# How do you guys cycle in snow?



## mmace (2 Feb 2009)

Hi guys, I cycle to work for fitness (3.5miles uphill - 480 foot above sea level to 780), but 3 or 4 weeks ago when I started and again this morning there's been really heavy/fast snow coming down, there's stretches of road where I cannot open my eyes, coming home when it's downhill I usually do 30mph but am having to walk when the weather's like this as it's too dangerous to see!

how do you guys get around it?
by the way, a peak on my helmet won't work, the snow was coming from the side this morning!


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## Steve Austin (2 Feb 2009)

You don't ride in snow


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## mmace (2 Feb 2009)

I do, quicker than getting stuck in the car and not making it to work.

OK then, how about rain when it's coming down at an angle giving the same effect?


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## mickle (2 Feb 2009)

What you need is a cycling cap. And maybe a pair of glasses with clear lenses such as Oakley M frames or Madison D'arks.


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## Steve Austin (2 Feb 2009)

My mate fell off yesterday as the the newly laid snow was covering a nice thick sheet of Ice. You can't see what is underneath the snow. so its just dangerous ime

Feel free to go riding in snow, but i won't be riding on the road in it


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## Paulus (2 Feb 2009)

Carefully. Stay out of the car tyre tracks and don't lean the bike over at all. If possible, Don't do it.


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## Dave5N (2 Feb 2009)

Let a lot of air out of your tyres.


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## MacB (2 Feb 2009)

Steve Austin said:


> My mate fell off yesterday as the the newly laid snow was covering a nice thick sheet of Ice. You can't see what is underneath the snow. so its just dangerous ime
> 
> Feel free to go riding in snow, but i won't be riding on the road in it



The lack of knowledge re what's underneath is what stops me. I'd rather not end up injured, or with an expensive repair, no matter how carefully I ride. Sadly though I can work from home so day off not an option.


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## mmace (2 Feb 2009)

there is no snow on the roads here, and certainly no ice, I was just wondering about vision being impaired by snow flying into your eyes


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## mmace (2 Feb 2009)

> Snowflakes hurt when they hit your eye!


indeed they do!


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## Steve Austin (2 Feb 2009)

If you must. Some clear glasses will do. 

I use M-Frames because i'm a flash posy ATGNI


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## Ravenz (2 Feb 2009)

mmace said:


> cycle to work for fitness



if you fall off and damage your hip .. knee e.g. yu gonna do a helluva lot for your fitness

you must also avoid going downhill thus negating the fitness gains made in the morning....


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## Will1985 (2 Feb 2009)

Use a trike...but then Auntie Helen might tell us it doesn't work.

Ignoring the ice beneath factor, are cyclocross tyres better than commuting road tyres on snow?


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## Lazy-Commuter (2 Feb 2009)

> Some clear glasses.
> 
> Don't ride on the car tyre tracks. You'll slide on the compressed snow. Go for the newly laid stuff. And go more slowly.
> 
> I cycled in this morning. Because if it gets bad here today we'll have gridlock tonight and I can cycle home quicker than I could walk.


Same here. Today was the first time I rode in snow .. we've had an inch or two here but it's nice and soft and fluffy and so wasn't too big a problem. I picked my route with care to try to avoid the smaller estate roads where it would just be nasty compacted stuff. It was good fun in the end.


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## Steve Austin (2 Feb 2009)

Will1985 said:


> Ignoring the ice beneath factor, are cyclocross tyres better than commuting road tyres on snow?



Thin narrow tyres pick up less snow, so yes is the answer. They will give a little grip too. Mud tyres work fine. Tyres with widely spaced deep nobbles work best ime


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## Andy in Sig (2 Feb 2009)

I read an article in a German touring magazine about winter touring in places like the Alps (why? was the word which sprang into my mind) and they said that you can get winter tyres with little metal studs in the tread which apparently do the business. I suppose if you bought a pair for use in the UK you would get about 20 years out of them given the frequency of serious snow.


