When the temperature drops, roads develop a new hazard: ice and snow. Some choose not to risk it, and hang up their bikes for the frozen season, but with the right preparation you can keep riding all through winter. Every winter we re-publish our guide to riding when winter is at it’s worst. It comes complete with many years worth of your comments too, there’s plenty of wisdom in there.
Some winter survival tips are about preparation, some about riding technique. Let’s get your bike sorted out first.
Before you ride…
Maximise your contact patch
Fitting fatter tyres, and running them at lower pressures, will increase the size of your contact with the road, so go for the fattest that will fit your frame. If you know you’re going to be riding in snow, then a treaded tyre or even a lightly knobbed mountain bike or cyclocross tyre will give extra grip.
Get studded
Even the best tyres won’t grip sheet ice. If you think you’re going to encounter proper black ice — which has a nasty habit of lurking at the bottoms of hills on minor lanes and anywhere water runs off fields — then get some studded tyres like Schwalbe Marathon Winters or Continental Contact Spikes.
Consider going tubeless
The main benefit is that you can run super-low pressures for ice, and not risk punctures. You can buy specific tubeless rims and tyres, but we’ve had good results with standard rims, tyres, some sealant and a roll of electrical tape. You can only run the DIY version up to about 50psi, but that’s more than enough for ice & snow.
> How to fit tubeless tyres — everything you need to know
For even more bike winterising tips, check out road.cc’s guide to winter-proofing your bike
Flat pedals
You may sacrifice some pedalling efficiency, at least until you get used to the different feel, but you are buying get out of jail extra control if things go wrong. If you can’t live without clipless pedals, then loosening the release tension is another option and double-sided mountain bike pedals with recessed cleats in the shoes are good.
Ever thought about a fixed?
This is the time of year when continuous drive really does come into its own – a fact known to old school roadies through the ages. You can slow a fixed bike down on ice without using the brakes and while maintaining traction and power to the back wheel. That’s a very good thing when it’s slippery.
Get down!
Some people suggest that you lower your saddle slightly, so lowering your centre of gravity. The other advantages of dropping the saddle are that it’s easier to get your feet down flat on the road should you suddenly need to use God’s stabilisers, and less dramatically but just as usefully it makes it easier to start off sitting in the saddle when things are really slippy. That extra weight can the be difference between the getting the traction needed to move and having your back wheel slip with potential painful top tube consequences.
Did we mention it’s cold?
An extra layer on top of what you would normally wear in winter is a good idea. Not only is it much colder than most of us are used to but the state of the roads means you are likely to be riding slower than your normal pace, so you may not be generating the same levels of heat.
Pay particular attention to your hands and feet
Overshoes, thermal socks and winter boots are all a good idea. Cold feet make for a miserable ride. It’s tempting to put extra socks on but layering outside the shoes keep blood flowing to your toes and your feet warmer.
Struggle to keep your feet warm? Check out this guide to warm socks, overshoes and more
Hands
It’s even more important to keep these warm than your feet – trying to control your bike with two blocks of ice on the ends of your arms is not pleasant on any level. Good gloves are a must and glove liners – even inside thermal gloves if you feel the cold – are a good idea too, as are covers over the brake levers and grips (if your bike has flat bars). The benefit here is twofold: not only do they reduce the windchill to your hands but they also reduce the chilling effect on metal brake levers and bars with thin grips. Metal conducts the cold very efficiently, an argument if ever you needed one for upgrading to carbon levers or taking the budget option with some plastic ones.
Shopping for gloves? Have a look at our Buyer’s Guide to winter hand warmers
On the road
Choose your road wisely
You may normally keep to the quieter back roads, but they aren’t usually gritted when the ice and snow hits so in terms of keeping upright they are going to be the most difficult. The main roads will be clearer, even so you still need to take care.
Keep away from the kerb
Riding too close to the kerb is not a good idea at the best of times. It limits your room for manoeuvre and it’s where all the crap from the road tends to accumulate. Even on major roads, the edge may not have been well cleared of snow, and it’s where water pools and freezes so in winter it becomes a real no-no. Where main roads cross minor ones the ice and snow often fans out from the side road in to the carriageway and if you are going to fall off you don’t want to be doing it within head cracking range of a kerbstone.
Give yourself longer to stop
It takes longer to stop safely or even to slow down on icy surfaces. Factor that in to your calculations when approaching junctions or making any other manoeuvre that is going to involve slowing down or stopping. It’s amazing how quickly most people’s brain’s make this adjustment.And remember it’s going to take other people longer to slow down too.
Get a disc-braked bike
If you’re setting up a specific winter bike, then the extra stopping power and control of disc brakes makes them a no-brainer. They’re less affected by the wet than rim brakes.
Choose your line…
…If you can. The simplest way of avoiding problems when riding on icy roads is to choose the dry line. One recent winter saw very cold but dry weather in much of the country, so the roads weren’t uniformly covered in ice. Instead, it was lying in patches on the road or in gutters, or it was run-off that had frozen across the road so the dry line wasn’t always a straight one. Another year, sticking to the dry line was simply impossible, because compacted snow on untreated roads had just frozen. That’s when you have to cope with actually riding on the ice.
Riding over ice
Lay off the front brake
Most of us know the old mantra “your front brake is for slowing down, your back brake is for stopping” but the bit that usually gets missed out is “except on ice where you really don’t want to be losing any of your front wheel’s traction. At all.” Haul on the front brake going over ice and any loss of control at the front is going to be sudden and very hard to recover from.
The ideal thing to do if you find yourself riding across a stretch of icy road is to smoothly pedal through it. If you need to slow down, the ideal thing is to be on a fixed. If you’re not on a fixed then gentle braking on the back is your best bet. In countries where ice is more the norm some cyclists practise making the back step out under hard braking so that they will know what to do when it happens on ice. If you do feel the need to use the front brake use it along with the back and do it so lightly that the front wheel never stops rolling. We’re talking gently scrubbing off speed, as we’ve already said you really don’t want to lose traction at the front.
If the back does step out under braking the first thing to do is stop braking, you also need to make an instant decision to either pedal, or get a foot or even both feet down.
Choose your line (again)
Yes we already said that, but there’s more. If there is a worn or dry line through the ice try to use it, but you may need to make a call here because the dry line may not be in the place you want to be on the road so you will need to proceed with caution. This situation is more likely to apply on minor roads or ones with a steep camber on which heavier vehicles have worn away the ice and snow more on one side; on these roads you would hope that other road users would also be proceeding with extreme caution too.
