Black Ice Grrrrrr

[BrizzleBoy]

Have had an unexpected day off after hitting some black ice this morning on the way to work on the cyclepath. Even though I had slowed down to walking pace the combination of black ice with a sloping right hander and a big unit ( me and the wisper ) ended with me catching my ribs on the handlebars and nose first in to the ground. My plan to cycle all through winter is in tatters.

Anyway be careful out there

 

[The Maestro]

I also ate some tarmac a couple of days ago. I was happily going along in a straight line and then had to change lanes before a roundabout and as soon as I turned the wheels just slid out and deposited me in the middle of the road at about 20 mph. Fortunately the traffic was at least 100 m behind me (good job I'd just jumped the lights). The whole road was like a skating rink, I could hardly even stand up on it but I had no indication as I was cycling in a straight line.

 

[Mussels]

I've ridden across big sheets of ice in the last few days without the slightest hint of slipping.
Ice stud tyres work very well despite wearing fairly quickly*, a good investment as my thumb still hurts from coming off a month ago during the December freeze.

Schwalbe use tungsten carbide studs which everyone tells me will last longer than the rubber. The studs on my back tyre are looking very worn after 500 miles whilst the rubber looks almost new, they still do the trick though so I'm glad I got them.

 

[Sector]

Schwalbe Snow Stud

The Schwalbe Snow Stud tyres are working well for me. The studs are few and far between, but I'm riding quite slowly and only doing essential mileage. The carbide studs should last reasonably well doing 5 miles a day.

The centre of the tread has no studs. The idea is to run the tyres at about 4 bar on clear roads, with minimal contact from the studs. When it's icy the pressure should be dropped to about 2.5 bar so that the studs come into play.

It requires constant vigilance to avoid the speed creeping up with the new feeling of loads of grip. I'm sure it could all come unstuck if pushed hard enough.

 

[frank9755]

Sorry to hear of others falls.
I've left my bike in the garage all week and was rather missing my ride in to work, but, reading this, I think I shall wait until the frosts have gone before getting it out!

 

[Danny-K]

Yes, this winter weather is affecting everybody - it's even causing UFO's to crash into wind turbines - They just don't do that in the summertime.

My bikes are off the road at the moment. It's the damage the salt can do to the parts if not washed off properly that disenchants me. A bit of rain to wash it off the roads is what I'm hoping for; hopefully not followed up by the council gritters.

 

[WALKERMAN]

I stopped using the local cycle path when I came off on ice.

The path runs past a works which has several liquid oxygen storage tanks which are often shrouded in vapour especially in cold weather.

As I rode down the path on a cold day I noticed moisture under the mist cloud and slowed right down. I put my feet down but just slid over sideways taking my weight on my arm but giving my left hip a nasty bang. Lay there for a few seconds expecting to have smashed my hip but it seemed ok.

I reported this hazard but nothing was done about it so now I stick to the gritted roads in winter.

 

[Caph]

I too am now a snow stud convert, but I have to say my fall on black ice before I got the new tyres caused me a lot of discomfort in my hip for a couple of weeks afterwards. Hope everyone else heals quicker than me!

 

[Mussels]

The Schwalbe Snow Stud tyres are working well for me. The studs are few and far between, but I'm riding quite slowly and only doing essential mileage. The carbide studs should last reasonably well doing 5 miles a day.

The centre of the tread has no studs. The idea is to run the tyres at about 4 bar on clear roads, with minimal contact from the studs. When it's icy the pressure should be dropped to about 2.5 bar so that the studs come into play.

It requires constant vigilance to avoid the speed creeping up with the new feeling of loads of grip. I'm sure it could all come unstuck if pushed hard enough.

That's what they say but I run the rear at 5 bar and the studs are in constant contact with the road, when it's icy I just drop the front to 3 bar for a non slippy ride.
I don't like riding on them generally though, they are slower than my balloon tyres and don't corner well at all but they aren't coming off until spring.