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## snapper_37 (2 Feb 2009)

> I cycled in this morning. Because if it gets bad here today we'll have gridlock tonight and I can cycle home quicker than I could walk.



Wish I had too! Last time the snow was this bad, it took me 4 hours to do 7 miles. I think shanksy's pony is likely later.


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## Bellew (2 Feb 2009)

Use the turbo trainer!! 
But for work, it has to be alot of air out of the tires like said above, if there is no other ay to get to work!


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## palinurus (2 Feb 2009)

Soft tyres. Stay away from the front brake. Fresh snow is good- if there's any left. Sometimes you won't get to choose whether or not to ride in tyre tracks, I aim for the slushiest ones, if they're still white they're slippier. Smooth and slow, think supertanker. Keep pedalling where possible.

I got up early to get the best chance of fresh snow. The roads are clearing now- I'll stick to the main routes on the way back.


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## Mortiroloboy (2 Feb 2009)

Paulus said:


> Carefully.  Stay out of the car tyre tracks and don't lean the bike over at all. If possible, Don't do it.




Or if you live in Wales Caerphilly
Personally I wouldn't bother unless I was a computer er, sorry Commuter


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## stranger (2 Feb 2009)

CYCLE in the SNOW??

Surely not. 

Not even my nutty husband--who cycles relentlessly, everywhere, balked at the idea of 'popping down to Tesco' this morning. 

We had to go in the 4x4.


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## 4F (2 Feb 2009)

Uncle Mort said:


> They probably meant Nokians (or Nokkians, can't remember the spelling). I've got some on the mountain bike now. I only usually use them when we're in Switzerland but with all he cold weather I've had them on here for the past four weeks or so. They work really well - even on serious ice. But they cost a fortune and they're not much cop for riding on tarmac - obviously.



These ? http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/studdedtires.asp
They don't do a 700 x 23 though


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## yorkshiregoth (2 Feb 2009)

It was really slippery in a few places on my ride in to work this afternoon. I had to get off for about 300 metres and push and it took me an extra 30 minutes.


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## montage (2 Feb 2009)

If you are worried about your fitness, and absolute about taking your bike out in the snow, run to work while carrying the bike above your head. Two birds, One stone.

Clear glasses are a great shout


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## HJ (2 Feb 2009)

stranger said:


> CYCLE in the SNOW??
> 
> Surely not.
> 
> ...



Why not? Just leave the 4x4 in the driveway (where it belongs), see this web site for how it is really done...


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## ASC1951 (2 Feb 2009)

Hairy Jock said:


> Just leave the 4x4 in the driveway (where it belongs)


Or in the last Century


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## threefingerjoe (3 Feb 2009)

I use Nokkian studded tyres, and they are GREAT on ice, but, I still can't ride much in snow. A couple inches of snow isn't bad, but when you get to 4" or more, or, as in 7", like we had last week, I simply can't push my way through it. Pedals strike the snow on the downstroke, and the front of the front wheel is actually ploughing horizontally through it. Maybe some of you can do it, but I can't. Once, I rode home in about 4", and it took me an hour to go 5 miles, and I actually came to a complete standstill in snowdrifts a couple of times, and had to dismount and walk. My bike looked as if it had been buried by a plough! I try to stay on ploughed roads, or packed snow.


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## newbiebiker (3 Feb 2009)

I'd rather walk it's very dangerous go riding on a snow.


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## beanzontoast (3 Feb 2009)

IME - slowly, look well ahead, corner very gently and wear clear cycling glasses.


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## Priscilla Parsley (3 Feb 2009)

Don't ride in snow, i fell off sunday night and im still paying for my arrogance, in quite a bit of pain, i was going slow and it was on fresh snow, looks harmeless when you are cutting through it but its absolutly lethal.


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## stranger (3 Feb 2009)

And we are still using the 4x4.


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## mr Mag00 (3 Feb 2009)

i rode today and it was great fun! i ride on the semi pressed snow from vehicles.