Don’t let your natural desire to stay on your bike at all costs cloud your judgement
The other thing to consider when choosing your line is the camber of the road. Many of our local roads have a steep off camber that’s fine under normal conditions but when it’s icy means that not only is the ice against you but so is gravity because you are trying to ride across a slope and your tyre’s contact patch is on the side rather than directly underneath you. The best place to be from a traction point of view is on top of the camber which is right in the middle of the road. It may actually be the only place that’s rideable. If it is, use your common sense. On quiet straight roads where you can see and be seen it may be doable, otherwise get off and walk to the next section where you can ride. There’s no dishonour in dismounting.
Keep it smooth
Avoiding sudden changes of direction and maintain a smooth pedalling action – it really pays off. Many experienced ice riders also say that you shouldn’t ride in too low a gear mainly because it’s harder to keep things smooth if you are really spinning the pedals – and potentially the back wheel.
Keep pedalling
Try keeping both feet on the pedals while you are moving. However, you may want to be able to get your feet off quickly to dab the ground and help in correcting any slides. The suggested method of dealing with your front wheel sliding is to relax your ankle on the opposite side to the slide and either dip your knee out or dab your foot to drag the bike out of the slide. In our experience though though this is only going to work at lower speeds, so you might want to keep it down.
Don’t panic!
Keep your head, neck and shoulders relaxed . What you don’t want to do is to stiffen up and get twitchy… twitchiness can cause problems.
If you’re properly equipped riding in the ice and snow is good fun — no, honestly, it is — but it’s not compulsory. You won’t get a medal for it so if you think conditions are too tough give yourself a break and get the bus/tube/walk or stay at home and noodle about on your favourite road cycling website… hopefully that’s this one.
Of course, now you’ve read this it should start warming up any minute! In the meantime, if you have any ice riding tips, don’t be shy – feel free to share them with the rest of us in the comments.
155 thoughts on “How to ride your bike through ice and snow — top tips for safe cycling when the mercury drops”
There was snow and ice on the
There was snow and ice on the BMX track at midday. It didn’t stop me from getting some air.
Nothing here of course. Got
Nothing here of course. Got excited when I saw the forecast for later in the week on Metcheck, then I checked the amount – a whopping 0.7mm… hope they’ve got the snow ploughs ready.
The snow in London quickly
The snow in London quickly turned to slush and was gone. Given the point about not using the front brake and dropping the saddle to lower the centre of gravity made me realise my BMX is an ideal snow bike. As it’s a BMX racer it has no front brake and with its low and light aluminium frame, the centre of gravity couldn’t be much lower.
On the 17th December…all
On the 17th December…all snow had gone from the local main roads in Edenderry (Offaly-IE) and there had been a light frost that seemed to have cleared up…. 😕
One more thing to mention/keep an eye out for, nice shaded areas especially in sharp bends that have gravelly deposits….Mashed Ultegra 6700 STIs (amongst other equipment) and a broken right 5th metacarpal…..ah well at least I managed 24kms before it happened and was only 10kms from home…willing friend + van got me sorted…. :”(
Tony, 0.7mm of snow and
Tony, 0.7mm of snow and Bristol will grind to a halt!
expecting up to 20cm in
expecting up to 20cm in London tonight. Hmm, and I have to ride my bike to tri-club.
Ah well, I think I’ll take the mountain bike and do some jumps on the off-road route – at least there’s some sand underneath!
I’m cycling to work at 3AM
I’m cycling to work at 3AM tomorrow morning (baker!) so these tips should be invaluable!! 🙁
Bruce Kettle wrote:I’m
jeez and i thought i had to get up early (postie)..good luck to yer 😀
Fringe wrote:Bruce Kettle
postie up early? you want to move to plymouth and be a postie here then.
i quite often get my post at 3.30pm / 4pm
i reckon they must stroll into work at about 11.30 am
Here’s some blokes who are
Here’s some blokes who are pretty handy in the snow (last lap of Cyclo-Cross World Cup worth watching):
http://ow.ly/O0w2
VERY icy round our way today – bad enough on two legs, no way I’d have been out there on two wheels (also because the drivers were having massive problems with black ice)
in the local woodland with
in the local woodland with some likemind “experts” for
some snow fun on the old kona rigid …. so many falls
and crashes but laugh …. I’m still chuckling now 🙂
Wheelspin, rear drift, front drift, both (!!) drift, low
side, high side, otb bails. the only missing one was a
looped wheelie – no traction 🙂
Last night was impossible on
Last night was impossible on the side roads here in Cambridge, which had a layer of ice lubricated by rainwater. I could push my bike along in front of me sideways!
I think the only solution would have been a tricycle.
Sorry to say I bottled it
Sorry to say I bottled it today and resorted to the bus… not very brave but in 2 inches of wet london sludge I am dry and warm…
What about metal-spiked
What about metal-spiked tyres?
metal spiked tyres are the
metal spiked tyres are the mutt’s nuts, for sure. but it’s a big outlay for the few days every couple of years you actually need them, and lots of people in *properly* cold countries do without them in the winter…
dave atkinson wrote:
I was skeptical, but been running schwalbe winters the last 4 winters and they are totally worth it. The grip on sheet ice is laughably good. Sure they run slow, knocking 1-2 mph off my average, but the slight tread copes well with late autumns leaf mush and they sound like you’re riding on rice crispies until you hit ice (where they then become silent).
They are a really tight fit on the rims (I guess to allow low pressures), so use some gloves when fitting as the metal spikes will take chuncks out of your hands if you don’t. Also worth buying the bag of replacement spikes with tool. I usually lose 4 or 5 over a winter, but it’s easy to replace them.
dave atkinson wrote:
My set of spiked tires has lasted quite a few years, because they see such intermittent use. That initial outlay was entirely worth being able to ride all of these hard winter days with confidence.
Just be careful cornering! If you bank too much, you won’t be riding on the studs on most studded tires (like the Marathons), and you’ll soon be getting intimate with the road.
recurs wrote:
My set of spiked tires has lasted quite a few years, because they see such intermittent use. That initial outlay was entirely worth being able to ride all of these hard winter days with confidence.
Just be careful cornering! If you bank too much, you won’t be riding on the studs on most studded tires (like the Marathons), and you’ll soon be getting intimate with the road.— dave atkinson
Good advice.
If you’re cornering that hard and fast on ice then you need to get a grip/ deserve a sore arse.
All the above a very good,
😕
All the above a very good, but why not try riding a trike,equipped with a fixed wheel drive like I do. Its marvellous on ice and snow. Good braking control- no need to use the front brake and three wheels gives stability. The cold winter of 1948 encouraged me to convert, never looked back ( except on the road of course)
hey barogerl, got any pics.
hey barogerl, got any pics. of said trike?
Best solution for this
Best solution for this weather is to fit studded tyres – I wouldn’t be without them in these conditions. Grip on ice is superb. I have a pair of Nokian hukkapellitas. If you are worried about getting enough use from them, then you can always plan a holiday in Norway or somewhere nice, where roads covered with ice and water appear every winter…
I have just returned from a
I have just returned from a trip to norway. I was amazed when arriving in Trondhiem guys on Mtb’s hurtling along roads(and pavements)on shiny ice all on tungsten tipped points in the tyre.It took us all our time to stand up.
