I should add that I have been very impressed by Giro's crash replacement scheme (administered by Zyro). Just had to e-mail photos of damage and proof of purchase. Price was materially cheaper than I could find elsewhere, plus they were very efficient and speedy

Bordersroadie

Gimpl wrote:

... if you ride on icy roads without studded tyres and haven't come off yet it's simply down to luck, not skill.....It happened so fast I didn't even get a chance to take my hand off the bars - scary and painful.

This is everything you need to know about ice and cycling.

Monty Dog

Winter wheel:

simon_masterson

Count me in as another idiot. Checked the forecast at the beginning of this week, thought there was nothing to worry about, was wrong. I live close to where North Herts borders Beds. The route I had planned for this morning incorporates a major road, which was fine, then turns off onto village lanes. Got to the top of one of the climbs, all puddles frozen over, ice on cars, rear wheel twitching around. Stayed upright initially, carried on, got much worse, went straight down on sheet ice. Annoyingly I wasn't feeling great, and if I'd wimped out of the main climb, it probably wouldn't have happened.

kayakerchris

I went out on sunday. Studded tyres on bike so the ice did not worry me, in fact it is enjoyable.

However saw several cars sliding, one significant accident, very low, very bright sun so I could hardly see where I was going.

Came home and did two hours on trainer. I would rather be out but my life and safety are more important.

My rule is that the studded tyres are to keep me upright in unusual circumstances not to allow me to put myself and others in danger