Cycle Commute below zero?

[Andy Bluenoes]

Well, with the temperature dropping to 2 degress this morning, the roads were looking a bit shiny!
Most of my route is on tracks and canals and a bit of road, total 15 miles.

Back new to cycling after, what, 20 years or more...hence the ebike.
Question is, is it mad to continue to use the bike when temps are so low...not so much for getting cold as that's easy to sort out...more thinking staying in one piece!

Tomorrow morning the temp is predicted to be -2c

 

[Warwick]

Depending on your wheel size, there are studded tyres available that will give you a good degree of grip even on icy surfaces. I used some over last winter and they worked well. Schwalbe make the most widely available ones.

Whether you wish to inflict those temperatures on yourself is up to you. I do, but I have invested in some decent clothing to keep the cold and damp at bay.

 

[Andy Bluenoes]

Thanks Warwick, mine are 26 inch, I'll have a look around at options...I assume you can put them on for the winter and leave them, or do you need to keep swapping them back to regular tyres when, as Im sure it will we get a mid winter summer...

 

[chris_n]

You can leave them on no problem. A couple of issues I have had commuting in winter
: sometimes particularly with fresh snow on top of ice the layer that you have grip on can slide on the ice underneath, spiked tyres do not help in these conditions.
: if snow becomes rutted by feet, cyvle wheels, pram wheels or car wheels etc then freezes it can be "interesting".
: you can end up with slush freezing preventing you from being able to change to a different sprocket.
: you can end up with brakes freezing.
: it's fun riding up the hill away from work when no one in a car can get up

 

[Andy Bluenoes]

Ok, think I'll get some as soon as I can.

One more maybe stupid question.....I have slimed my current tyres....is that going to create me problems removing the current tyres......slime everywhere?

 

[RobF]

Ok, think I'll get some as soon as I can.

One more maybe stupid question.....I have slimed my current tyres....is that going to create me problems removing the current tyres......slime everywhere?

No, the slime is in the tubes.

To deflate them, you want to have the valve uppermost, let the slime settle to the bottom of the tube for a minute or two and let the air out slowly.

Warwick has it pretty much nailed with the tyres.

I have Schwalbe studs and they grip well on black ice.

Sounds daft, but you can cycle on a surface that it's difficult to walk on.

Be aware of stopping, you may be cycling OK, but your foot might slip when you try to ground it.

Studded tyres work on ice, but don't offer much more grip than an ordinary tyre on snow.

For that, you need something with studs/spikes and a chunky tread.

Studs can be used in all conditions.

If there's no ice, you pump them up a bit harder which tends to keep the studs away from the road surface.

They roll surprisingly well, although you will get a Rice Crispies sound as you bowl along which can lead to quizzical looks from pedestrians.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I did three years of commuting 30 miles by bike and I never had a problem just using normal tyres. When the snow was deep on the roads, I didn't use my bike. Even when it snowed, the roads were cleared pretty quickly. The roads are salted, so ice is not very common, especially if you stick to main roads. Cycle paths can be very icy when temperatures go below zero, so avoid them then. I can't see any need for studded tyres. By the time you've fitted them, the snow will be gone. More trouble than they're worth if you ask me. If we get another winter like 1963, it'll be a different matter.

 

[Alan Quay]

I did three years of commuting 30 miles by bike and I never had a problem just using normal tyres. When the snow was deep on the roads, I didn't use my bike. Even when it snowed, the roads were cleared pretty quickly. The roads are salted, so ice is not very common, especially if you stick to main roads. Cycle paths can be very icy when temperatures go below zero, so avoid them then. I can't see any need for studded tyres. By the time you've fitted them, the snow will be gone. More trouble than they're worth if you ask me. If we get another winter like 1963, it'll be a different matter.

I've never actually done this, but I have heard that cable ties can work as temporary snow chains on a bike. Only works if you have disk brakes though.

http://lifehacker.com/5719594/zip-tie-snow-tires-the-cheapest-way-to-blizzard-proof-your-bike

You can do something similar on alloy car wheels with rope. I always carry rope of the correct size in the car for this very purpose, as low profile tyres are rubbish in snow.

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[Andy Bluenoes]

Thanks all for the great advice.
Plenty of things to think about.
My biggest problem is the fact that I cant really avoid the tow paths and trail parts of my route without adding another 5 miles on the journey, and then its down either narrow country lanes or mad busy roads with no cycle lanes for the most part.

Tomorrow morning is looking sub-zero, so Im going to take the regular trail route, and go steady and see how it is....I cant face trams!

 

[Crockers]

I did three years of commuting 30 miles by bike and I never had a problem just using normal tyres. When the snow was deep on the roads, I didn't use my bike. Even when it snowed, the roads were cleared pretty quickly. The roads are salted, so ice is not very common, especially if you stick to main roads. Cycle paths can be very icy when temperatures go below zero, so avoid them then. I can't see any need for studded tyres. By the time you've fitted them, the snow will be gone. More trouble than they're worth if you ask me. If we get another winter like 1963, it'll be a different matter.

