Ice on Surrey Hills
Comments
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Every year I see on facebook people calling other people wimps for not going out in minus temps and 6 weeks later they've totalled their bike and broken a bone.
Ice = Turbo.
I also think you get a better quality workout on the turbo - or you can if you want to anyway. OK so you won't stop for cakes and get fresh air - but it's good training.
I agree with that. In fact I do 2/3 turbo sessions a week regardless of weather in the winter and 3 outside weather permitting. I can get some really good quality on the turbo, quality you simply can't get in the dark due to poor visibility.0 -
^^ 100% agree, better quality training on the turbo.0
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Very true. Look at the likes of strava and you'll see there are some pretty generic trails taking in just box and often the Headley road afterwards.
Round trip to box via effy for me is 90km.
Alternative is ride in central London.
Can go via staple & crock first for 100km but box is a useful and fun way to head back via the Epsom roundabouts which is good fun in a small group.
true enough, from Putney/ Fulham its a reasonable trek. You could go further west as well and do Newlands which has a beautiful descent (and I know you descend pretty well), then drop into Combe (and climb that), down Green dene, Crocknorth and Box/ Juniper. Or do Newlands then go along the A25 to box. its more Km but the roads are pretty good.0 -
Very true. Look at the likes of strava and you'll see there are some pretty generic trails taking in just box and often the Headley road afterwards.
Round trip to box via effy for me is 90km.
Alternative is ride in central London.
Really? Is there nowhere else to ride for londoners but out to box hill? Or, is it that most have no imagination and/or just want to go ride Box hill. Which is hardly a hill so I don't understand why it's such a destination?0 -
I didn't realise that ice on the Surrey hills was such an issue compared to all the other places in the country where ice might form!
Wrong kind of ice...0 -
I think the problem is just that 99% of riders in the Surrey Hills on a weekend are from London and they're not familiar with how to ride to the conditions.
The top of Leith is on odd place. It's been knee deep in snow when the bottom of the hill is fine, sheet ice is often about until midday. Going up to 250m elevation makes a huge difference. Add to that the sunken lanes, covered in canopy and constant surface water you have pretty dangerous conditions. Which will be unexpected if you've just come down from London on ice free roads.
Best bet is to stick to Box and do the loops people mentioned above. Or invest in marathon winters
But I can't see any roadies riding 50 miles on 1kg tyres just to be safe on one 5min descent. 0 -
[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19749217#p19749217]ThePeoplesChamp[/url] wrote:I think the problem is just that 99% of riders in the Surrey Hills on a weekend are from London and they're not familiar with how to ride to the conditions.
The top of Leith is on odd place. It's been knee deep in snow when the bottom of the hill is fine, sheet ice is often about until midday. Going up to 250m elevation makes a huge difference. Add to that the sunken lanes, covered in canopy and constant surface water you have pretty dangerous conditions. Which will be unexpected if you've just come down from London on ice free roads.
Best bet is to stick to Box and do the loops people mentioned above. Or invest in marathon winters But I can't see any roadies riding 50 miles on 1kg tyres just to be safe on one 5min descent.
the points I were making agree 100% with what you say re Leith. its actually a bit like box in that it has its own microclimate, but its definitely a renowned moisture trap, and with its roads being in average repair, it is genuinely not a pleasant place to go, unless you know its quirks. if its below 5 degrees I avoid it.0
