Winter B-road conditions in South Ayrshire?

DanielCoffey

Next year I will be moving from Edinburgh to a small village in South Ayrshire and I was wondering what the winter road conditions are likely to be in the area. I am thinking about five to ten miles inland from Ayr or Prestwick in the vicinity of Coylton and Mauchline so would like to hear from our Scottish cyclists.

I am used to the fact that over in Edinburgh we usually just get the wet sleety winters most years with the odd harder one with some snow but I don't know what to expect over on the west coast. Will it be wetter and slushy? Snowier and dry?

I will be making three round trips a week of about 18 miles between Coylton and Mauchline. In the summer I will be on the B-roads but in the winter these will of course be untreated. I could stick to the A70 and A76 but this adds a good distance to the ride.

Given 700x38C tyres at a lower pressure and appropriate clothes, do you think I will have issues in a typical winter? What about the less typical ones where there is more snow than average? I will be riding a steel tourer but do have the option of going for a fat bike if the snow requires it.

Thanks for comments in advance.

bill57

We haven't had snow worthy of mention since 2010, and then it was so bad you couldn't get a 4x4 through it, let alone a bike.
It's the West of Scotland. Plan for wet and miserable and you won't go far wrong.

DanielCoffey

Heh - I had a suspicion it would be something like that. One of the smallholder types at the EDH Farmer's Market had said that the coast would make it wet and that there would be no "real snow" over there. What made me cautious was that her definition of "real snow" included so much that her barn roof collapsed, killing her prize bull and two of his "ladies".

It looks like I should start with the tourer and spend a good dollop on proper winter/wet clothes then.

Cheers.

First.Aspect

The key issues will be elevation and gritting frequency. I'm near Edinburgh, but out in the sticks and above 800ft. It can be completely clear and wet in Edinburgh and as near to me as Dalkeith (about 4 miles), but the roads at home can be impassible due to snow.

Luckily, roads are gritted in the evenings and ploughed at the latest by mid morning, all of which mitigates the worst of it. But the next qualitatively similar road across doesn't get any of this. Basically, you will have to get some very local info.

My advice is to have a few commuting options and prepare to be creative in terms of part car part cycle commuting. The worst I've had was 2013 when I couldn't get the car home, so parked a couple of miles away and did a mtb-drive-mtb commute for a few weeks. FWIW if its so bad that you can't somehow get through on a mtb, then most people will be running around like the apocalypse has come anyway and you'll be the only thing moving.

DanielCoffey

Fortunately we will be arriving near Coylton next Spring so I will have all year to collar other cyclists and residents to ask.

We don't have a car and have no intention of buying one. There are only 5 neighbours as we are a mile and a half off the A70 along a single lane B-road followed by a part-mile along a C road. If it is going to be so bad that a bike can't get out then we will live off storecupboard supplies and long-life milk till it thaws. The supermarkets will deliver providing the vehicles can get through so an eye on the weather and a late winter delivery to stock up would be a good idea.

I'll trawl the winter clothes advice threads at the time... layers, under-helmet hat, gloves and feet covered of course, full mudguards, lights and a planned route.

bill57

To be honest snow is not the real problem - you can see it, make allowances for it, and you know it's going to be slippy. Frost and black ice present much more danger, particularly on untreated B-roads, with shaded areas where the sun doesn't get to.

First.Aspect

If you are a mile and a half from a small town, that's your plan B. Walk and get a bus. And if that small town has a small shop, chances are it will have the essentials. We are 4 miles from the nearest anything, which is just too far without a car.

"Proper snow" is snow that sticks around for a week or two. The odd dump of the stuff where the road clears by the end of the day is easy to cope with.

Ice is more of an issue and is the only thing that regularly stops me going door to door by bike. Spiked tyres need something to bite into. Great for compacted snow or thick ice, no use at all for black ice. Hence my advice to find out how good the road treatment is *exactly* where you think you'll be living.

In general terms, if I were you I'd get onto Traveline Scotland and be realistic about how long getting around by public transport will take you. If you are used to being in a city or the suburbs, your world will shrink substantially.

Think of it this way - In an hour in Edinburgh you can get to Glasgow or Stirling, or to any of the things that Edinburgh has to offer. Without a car, in an hour from East Tumbleweed, you might find that you are still waiting in the local village for the twice a day bus to get to Ayr.

veryslowtwitch

It is wetter than Edinburgh but it is Scotland, not Alaska, and the Tesco van will get there 364 days/year. You are only three miles from Ayr and could walk there in an hour.

A70 is pretty horrible for single bike and instead you have many lovely back roads to choose from.

Contrary to above spikey ice tyres are fantastic for black ice and in an average winter you might need them a few times.

Have a great time.

Alan

DanielCoffey

Thanks for the replies, folks - I think I have the info I need now.

At least I know that I won't need a fat bike for the average winters and there might be some walking in the event of a big dump if I run out of supplies. I don't need to worry about commuting every day as I am a full-time carer so I can pick and choose the days (and times) when I go out for shopping.

kayakerchris

Actually spiked tyres are great on black ice. Look for winter tyres. You can hear the sound change as you hit the black ice. In addition they take about 30% more power so are great for winter training. I have ridden spiked tyres for a couple of winters through all weathers and love them. I put them on in November and take them off in about March.

craigr

Live in Ayr and regularly cycle that way all year round. Generally 99% of the time you will be fine, Mauchline is at a slightly higher elevation and noticed some snow at side of road when out that way when it has been clear a few miles before.

Quite a lumpy route from Coylton to Mauchline, but roads are pretty quiet and lots of options for varied routes. A70 can be very busy at times so not too many people cycle on it, but works well as alternate route.

Have never used spiked tyres, Gatorskins have got me through winter no problem.

DanielCoffey

Thank you Craig - nice to hear from someone who uses the roads there. I will be travelling on the back B-roads from Barquhey to West Mosgiel Farm near Mauchline (9.1 miles) so the A70 would certainly add a good chunk of distance. it is good to know from several folks that it is a busy road.

By the way, if you are in the area, have a look at West Mossgiel Farm Shop as he is doing his own local milk as an independent producer. Pasturised but not homogenised, produced on the farm itself... https://www.facebook.com/ayrshirefarmers/

dombo6

+1 for spiked tyres on black ice. Schwalbe Marathon winter tyres work on hardpack snow and both sheet and black ice.
I would also recommend Sprockets Cycles as a good local bike shop - only used them mail order as I am based in Surrey but if they are as good in person as they are over the phone I wish they were more local to me.