But I agree the amount of lying snow and ice in this country for a short time would be to spend a lot of cash for 2/3 weeks of the year.
Have had good results
Have had good results commuting on snow and ice with a hybrid fitted with Conti 4 season high silica tyres at low pressure.
Had second thoughts after stopping for an unconscious cyclist who had caught her wheel in an icy rut and banged her head. Just not worth it. Turbo trainer for me below 6C now …
I’ve always fancied
I’ve always fancied Norway!
Just looked up the Hakkapeliittas and notice they are a discontinued line on CRC which is a shame (can’t find them anywhere else online in the UK) – looks like you can buy them from the US though.
Downer if you are somewhere that’s normally mild and wet like the west country is that it’s a big outlay for a a set of tyres you might only use once every five years. Can imagine it’s a different story if you live somewhere like Scotland though. Very tempted to try and get some in – if only to bring on a thaw the moment we fit them.
Tony Farrelly wrote:
Norway’s a beautiful place to cycle. I’m quite far south at Stavanger and it’s pretty much a mild damp climate, with little enough snow that the council close some roads around town as “Sledging hills” for the kids when it occurs (Such as the one 25m from our front door, been out there with Mini-me today) but despite that a lot of the commuter cyclists here either change to their winter bikes (ready equipped with studded tyres, bigger lights, etc) or swap tyres. In an attempt to encourage students to cycle through the winter they gave out free studded tyres for students, front wheel only. They said with a front studded tyre you can happily cycle around on Store Stokkavatnet (towns water resevoir) in safety. I’d not reccomend trying that as it’s been too mild for it to freeze so far this season
Doesn’t need snow to benefit from the studs, even a hard-ish frost and the studs bite through better. I prefer summer rides like this one though https://youtu.be/bgFZffjw6do
Tons of good tips!
A good
Tons of good tips!
A good article and good comments. You are might be interested in an article in the Guardian calls
“Snow beater: put on your knobbliest tyres and get pedalling”: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2010/jan/06/tips-cycling-in-snow
As this link is spreading
As this link is spreading around Germany I would like to add another link with 30 helpful hints about cycling in snow. The Blog http://www.radgaragen.de is in German only, but might be interesting for some Austrians, Swiss and Germans, who are passing by this side.
I don’t agree chaps. I put
I don’t agree chaps. I put the fixed away for the winter,
Drop bars mean you go down hard face first. More upright MTB position and wide bars means if I skid the back tends to go first and worst case I end up on my arse
Fixed gives me less control as I stop pedalling when it slides and try and put a foot down so the back locks up.
skinny tyres give up grip so quick I can’t react in time, knobblies seem to be more progressive.
gotta say I think flat bars
gotta say I think flat bars are the way to go for winter… as I prepare to head out in to the snow on my drops 😕
I also don’t believe that
I also don’t believe that riding fixed gives any real advantage. Whilst you might get a little bit more notice of the back tyre breaking loose, you won’t necessarily be able to do anything about it. Mixing fixed with flat pedals is also asking for trouble unless you really know what you are doing!
I have just taken delivery of a pair of Schwalbe Marathon Winter studded road tyres (70 euro from http://www.bike24.de; arrived in 5 days) which I’m running in now. At 65psi they are only a little bit slower than normal tyres and make a strange hissing sound on tarmac, which I quite like. Now I’m not so worried about the sheet-ice that had me off several times last year (whilst riding fixed!) :O
“Road bike tyres have a
“Road bike tyres have a larger contact patch on the road than a more knobbly mountain bike tyre”
Just trying to get my head round this. Is that really true? I know which I’d rather cycle with on an icey day. MTB every time.
Hi, first post.
I live in
Hi, first post.
I live in Norway, close to Hamar.
My winter bike is an old Cannondale M900 rigid fork MTB. Flat bars, Nokian Hakkapelitta Extreme 296 tires on low pressure. Those give a reasonable grip on ice. I use SPD pedals, since wrestling the bike about on snowy forest singletrack is easier when clipped in and, well, I tend to fall off when I try to ride flat pedals.
Now, if the temperature would rise somewhat form the – 15-20 we’ve had the last month or so I might get some outdoor riding done. Now it’s trainer and riding on Norway’s only indoor 200 m running track that makes me survive.
Hi Valentino, good to hear
Hi Valentino, good to hear from you – so riding on the running track… is it crowded?
Hi Tony,
Luckily nobody’s
Hi Tony,
Luckily nobody’s running on the track while we ride.
We’ve been 48 om the track at the same time this season. By following these rules everything goes fine: Drinking on the infield only.
Lanes 1&2 < 30 km/h, lanes 3&4 32-34 km/h and lanes 5&6 37-38 km/h. Maximum number of riders in one paceline is 10.
They sound like sensible
They sound like sensible rules Valentino – what’s the weather like there at the mo, it’s turned very mild and very wet in these parts which brings its own problems.
Good point about shaded spots and gravel The_Kaner, hope that metacarpal is on the mend?
Is it worth it?
My mate broke
Is it worth it?
My mate broke his neck of femur after slipping on ice 2 weeks ago. Really bad one that, had to be sliced open and pinned. 3 days in hospital. Set his Marmotte training back 6 weeks at least.
We estimate ice causes on average 1,666 serious injuries (by which we mean emergency admission to a hopsital bed), not just emergency department attendance in England every year.
Dont think I’ll be risking the 2 week training camp I’ve just booked on Majorca for the sake of one training ride or a commute to work! I like riding too much!
Rob Benington
NHS Bristol
Injury Prevention Manager
Hmm – should have read this
Hmm – should have read this before I set off this morning! Ended up on my backside going round a corner on the junction of two major roads – at about 5mph! For some reason the council had gritted all the roads apart from this one corner and it was covered in ice! Thankfully not much damage – apart from my pride! Wishing I’d not got rid of my old knackered MTB now.
bike24.com always have stock
bike24.com always have stock of winter spiked tyres.
or you could try the
or you could try the instructables DIY method:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Pop-Rivet-Ice-Tires-for-Your-Road-Bike/
I was always a die hard ice
I was always a die hard ice cycler and thought I could cope with skids. Yesterday went down twice in quick succession half a mile from home as the mercury fell below zero while out.
Walked back, hand not right so went to A and E, I have broken 2 fingers! 4 to 6 weeks off the bike too. Will stick to the turbo when it’s icy from now on, going out is just not worth the risk!
:”(
Why not the simplest
Why not the simplest solution, ride a trike, I do and have one with a fixed wheel. Marvellous on ice, not so good when the snow is thick.