 

[Phil the drill]

I haven't tried these 'studded' tyres or any other type of snow tyre for that matter. We don't tend to get much in the way of snow in Cornwall, we mainly get mud, cow and horse sh*t (all in a pretty major way). These last few weeks however, we have had some very hard frosts and loads of black ice so for once, the council has fired up the gritters and sent them out to increase our misery....I came off the other day, not on the ice (and there was plenty), or the muck (plenty of that too, but frozen hard), it was the damned grit that got me. I hate the stuff. What's worse is the landing, a good slide on the grit and you're picking bits of stone out your ass for weeks! I suspect studded tyres would make the grip on gritty roads worse! Think I'll stick to my normal road tyres, go on the icy roads and stick to the ones the gritter has ignored

Phil

 

[chess]

just slipping along

Hi All
Fell off on a small side road a few days ago on ice as a few of you have done. It was the camber what done it! the front wheel simply slipped away a little, paused to let me know the inevitable and down I went, smacked my head hard on the road-glad for helmet but pulled a muscle in neck and had a few bruises.
So, down to the purpose of this message. I did not know that studded tyres existed for bikes, are they good enough then to use on icy or slippy roads in the usual way or does one have to apply some cautionary speed limits and not go down hills?
I would be interested in any further info as I was hoping to use my bike over the winter but the fall has made me cautious.
Chess

 

[BLADERUNNER]

Sorry to hear about your tumble Brizzleboy.I too had a similar experience just before christmas, and ended up with a buckled front wheel.

Although there is no guarantee of no ice, i now only use roads that i know have been treated.I have taken advice from other forum members and run my tyres at lower pressure for better grip in frosty conditions.

Cheers
Russell

 

[Caph]

Hi All
Fell off on a small side road a few days ago on ice as a few of you have done. It was the camber what done it! the front wheel simply slipped away a little, paused to let me know the inevitable and down I went, smacked my head hard on the road-glad for helmet but pulled a muscle in neck and had a few bruises.
So, down to the purpose of this message. I did not know that studded tyres existed for bikes, are they good enough then to use on icy or slippy roads in the usual way or does one have to apply some cautionary speed limits and not go down hills?
I would be interested in any further info as I was hoping to use my bike over the winter but the fall has made me cautious.
Chess

Glad you were wearing a helmet, sounds like things could have been seriously worse if you hadn't been.

I've got the Snow Studs and part of my journey to work is a steep downhill for a third of a mile. I get up to just under 30mph without any problems. They're a bit noisier though. Other than that, they just feel like normal tyres to me. My car park at work often ends up like a skating rink and I used to walk my bike over it but since I've had the studs I ride over it without any problems.

I've read that you can pull wheelies on ice with them fitted. I'm not foolish (or brave) enough to put that to the test!

I would be interested to hear if anyone has come off their bike on ice with the Snow Studs fitted though.

 

[chess]

ice tyres

Thanks for the reply Caph. It sounds as though studded tyres are the thing for winter wear for bikes. I will look out for some.
chess

 

[Hooligooner]

Sorry to hear about your falls.

Must admit I've not had the courage to cycle since about mid December, until today. Very telling on my fitness levels, had to drop down two extra gears to get up the hill.

 

[Caph]

Hi All
I did not know that studded tyres existed for bikes, are they good enough then to use on icy or slippy roads in the usual way or does one have to apply some cautionary speed limits and not go down hills?

I misread what you were asking, I think. I thought you were asking if you could run at full speed in normal conditions. But you were asking if you could run full speed in icy conditions, right? In which case, I would never cycle downhill at 30mph on an icy road.

I'd still be very cautious even with the studs and would not exceed 10-15 downhill on ice. Scwalbe also sell Ice Spikers which have 300 spikes whereas the Snow Studs have about 100 studs. The spikers let you ride on ice just as you would on tarmac with normal tyres but apparently the spikers are not too pleasant on road though so the Snow Studs are a good compromise. I'd still recommend caution using them but if you're careful I reckon you'll be fine in any conditions, uphill and down.

 

[chess]

Thanks for the extra info re studded tyres Caph. I had not expected to run at full pelt downhill on ice!
The spikes sound too much like a need in countries where snow and ice stay longer than in UK, (I'm glad about that though)
chess