If you did 30 miles in 3 years I can see why you had no problems. N

 

[Deleted member 17694]

I think you'll instinctively know when it's not a good day for cycling. I cycle in all weather but I'm mostly on grippy gravel with a short distance on a quiet, tarmac back road. I certainly wouldn't want to cycle alongside a canal when it's slippery

One thing I would say and depending on your age (I'm mid-fifties), if you do slip and injure yourself, it takes forever to heal. I've done that and felt really stupid afterwards for taking the risk. So always remember you're health and safety is top priority. There's no disgrace in taking the bus every now and again.

 

[Tabs]

I think you'll instinctively know when it's not a good day for cycling. I cycle in all weather but I'm mostly on grippy gravel with a short distance on a quiet, tarmac back road. I certainly wouldn't want to cycle alongside a canal when it's slippery

One thing I would say and depending on your age (I'm mid-fifties), if you do slip and injure yourself, it takes forever to heal. I've done that and felt really stupid afterwards for taking the risk. So always remember you're health and safety is top priority. There's no disgrace in taking the bus every now and again.

You've convinced me,am taking the car tomorrow, cheers

 

[georgehenry]

I do a 20 mile round trip to work and keep going through the Winter, and use Schwalb Smart Sam Tyres with slime filled tubes on my hard tail electric mountain bike.

I use an off road route to work for my late shifts, returning on the road and have not found the roads too slippy to use and keep the same tyres on year round.

On another 26 inch wheel electric bike that I used in the same way I used Specialised Crossroads Armadillo tyres with slime filled tubes that never punctured.

 

[Sherman]

What a perfect morning for commute, -5 C and few inches of fresh snow. So much fun. It will snow for four days straight :-D We have not had this early snow in 14 years.

On snow you really don't need studded tires. Ice is another matter. But I did not bother to change to studded tires last winter, I could manage with the fat tires. But if it gets really icy this winter, I'll probably go with studded front tire.

 

[anotherkiwi]

I'm glad you are enjoying your -5°C, I am not enjoying +6°C after it being 28°C less than a week ago! It has rained so much periscope, tuba and diving mask are on the short list of equipment...

 

[Andy Bluenoes]

Well, it was minus 2 when I left this morning, the first part of my route was down an untreated road, so took it quite steady.
Then onto the trans pennine trail, again quite icy looking, but it felt ok, so upped the speed a bit, but a fair bit slower than normal.
Then onto the bit I wasn't looking forward to...the canal tow path. Again, it was reflecting back a very frosty look, so took it a lot slower than normal.
No slips or slides so far.

Then onto the main road for the last 4 miles into Manchester, so got up to my usual speed.

Overall journey took around 10 minutes longer, but got there safely, and probably still as quick as the tram, and a lot more enjoyable.

I think I have the right layered clothes apart from the gloves, as I had two pairs of, well, everyday gloves on and my fingers were dropping off when I got to work. Cant buy any new ones yet as the Mrs has sorted my a pair out for xmas.

Think I will hold off on the winter tyres for now, although that view might change on my way home later as snow is forecast.....

 

[Andy Bluenoes]

What a perfect morning for commute, -5 C and few inches of fresh snow. So much fun. It will snow for four days straight :-D We have not had this early snow in 14 years.

On snow you really don't need studded tires. Ice is another matter. But I did not bother to change to studded tires last winter, I could manage with the fat tires. But if it gets really icy this winter, I'll probably go with studded front tire.

View attachment 16318

That does look like fun

 

[JimRides]

Well...
I think I have the right layered clothes apart from the gloves, as I had two pairs of, well, everyday gloves on and my fingers were dropping off when I got to work. Cant buy any new ones yet as the Mrs has sorted my a pair out for xmas...

I had that problem myself today - I wear a pair of decent normal gloves with some fingerless luminous orange "cycling gloves" (Poundland monstrosities) worn over the top of them.

They've been fine all through October but by the end of my journey today I was losing feeling in my fingertips. I may need to invest in better equipment... or get the missus to get some for me!

 

[surfer6900]

I love cycling in the cold crisp mornings. It's the wet windy ones I hate.
I agree, I have a pair of studded tyres, and I've never used them.
We don't have the ice/snow consistency to justify changing them over.
As long as you take it easy, then standard tyres do fine.
As for gloves, if it's really cold, I wear a pair of surgical gloves under my warm ones.
Toasty, but proper sweaty when you arrive at work.

 

[Big Malky]

Well, it was minus 2 when I left this morning, the first part of my route was down an untreated road, so took it quite steady.
Then onto the trans pennine trail, again quite icy looking, but it felt ok, so upped the speed a bit, but a fair bit slower than normal.
Then onto the bit I wasn't looking forward to...the canal tow path. Again, it was reflecting back a very frosty look, so took it a lot slower than normal.
No slips or slides so far.

Then onto the main road for the last 4 miles into Manchester, so got up to my usual speed.

Overall journey took around 10 minutes longer, but got there safely, and probably still as quick as the tram, and a lot more enjoyable.

I think I have the right layered clothes apart from the gloves, as I had two pairs of, well, everyday gloves on and my fingers were dropping off when I got to work. Cant buy any new ones yet as the Mrs has sorted my a pair out for xmas.

Think I will hold off on the winter tyres for now, although that view might change on my way home later as snow is forecast.....

Canal towpath and ice!
If you slide into the canal do you then deploy your inflatable canoe?


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