Went out for a spin in Surrey
Went out for a spin in Surrey early Saturday morning. It was a beautiful bright day and I had plenty of layers on but after about 10 miles my fingers and toes started to go numb so I headed home. While I was warming up in the kitchen the local radio informed me it was minus fourteen. I stayed in bed on Sunday. Later on I washed my bike and noted, with pleasure, that with a bucket of soapy water and a selection of brushes you can completely clean a filthy bike in under 10 minutes. Excellent!
Social ride mayhem today. The
Social ride mayhem today. The guy in front of me seemed to twist on the spot, it was invevitable that at least six of us were going down. Losing weight may make it easier going up hills, but that lack of padding on the hip is throbbing now! I had my glasses in my back pocket too, so they were toast, luckily my phone was on the other side. It was still a pleasure to be out though, all part of the fun.
I find that my SPDs get
I find that my SPDs get frozen solid!!! Ahh then the only way is down, found that pre soaking in GT85/WD helps but not if is is really cold and slushy out there. Also why is it that going down like a sack of spuds aways hurts so much more when the temp drops below 5c????
Buy a pair of studded tyres
Buy a pair of studded tyres … they will last several years, so well worth it if you really must cycle in sub-zero temps. I won’t go out in standard tyres when there is any risk of ice … its far too dangerous, particularity when mixing with other traffic. Yes, I’m a wimp… 😐
Up to now we have had no s**w
Up to now we have had no s**w or b***k i*e anywhere on my commute in 👿 but I doubt it will keep that way much longer
Has anyone found there rear
Has anyone found there rear mech front mech sticking / moving slowly when changing during the cold weather? I thought mine was just muck that had sprayed up from the road but checked them both when I got back home and both were muck free and worked ok indoors once it had been in the warm room after about 30 mins.
Yes I found that last year
Yes I found that last year when it was bitterly cold for weeks on end. I also thought it was all the muck that had frozen on. It was as if my chain had gone completely solid. Horrible weather. (I have to say my mech and chain could not be described as muck free at that point!)
These tips are great but
These tips are great but after coming off a few times on ice and more recently just in the wet I can’t help but tense up a little when I’m unsure of whats beneath me.
The times I have come off have been when turning so the wheels haven’t been straight but I get nervous in a straight line sometimes now. Flat pedals are a really good idea, at least you have half a chance of getting a foot on the floor if things start going pear shaped and if you do need to walk for a bit you can do it easily.
Yup, I get quite nervous now
Yup, I get quite nervous now after coming off on ice a couple of times in the past. :-/ Crazy really, considering I’ve been commuter riding for over ten years now. Keep telling myself to pull myself together and stop being so stupid – I know it means that I’m more likely to have a ‘moment’. :-/ Ah well, just got to keep riding through it and hopefully one day my head will win! 🙂
Every year you come put with
Every year you come put with this and every year like an admonishing parent I say “advice for riding on ice? Don’t do it!!”
I came off in dry warm conditions 2 months ago at 10 mph, broke 2 ribs and was off the bike for 3 weeks. I’ve come off twice on ice: Once on the way to a club run when I didn’t realise it was icy. Skinned an elbow but nothing broken.
The second time was on a CX bike when a mate and I thought we were on clear road and then looking back we could see that the whole road caught the light and was just ice. I came down so fast on that occasion I didn’t realise I had come off until I found myself sitting in the road. Knackered helmet where I’d whacked the back of my head on the ice and a stiff neck for 3 days. So. Just leave it! It aint worth it.
On the other hand – riding on snow on a CX or mountain bike is safe when it’s new and lots of fun – so go ahead with that. Just wrap up warm.
I was riding down a minor
I was riding down a minor road on the North Downs last winter on my CX with studded tyres, it was sheet ice – a Range Rover came around the corner, skidded as it braked and ran into the opposite verge. The trouble is 4×4 drivers don’t appreciate that big, heavy vehicles are harder to slow down.
I’ve listed my own set of
I’ve listed my own set of guidance for ice and snow conditions below:
1. Get permission to ride from neighbour and/or property occupier.
2. Lay down turbo trainer mat.
3. Change in blue turbo trainer tyre
4. Set-up turbo trainer.
5. Don’t forget to set up the circulator fan.
6. Ensure that all paintings are firmly placed and don’t catch the fan draft, dropping on you and smashing expensive whiskey everywhere.
I was supposed to be doing the Chieveley ride this morning but they cancelled due to the adverse conditions. :/
REALLY glad I spent a few
REALLY glad I spent a few hours fixing up my old 80’s el-cheapo steel MTB a few weeks back – huge wheels, vast knobbly tyres, & stupidly low gearing – done me proper proud on my 10 mile commute in the snow today – deffo way quicker than the car’s I passed, – what price an old dodgy BSO now eh? 😀
Schwalbe Ice Spikers. Bought
Schwalbe Ice Spikers. Bought in a summer sale 4 years ago, just before the latest spell of hard winters.
Out tomorrow for 60km off road. It’s become something of a regular winter ritual and is about the most fun you can have with your clothes on!
Icy cobbles.
Almost
Icy cobbles.
Almost impossible to even push the thing without it rocketing onto it’s side – never mind RIDE it.
Oh – and:
Beware of slalom-ing cars. In my experience, they’ll rather slide into a cyclist than into another car. We’re softer.
Be careful out there people – and good luck!
Happy 2013.
Haha – just got my Schwalbe
Haha – just got my Schwalbe spiked tyres for next weeks strathpuffer 24 – going to glen tress Monday so hopefully it will all work 👿
Anyone out there tried the
Anyone out there tried the trick of putting a load of tyraps (nylon cable ties) around the tyre and rim? – read this somewhere last year – sounds like it should work
Really? Cable-ties around the
Really? Cable-ties around the tyre and rim? So what happens when you brake?
P.R.
Divn’t gan oot
Divn’t gan oot
Two bits of incorrect science
Two bits of incorrect science in your story:
1) knobbly tyres and smooth have the same contact area. contact area is just weight divided by pressure regardless of tyre shape or size
2) here’s the big urban myth. a lower centre of gravity DOES NOT make you more stable. it does if you’ve got four wheels, but not two or two legs. the higher your centre of gravity THE MORE SLOWLY you will fall over (ok, so it will hurt more when you land). try balancing a broomstick on your palm, then try it with a matchstick. which one’s more stable?
+100 for a pair of schwalbe
+100 for a pair of schwalbe studded tyres. Keep me going every year when it snows. I’m lucky to have a spare set of wheels for them to live on. First sign of snow/ ice every year get em thrown on the mountainbike. I wouldn’t dream of taking the road bike out.
good stuff
good stuff
Put studded tyres on for the
Put studded tyres on for the first time this winter, and they have proved their worth a few times.