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## ajb (3 Feb 2009)

I dont.


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## Stig-OT-Dump (3 Feb 2009)

I use some £2.99 glasses that I bought from Aldi. They have interchangeable lense to suit different conditions. They keep rain, sleet and (falling) snow out of my eyes when cycling. They also keep the flicked-up slush out of my eyes.

Almost all the roads I've been cycling on are gritted and are heavily enough trafficked for there to be no virgin snow when I've been going along them and there have been no slipping / ice problems. Tomorrow will be different though because we had a big thaw today, and tonight it is forecast to drop to -5C.


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## Angelfishsolo (5 Feb 2009)

I can give those glasses a big thumbs up, even though Sig got a £1 off his!!!

Am trying to decide weather whether to risk a ride today as I am going stir crazy and am missing my favourite tea shop - http://www.queentistearooms.org.uk/


Stig-OT-Dump said:


> I use some £2.99 glasses that I bought from Aldi. They have interchangeable lense to suit different conditions. They keep rain, sleet and (falling) snow out of my eyes when cycling. They also keep the flicked-up slush out of my eyes.
> 
> Almost all the roads I've been cycling on are gritted and are heavily enough trafficked for there to be no virgin snow when I've been going along them and there have been no slipping / ice problems. Tomorrow will be different though because we had a big thaw today, and tonight it is forecast to drop to -5C.


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## gbb (5 Feb 2009)

Unfortunately, glasses can occasionally be a hinderance...i coul'dnt see jack out of mine this morning. Tried cleaning them on the move, but then you end up with smeary vision . Still, that's a rare occurence. Just squinted into the snow instead.

My commute in the snow this morning left the bike looking like this...







Others have probably said, stay out of car tracks, stay in virgin snow and use a low gear.

Saw one nutter this morning. Roads are treacherous here, pedalling along on a BMX, 2 year old on the crossbar, towing a sledge along behind them on a piece of rope. If he goes over, kid goes too, and in traffic that was struggling anyway


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## Auntie Helen (5 Feb 2009)

Will1985 said:


> Use a trike...but then Auntie Helen might tell us it doesn't work.


Nope, it works fine, I've been cycling all through the snow here and having a great time. Ice isn't an issue, unless you're trying to do a VERY steep gradiant and the back wheel slips.

With regard to the issue of snowflakes obscuring your vision, this was a problem for me on Monday. I had to continually wipe my glasses and also the front light which got a covering of snow pretty quickly. I was out today in sheeting rain which was also inconvenient in terms of visibility so I just went slower.


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## snakehips (5 Feb 2009)

I always cycle in glasses of some kind to keep insects , wind , cold air etc out. I recently bought a good pair for £2.99 from Sports World. 

I was out on the snow on Tuesday











The first pic was taken after cycling in deep snow , as another pic above. The second pic was taken while cycling one handed on well trodden snow/ice. Just after taking it I launched off in to some soft snow to get a similar shot , but I wasn't able to maintain momentum in the deep stuff with only one hand on the bar.


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## HJ (5 Feb 2009)

Worried about slipping try some of these...


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## charlielikesdonuts (8 Feb 2009)

Hi folks, 

I am new to this forum, but I have some light to shed on winter cycling. I live in Stockholm (moved from the UK a few years ago) and changed my tyres from normal road tyres to studded road tyres last October. Here we do not have salt on most roads, only the motorways. I can say that cycling on sheet ice is no problems. I have much more control than walking. Compacted snow is easy but a little scary. If you get a large sheet under your front tyre it acts like a surf board and you cannot steer too great. Slush is slippery and messy but fresh snow is like cycling on soft sand. It zaps away your energy. Studded tyres here are kind of common so my set cost me 60 quid and gives me absolute peace of mind. The added friction makes a large difference though on the ride. 

Glasses keep the snow out of your eyes, you have a reflex action to blink, but you get over it after a while.


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