Not least on mornings like today when it seemed Ok with no frost on the cars, but as I got into the sticks and slightly further inland there was lots of frost and black ice. The tyres and bike never even blinked.
I bought mine from Germany at almost half the UK price and had them within two days.
On the days when it’s not icy they just roll almost as well as normal tyres, and the extra resistance is good base training isn’t it?
Other tips.
Keep the bike clean and lubed as much as possible. Before the winter.
Give it a service and make sure the cables are well greased and lubed. I have had my back brake freeze up on at least one ride to work this year
Full mudguards and a huge front mudflap keep the bike and feet/legs a lot cleaner and drier. May look fugly but works. Rear flap too if you are riding in a group.
Schwalbe Marathon studded
Schwalbe Marathon studded tyres work on ice. Ordinary tyres, even if they are wide and low pressure, will still fail on proper ice.
Came off again before
Came off again before Christmas. Skinned my elbow again. Finally learnt my lesson. Road bikes and icy roads do not mix whatever your fancy riding skills plonkers and tyre specialists say. Buy some rollers.
MercuryOne wrote:Came off
I half-agree with you. I never go out for training/fun rides in icy weather (or when visibility is very poor for that matter) and indoor training comes in handy here. On the other hand if you’ve actually got somewhere to be the rollers aren’t much help.
+If you don’t already, wear a
+If you don’t already, wear a helmet. (A slow speed fall off your own bike is one circumstance covered by the otherwise feeble EU helmet standard!)
Road bikes and icy roads do
I’ve had a few winter falls in many years of riding, and I’m very cautious about ice these days. Studded tyres have been a game changer for me. We had a sudden freeze about a month ago, and pedestrians were falling over all around me in the local supermarket carpark. I was able to cycle home without any problems (including a section of cyclepath covered in sheet ice).
It makes sense to avoid the ice if you can, but unfortunately a set of rollers are not going to get me to work!
Having just heard about a
Having just heard about a friend of a friend being knocked off by a car today. I’m a little angrier than usual apologise. It makes me wonder what’s more dangerous this time of year. I’ve been out road cycling 3 times this week and negotiated ice sleet and snow albeit slowly and with larger tyres to no ill effect. It should be complusory for every driver of undertaking any vehicle driving test to do a days cycling in mixed urban and rural conditions to gain awareness and understanding of cyclists movement’s and vulnerability. Come on local government/DVLA get with the program people are quite literally dying ! Of course it’s no good getting on your soap box like me, you’ve actually got to do something. How about Following this link to petition your local councillor to do more http://www.ctc.org.uk/campaign/space-for-cycling
http://www.tinpony.co.uk/shop
I lived my first 20something
I lived my first 20something years in a country where there is proper snow and ice (Slovakia) and got to say that apart from a few good points, this article is loads of boollsheet. I love(d) riding on ice and snow and at dark in the village I lived and miss it very much here in London.
There’s so many ill-advice in the article to correct, that I don’t know where to start.
First is that you don’t take a roadbike out to ride on snow and ice. If you can do that, it is not proper snow or ice, or you really are a dumb stupid dude. No matter what tyres you fit on, a roadbike will never be as handy as an MTB or even just a flatbar hybrid commuter.
You do stick to side roads. And ride in the middle of the lane. Stay away from main roads. All the grit and slush snow gets ploughed to the side. The space available on road is less, and you don’t want to ride there, or have cars passing you even closer than on a summer day.
Don’t have any experience with fixies on snow, and don’t think that is a good idea either. Lower saddle height that makes it easier to jump off the bike if you grind to a halt half way up a hill, or need to put your feet down half way down and slightly lower tyre pressure is useful.
You should be well dressed for the cold, but also, try to maintain a steady pace that will keep you warm. Don’t overdo and get sweaty too much. You might get a nasty cold. Watch for your breathing, try not to grasp in huge amounts of cold air. Get a scarf in front of your mouth.
Slow down for cornering, don’t lean the bike in too much.
Always use brakes/control speed downhills.
And it is inevitable. Your hands and feet will get cold at least once, and you better learn how to operate brakes and shifters with no feeling in them. It is possible to do and will serve you for the rest of your riding life (as it did me on my way down the Tourmalet during last years Etape).
Wear clear lense glasses.
Check your brake compound/rubber. It might freeze stiff and may need a bit of warming up when braking.
Deep snow and wet snow got some grip. Go easy on any bumps, they might ‘throw’ your front and rear sideways to skid if you don’t go straight over them.
Learn to skid the rear and to stay straight and upright.(Got a hilarious story about my teenage cousin) I
f you skid the front, there’s not much I can tell you. Try to counter steer to get the bike straight again, release both brakes, try to get the feet down, but most importantly learn to fall 🙂
I’ve been riding in cold up to -15C, slight to moderate snowfall, gritted and non-gritted roads, where there was 10-20cm of pressed, hard snow. On country lanes, off-road and on all kind of ice, including black-ice covered with fresh snow and hands behind my back on my way home from the train station in the dark. And I did fell more times than what I can count.
Any questions or disagreement? I will be glad to discuss.
N+1 =
N+1 = 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀
Sub-25lb, 5″ tyred fatty eats full-sussers for breakfast.
Riding on the road when there’s ice is simply foolhardy if you don’t have studded tyres. If you have the option to head offroad, forget the miles and enjoy the fun.
Most of us know the old
Most of us know the old mantra “your front brake is for slowing down, your back brake is for stopping”
So So Wrong.
It’s the other way around.
Just try it for yourself (on a good surface of course) and you’ll stop much quicker with the front than the rear.
However, in icy conditions you should avoid the front brake, because it’s so powerful.
davebinks wrote:Most of us
Agreed. In most conditions the back brake is almost useless for stopping by comparison to the front. Once it gets slippery enough to lock the front wheel (rather than lifting the rear) the back brake becomes useful for stopping so it’s relevant to mention it in this article in that context.
I’ve been riding on cycle
I’ve been riding on cycle tracks Tarmac and dirt with continental sport contact 32c and had no issues really been fairly impressed with them. Best advice from all the spills I’ve had is keep seated especially when pedalling up hill. It’s so embarrassing falling off but when there’s several dog walkers laughing at you it tends to focus the mind a little. Lol
http://www.tinpony.co.uk/news/
Read this!
Read this!
Helping me get through my first Canadian winter
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Frostbike-Pain-Numbness-Winter-Cycling/dp/1771600489
Just get an MTB and fit it
Just get an MTB and fit it with Schwalb Ice Spiker Pro tires then go out all winter. 50kms on frozen rivers at -20C (yes its fun, in the right clothing!) Leave the roadie nice n clean on the turbo trainer.
Riding fixed is essential
Riding fixed is essential element of controlled riding on ice – based on riding 1-gear almost continuously since 1985.
The other is that a ‘tenacious’ rubber on a slick tyre gives the best grip (maximised contact patch) – very much akin to the use of moleskins on XC skis / walking boots when travelling on ice. When I skied up Cairngorm my companion had moleskins and I had to rely on low temperature wax and edges to get grip – for every traverse he made I had to make 3 at shallower gradient. Still it was fun to get to summit cairn without using the ski tow.
There is also a motor vehicle tyre version of moleskins, a sort of ‘fleece’ condom that slips over the tyre and is less damaging (and lighter) than snow chains. Not aware of similar system for bikes but that would work with hub/disc brakes.
Bike tyres do not require sipes to clear water from the contact patch area and knobbly tyres have even less grip on smooth pavements.
Heatshrink over brake levers
Heatshrink over brake levers is another way to reduce the cold feel as heat is conducted away from your fingers. However there may not be clearance on STI road shifters.
I’m on studded tyres at the moment. Wow they’re draggy, especially if even slightly soft.
I was super careful but still
I was super careful but still went down twice hard on the same commute on black ice last January. I’m in the car now when the dew point is plus/minus 2 degrees below zero. Not worth the risk
Slicks all year for me, snow,
Slicks all year for me, snow, ice whatever, you just have to be careful, understand when you need to have a foot out as an outrigger and when to just get off for certain bits. On occasion I’ve used the MTB in compacted snow with wide tyres and low pressures, freshly laid snow is easy, compacted is a bastard especially at night when it’s super smooth due to freezing over after melting slightly.
Had one off coming down a 7% country lane at the back of where I live (it goes to the supemarket in the next town) as it was a proper ice rink with compacted thaw freeze snow but I was being a dick going too fast, should have just stuck to the grass verge.
Even then it can bite you.. I
Even then it can bite you.. I used to commute all year around between Edinburgh and Livingston, low tread tyres on a single spped and only ever had a few offs over the years due to ice but always bounced. Last December, 6:30am on a cold morning … I had just negotiated the worst coner on the commute only to find it relatively ice free. The next corner, a long sweeping left hander that ‘was’ always fine had a big sheet of black ice on the apex. Front wheel went, I hit the deck. Got back up but couldn’t get on the bike.. I’d broken my femur and now have a bunch of metal work in my left hip area. It has left me nervous of ice and in pain most days. Still cycling but now avoid bad days.
Best advice when there is
Best advice when there is snow. Lock the road bike away and get the Fatbike out!
Take the car out and do some
Take the car out and do some donuts and handbrake drifts if front of the local kids who can’t drive shit with all their electronics on.
More fun than cycling in the snow anyway.
Surely it should read “The
Surely it should read “The rear brake is for slowing down, the front brake is for stopping”?
Last time I made the effort
Last time I made the effort to cycle into the office on a snow day, only about 1 in 10 people made it in. It’s pointless making the effort – work from home (if you can) like the train commuters will.
Why is it so hard to get hold
Why is it so hard to get hold of 700c studded tyres? The Continental Nordic Spike look like a good option, but seem to be unavailable at all the major sites.
TheSmallRing wrote:
They’re hard times get hold of in the UK because so few people need or want them. I have some schwalbe studded tyres which I ordered from Rose in Germany. Even with the international shipping a pair cost about the same as buying a single tyre would have cost in the UK.
I bought myself a pair of
I bought myself a pair of Schwalbe Marathon studded tyres last winter and really enjoyed riding on them. Very reasonable price I thought. I live 1000m asl in Southern Germany and we get some long winter months so being able to go out on your bike and not having to worry about the many ice patches is great. The grip from the studs is outstanding and hard wearing and I didn’t loose one stud yet. You get some great looks from people who can hardly walk on an icy road and you can cycle by without problems!
But with spike tyres you have
But with spike tyres you have to be very careful dismounting, unless you are wearing spikes on your shoes then they will have far less grip than the bike.
Alternatively buy a turbo
Alternatively buy a turbo trainer. You will get a lot fitter on the turbo than slip, sliding away on snow and ice.
Snow and ice = Drive to work.
Snow and ice = Drive to work. Ride inside.
I am getting miles better quality rides in on the turbo at the moment. EVen if I can only get 40 mins in it’ll be 40 good minutes with no coasting or backing off.
At the moment I’m rehabing a shoulder injury, I really can’t be doing with hitting the floor when snow and ice come. Did it a couple of years ago and it literally took a year for my hip to settle down after my front end washed out with a vengeance and slammed me on my side harder than I’d ever gone down and that includes MTB jump wipeouts. Age is a bastard.
I have one rule for icy
I have one rule for icy conditions: catch the train.
I could have done with this
I could have done with this article last weekend, out on disc equipped road bike on bigger winter tyres, very frosty was riding carefully for the conditions but still managed to lose the front end on black ice and break my collarbone as a result. Managed to cycle 14 miles home, shower defrost and head to A&E. Love cycling on crisp sunny winter mornings but suddenly turbo training now makes a whole lot of sense! Am now looking for a cheap indoor setup to keep me going til I can get back out on road and MTB.
I find the best thing for
I find the best thing for snow and ice is to stay at home!
“You can slow a fixed bike
“You can slow a fixed bike down on ice without using the brakes and while maintaining traction and power to the back wheel. “
Who writes this rubbish? You only slow down on fixed without using brakes by easing the power off, you will not slow down if you keep the power on, basic physics.
Welsh boy wrote:
Simple, you just apply less power than you need to sustain your speed, but just keep it all rolling along with more feel as to what’s going on.
Today’s lesson is that if you scrape along a kerb hidden in the snow, you’re going to fall off, but with a slippy landing it will hurt less than you expected (but not much)
Having spent many years
Having spent many years living in Norway I would humbly suggest avoiding cycling in snow and ice unless you have studded tyres. And even then carefully, unless you’re 9!
And when the snow clears from the main roads and its dries out again, be very careful of shadowed areas where it can be a few degrees colder and may stil be icy.
Broken hips take a while to mend…
In the UK I’d generally agree
In the UK I’d generally agree you need more caution if your council don’t deal with snow / ice effectively. My one does manage to do grit some cycle paths and even cleared the cycle lanes (once). Not everywhere was safe though.
If there is sufficient snow and separated facilities it’s actually fine (look at what they do in Finland).
Suggestions on how to stop
Suggestions on how to stop snow jamming up under your mudguards?
brooksby wrote:
I wish I knew. In about a decade of winter commuting (ice, snow, temperatures sometimes down to -30 °C) I’ve had the snow pack up so tight under there that I could no longer pedal maybe two or three times. It seems when conditions are perfect for it, it’s going to happen. Some kinds of snow don’t even begin to build up in there, some start packing it full instantly. If you can’t increase the mudguard clearance, you’ll get stuck.
If it’s a disc brake bike with 700C wheels, you could get a 650B wheelset and keep winter tyres on it of a comparable width, that would gain close to 2 cm of clearance (but beware pedal strike due to the same amount of bottom bracket drop.) You could even go a little wider for just 1 cm of extra clearance and BB drop.
Even worse than snow in the mudguards was the time the air must have cooled my bike to well below freezing, but it hadn’t been freezing for long so there were still some liquid puddles. I rode through a two inch deep puddle and the water instantly froze to my tyres, rims, and cantilever brake pads! The layer was at least a couple of millimetres thick. That took a good ten minutes of chipping away before I could start riding again, not fun when the air is below -10 °C.
brooksby wrote:
I used to see an old boy around town who had a small scrubbing brush taped to the underside of his mudguard just off the tyre for that purpose, unfortunately never saw him in the snow so I don’t know how effective it was.
brooksby wrote:
Remove the mudguards for riding in snow. You’ll likely be wearing a waterproof coat, so having snow kicked up from your back wheel shouldn’t be much of an issue.
Thanks to everyone.
Thanks to everyone.
TBH Peter, I don’t seriously imagine for one single solitary moment that we’ll get snow here in Bristol. Ever again…
brooksby wrote:
I live in hope for some as the weather is doing crazy things nowadays
Just not worth risking weeks
Just not worth risking weeks or months off the bike with some stupid injury!
Christopher TR1 wrote:
Sadly I don’t get paid if I don’t show up for work so I ride regardless of the weather but obviously there is always the option to get off and walk the most dangerous bits.
I do however get full pay for up to 6 months if I’m off sick so it’s swings and roundabouts I guess.
There is also something very satisfying in getting about when the snow is so bad all the motor vehicles are stuck.
“Ever thought about a fixed?
“Ever thought about a fixed? This is the time of year when continuous drive really does come into its own – a fact known to old school roadies through the ages. You can slow a fixed bike down on ice without using the brakes and while maintaining traction and power to the back wheel. That’s a very good thing when it’s slippery.”
Can someone explain that to me – a total load of dogmatic tosh IMO – . Whether you slow the wheel down with the brakes or the chain makes no difference to the tyre/road interface.
Using fixed wheel to slow
Using fixed wheel to slow down gives you better feel of when the tyre is about to slip, the brakes will lock the wheel before you realise and then you have to release them to try to gain traction again.
Using fixed wheel to slow
Using fixed wheel to slow down gives you better feel of when the tyre is about to slip
I’m never going to be in any position to dispute this and I’m 70 already, and I think it highly likely that the great majority on here won’t be riding fixed and never have. I think a substantial period of learning would be required before the tyro will experience this ‘better feel’ on an icy road
wtjs wrote:
I have ridden a unicycle (they’re inevitably fixed wheel apart from some crazy designs) in the snow and you do get a feel for the amount of grip until you suddenly don’t have any. It kind of works as a single tyre at high pressure can cut through thin ice to reach the underlying surface but turning is tricky as you need to keep it really smooth (one method of turning involves twisting your hips which is great for manouevrability but useless for snow).
Never too late to learn and
Never too late to learn and the Fylde is a great place for fixed with rolling countryside rather than big hills.
Nice theory, doubt it works
Nice theory, doubt it works with black ice, you’ll be picking yourself off the tarmac before you even knew you’d lost traction.
Its not magic, it only works
Its not magic, it only works with the grip there is so if you don’t know you’re on black ice and try to turn you will still come off but if you do know you can hold a straight line and gradually slow down. As others have said you do need some experience but then you’re not really a cyclist if you can’t ride fixed are you 😉
Piece of cake, everyone will
Piece of cake, everyone will have fitted their studded tyres (having ordered in June), right?
https://www.cyclinguk.org/article/cycle-tyres-winter-snow-and-ice
(I didn’t. Again…)
Up in North Lancashire now
Up in North Lancashire now the roads are slush if they’ve had any traffic and are now starting to freeze hard. The pavements and footpaths over fields and by the canal were converted to knobbly sheet ice by overnight sleet falling on previously dry frozen ground and even at midday were difficult to walk on. The pavements were almost impassable at the trivial sideways gradient where the kerbs have been removed for house exits, so everybody was walking on the slushy roads. I’ve got pretty good fixed feet and I’m having to do tiny steps to stay up without Microspikes on, so these fixie riders must be really good.
I recommend a trike! Safer
I recommend a trike! Safer than walking, lower height to fall from if you did AND potentially much warmer if you put a cover on!
https://www.aviewfromthecyclepath.com/2016/01/sometimes-winter-weather-is-so-bad-that.html?m=1
Marathon Winter tyres, 700 x
Marathon Winter tyres, 700 x 40mm made this seem almost like the snow and ice wasn’t there.
I did get a bit over confident at one stage, put too much power on during a turn and felt the back end starting to slide … eased off the power and the tyres did their stuff.
Try not to use the front
Try not to use the front brake as you steerage if the wheel is not revolving around just as any motor vehicles stay in the higher gears for traction like a fixer is in high gear for good traction and slowing down slowly not a sudden stop.
In the last cold spell we did
In the last cold spell we did some gravel riding, which was fine until we got to the last few miles home when we hit frozen field runoff sprayed across the road on a hill. I was ready to dismount but stuck with it. Had a bit of wheel spin even sitting down, but it wasn’t sheet ice. 42mm tubeless at about 30psi. Convinced I wouldn’t have stayed on with Conti 5000TL 25mm.
I do wonder if a season of gravel riding has made me more comfortable going with the bike where we need to go to stay upright.
Best reply.
Best reply.
Marathon winter. Works
Marathon winter. Works miracles. The only problem is that they’ll bite you in the behind when there’s no compacted snow/ice. Where I am that makes them an iffy proposition because depending on the winter, there’s only a week or so that they’re really useful. But during that week, nothing else really helps.
In early December 2022 there
In early December 2022 there was also a lengthy cold spell. Then, the roads soon pulled moisture out of the air and paths and roads became icy and dangerous. So far, here in Lancashire, the well used roads have remained dry and safe and the Marathon Plus feel secure. I daren’t go up into the very attractive local hills, after I was lucky to escape a hard fall on ice without a hip fracture 3 years ago. I spoke to a 35 year old who had fractured his hip in a fall that same season. I am tempted by these reports of Marathon Winter, even though they won’t get much use and it would be tedious changing them frequently.
.
.
Yup, Beacon Fell is brill, isn’t it?
.
Spiked tires. They’re a pain
Spiked tires. They’re a pain 95% of the year (where I am) because noisy, draggy, heavy, fast-wearing but when it’s freezing and there’s snow/ice they’re the only game in town.
If there is maybe 2 inches of
If there is maybe 2 inches of snow or frost, I sometimes do interval training on my cyclo cross bike on local playing fields – usually in evenings. One plus point of snow is that it gives good levels of visibility in the dark.
There is a bloke at work who
There is a bloke at work who fell off his bicycle on ice and damaged his knee. He can walk but will never be able to run or cycle again. Don’t become that bloke at work, if there is any risk of ice then take the car, you can always cycle tomorrow or next week.
neilmck wrote:
My MiL broke her wrist when
My MiL broke her wrist when scraping ice off the car, she slipped and went straight down very quickly on to her wrist.
You can slip on ice when walking or hit a tree when driving on ice and lose control.
Maybe work from home and not go upstairs.
This. There’s no good way to
This. There’s no good way to ride on snow. You’ll always end up on your ass. I’ve had enough road rash and scary views of cars coming the other way while I’m lying in the road to know.
espressodan wrote:
Yes but there’s a good way to glide on snow. If it is forecast snow then get the touring/Telemark skis and boots out ready just in case it settles.
Or
Or
MTB commuter/utility rider me
MTB commuter/utility rider me. Any good mud tyre works well in snow, and is a lot of fun, but once it gets icy, then it’s time for metal spikes. Melty slush, neither work particularly well.
espressodan wrote:
I’ve ridden on snow loads of times and fallen off just a handful of times. Usually I’ve got more clothing on when it’s cold and snowy, so falling off is more likely to damage the bike than me.
neilmck wrote:
We need to know: how much more dangerous is cycling in winter vs. other times of the year? Then: how much do knee and elbow protectors and full-face helmets help? Then: what are the relative rates of injury for cycling, driving, walking (or yak-ing?) in the snow. Then: what about the rates for different types of cycles (trike vs. bike) etc.
Then make a rational decision taking into account the other trade-offs (are you worried about running over people – if so maybe skip the car etc)
chrisonabike wrote:
I tried using a Tauntaun’s insides to keep away the cold, but they’re only Lukewarm
I’ve got one. Don’t go left
I’ve got one. Don’t go left at a junction that you know is always wet when it’s -2C and the road is ungritted. Quite like this morning.
If you are a pro and about to
If you are a pro and about to start a one day classic race in the snow, then make sure you have the best tyres and tyres pressure. Don’t take unnecessary risks and wear plenty of warm layered gear, which you can remove nearer the finish.
If you aren’t a pro try to avoid cycling in the snow. The potential downside outweighs any good.
If you must ride outside, how about riding round a local park on a cyclocross or mountain bike (there is no traffic and it only hurts a bit of you fall off). One advantage of snow is good night visibility .
Mr Blackbird wrote:
On disc brakes – if you have
On disc brakes – if you have mechanical brakes with the cable running along the chainstay, be careful when you wash and store your bike. Water can and will get under the cable housing and freeze, meaning your back brake either doesn’t go on, or doesn’t come off.
If you are riding a quiet
If you are riding a quiet country lane or fire road while there is snow on the road, ride where there are animal tracks. The snow will be firmer there.
Unless the tracks are bear tracks. Then turn around. Trust me. The bears in the SoCal mountains don’t hibernate, but they do get hungry. Same with mountain lions.
I got a pair of bar mitts for
I got a pair of bar mitts for my flat bar commuter, they’re brilliant.
roboito wrote:
+1 – a Godsend. Not everybody is aware that they are also available for drop bar bikes (I have some) and they are quite incredible at virtually removing windchill as well as keeping hands dry in the worst deluge.
Get yer sen a fixed gear with
Get yer sen a fixed gear with wide tyres and slow using legs not brakes. Traction for days.
Get yer sen a fixed gear with
Get yer sen a fixed gear with wide tyres and slow using legs not brakes
Or, alternatively, ignore the ‘when I were a lad we didn’t need wheels, just slid around on old tin cans’ brigade and don’t -on account of them being useless in almost all circumstances, will be slower on almost any practical course you can imagine, and will make anyone but the most familiar with the old fixed wreckage (and they already have one) more likely to fall off in the ice and snow
Is your assertion that a
Is your assertion that a fixed wheel is useless in almost all circumstances? Or tin cans? I’d understand the latter, but I assure you my entirely maintenance free fixed wheel commuter is very useful, and seemingly speed isn’t a problem given how many people I pass on my commute even when they have access to 20+ gears. Maybe it’s all the years of riding fixed through the year have just made my legs super strong ? Of course I understand a fixed wheel has it’s limitations but there is nothing that comes close for practicality as a commuter. 35mm tyres, full mudguards and panniers, and it doesn’t lose traction on ice. I highly recommend one to anyone. Mine cost £50 (pompino) and it’s done 30 miles of commuting a week for the past 12 years without needing more than tyres, and a new chain and chain ring once.
Approximately 0% of people on
Approximately 0% of people on here have ever ridden fixed, and less than 0% will get one as a result of your recommendation. Enthusiasts are enthusiastic, and are welcome to fixed. Garmin and Strava have popularity heatmaps, and the Buying Heatmap indicates that fixed wheel bikes are going nowhere, unlike disc brakes.
You’re a very strange person.
You’re a very strange person.
Slartibartfast wrote:
I don’t see what the difference is – the traction is between the surface/snow and the tyres. Whether you slow the wheel with your feet or brake blocks won’t affect the amount of traction, though you likely have more control/feel when using fixed gear braking. I have ridden a fixed wheel unicycle in the snow and it’s definitely a technique of keeping any changes to velocity as smooth as possible (especially turning as it’s common to use a hip twist to turn a unicycle, but that’s not advised on snow/ice).
For that exact reason, plus
For that exact reason, plus you’re only using the rear. You very rarely lock up the wheel so it’s a gradual adjustment of speed and you can feel if it’s slipping and release. Probably helps that the bike is super heavy and has wide rubber though. I suspect that’s the main difference.
Annual reminder to this
Annual reminder for this annual article – Just don’t
Unless you like having fun.
Unless you like having fun.
When descending icy mountain
When descending icy mountain roads on Zwift, I always wear a woolly hat and sweatshirt if it is cold in the garage.
Be prepared for the usual
Be prepared for the usual consideration and understanding from car drivers, an exchange from Monday morning at the lights outside Denmark Hill station in London:
“Don’t hoot at me like that please, there was ice on that bend, that’s why I was going slowly.”
“Well you’re farkin’ mad innit, riding a bike if there’s ice.”
“Why aren’t you mad driving a car then?”
“Cos I’ve got a big safety cage ya muppet, I ain’t gonna get hurt if I crash.”
And there we have in a nutshell the attitude of a significant proportion of today’s drivers: I’m not going to get hurt so why should I be careful?
It’s a pity WvA didn’t read
It’s a pity WvA didn’t read this article.