# Cycling on Ice - what is the technique?



## summerdays (3 Dec 2008)

Well other than don't?

Mostly it wasn't too bad - frosty rather than icy, but came across one part that was a skating rink - luckily I was off the bike already to chat to some friends. But it got me thinking what is the general advice about cycling on ice when you suddenly discover a patch. Or is it enevitable that you will come down?


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## Mr Pig (3 Dec 2008)

Don't.


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## magnatom (3 Dec 2008)

Cycle slowly, especially next to junctions. Keep cycling in a straight line whenever possible, take corners as wide as you can, and as slow as you can.

The most important piece of advice I can give you is....

Don't cycle anywhere near goo_mason!


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## magnatom (3 Dec 2008)

Mr Pig said:


> Don't.




Didn't you read the question?


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## bryce (3 Dec 2008)

Battersea Park was icy this morning. Just don't turn. At all, especially on slick tyres. Keep your body balanced over both wheels, tending towards the rear. Keep going in a straight line. Feather the back brake to slow down, never the front. Once you've stopped, then change your direction.

If you have to turn, do it gently!


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## yello (3 Dec 2008)

summerdays said:


> Well other than don't?



Oh. That kind of leaves me with nothing to say.



> Or is it enevitable that you will come down?



Pretty much imo. Tyres make a difference I'd suspect but only in delaying the inevitable! Unless we're talking studded tyres.


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## alecstilleyedye (3 Dec 2008)

i've had an off today  now the question is, do i dig out the mountain bike (i was on 23mm tyres this morning), or use the car tomorrow?


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## Niall Estick (3 Dec 2008)

Don't brake and if you do, use the rear one


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## BentMikey (3 Dec 2008)

The best technique on ice is to have Nokian studded tyres. Otherwise, don't.


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## Flying_Monkey (3 Dec 2008)

Slowly and try not to break - especially when cornering, anticipate corners, minimise the angle of turn you have to do, don't lean as much as you usually do or at all, and don't use clipless - you'll probably need your feet. I did last night. Ride a trike if you've got one! I haven't so it's the Brompton for me... easier to get your feet down. I am also avoiding the really heavily trafficked roads in the early morning - black ice, bikes and large HGVs don't mix. For once I am using a misture of back roads and cycle routes... the disadvantage of this is there is actually more ice in these areas, but you can enjoy the challenge without having to worry so much about other vehicles. I like the test of cycling skill.


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## HLaB (3 Dec 2008)

When its icy I tend to slow down and try to make more gentle movements not relying on the brakes as with the above comments and often stay out further into the middle of the lane keeping turning to a minimum and bizarely enough drivers don't seem to mind on day like this. Touch wood (more head tapping) whenever I've had that innevitable fall I've been going very slowly uphill and escaped unhurt.


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## Twenty Inch (3 Dec 2008)

It's simple - I've broken it down into steps:

1) Slow down
2) Balance the bike and get your weight over the rear
3) Choose your angle of approach and make your way onto the ice
4) Fall off.

Easier and less painful to get off and walk.


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## sheddy (3 Dec 2008)

Cycling on Ice - now thats a TV show I would watch !


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## Twiggy (3 Dec 2008)

Go slowly, wear your high vis and turn your rear light on. 

The former should help you avoid falling off, the latter should help drivers see you if you do fall off. 

Taking corners wide and slow is also important. 
If you've got a mountainbike, use it instead of your road bike.


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## 02GF74 (3 Dec 2008)

avoid it if possible. otherwise as they say; keep bike upright as much as possible to keep the weight even. this means take corners slowly and upright.

many years ago I cycled over ice for 6.5 miles then on the *very last turn* over a ridge of ice in the centre, coming into the carpark came down heavily on my R hip. got badly bruised and something clicks inside when walking up steep hills, no pain just not a nice feeling . that was ona narrow tyred road bike, my commute is on a mtb and I think having wider tyres and wider bars gives more of a warning thus allowing time to correct. having said that I now avoid at all costs.

oh, and a fair bit of my journey is off tarmac which is more forgiving when you fall.


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## Chris James (3 Dec 2008)

If you hit black ice you are goosed, even if you have the best technique in the world.

Studded tyres would be your only hope.

Due to the above you are best sticking to well used and / or gritted roads if it is very icy.


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## BentMikey (3 Dec 2008)

Chris James said:


> If you hit black ice you are goosed, even if you have the best technique in the world.
> 
> Studded tyres would be your only hope.
> 
> Due to the above you are best sticking to well used and / or gritted roads if it is very icy.



Unless you're riding a recumbent trike, that's the other useful way of travelling over iced roads!


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## fossyant (3 Dec 2008)

Two wheels - slick or MTB just don't grip on ice. If it's a rough road surface then you are ok - eg big chippings, but any smooth stuff...you have no chance....

I've come off more on an MTB in the ice than a road bike - all on tarmac. If you can guarantee your route is on well gritted roads, then you should be fine, just watch junctions and side roads - ride where the cars are - if that means a good secondary then do so.

If you hit ice, then it's a chance that you will stay upright. My estate was a skating rink - even my 1.5 tonne car found it slippy. If you see the ice, and are going straight, at a slow speed, you should get over it. If you are riding briskly, don't see a patch, and are mid turn, then you are off. I've lost a front end 3 times on one ride 1) 30 mph down hill, straight road......front just went.....I slid for ages, luckily early am, no cars. 2) A little later, hit ice again going up hill, off into the ditch - not too fast. 3) - Again slowish speed off onto grass. It was no. 1 crash that did the damage...... gravel rash, torn clothes, scraped bike.

One thing that is dodgy, if you come off in high traffic....

Think about it.....one crash can have you off the bike a whole lot longer than a few days in the car/on the bus.....

Main thing - frosty and dry/sub zero is OK - just watch for damp patches. Wet/sub zero = main ingredient for accidents. I'll ride if it's been dry and frozen, but not if we've had rain/snow showers then frozen.

Be careful !


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## Twiggy (3 Dec 2008)

I think the key thing to remember on ice is that you have no traction. Don't try to brake on ice, your wheel will lock up and you'll go flying, once it starts gripping again even slightly.

*shakes head*

Having little to no grip is no problem, as long as you aren't relying on it. It's not hard to learn. Even though some never do.


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## Baggy (3 Dec 2008)

Made my way into work this morning by taking some interesting corners, clipping out of my pedals and trying to stay relaxed and away from the brakes. Stayed upright more through luck than judgement though!

The roads were fine, but the bike paths were shocking in places. We got off on one corner as a couple of dog walkers warned us two cyclists had just fallen off - not surprising as it was completely covered in black ice, walking over it was bad enough.


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## Twenty Inch (3 Dec 2008)

BentMikey said:


> Unless you're riding a recumbent trike, that's the other useful way of travelling over iced roads!



I'll take the broken hip, thanks - I gave up riding a trike when I was 4. But you carry on, Mikey


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## Wolf04 (3 Dec 2008)

BentMikey said:


> The best technique on ice is to have Nokian studded tyres. Otherwise, don't.


+1


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## BentMikey (3 Dec 2008)

Twenty Inch said:


> I'll take the broken hip, thanks - I gave up riding a trike when I was 4. But you carry on, Mikey



LOL! That's only because you don't know how much fun riding a trike is. Your fellow RLJer Lee even bought one recently.

Upright trikes, now they are apparently this: CRAZY. And a good way of landing in the hedge. Repeatedly.


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## palinurus (3 Dec 2008)

BentMikey said:


> The best technique on ice is to have Nokian studded tyres. Otherwise, don't.



Probably true if the whole area is iced up. I doubt they are so good where there might be the occasional ice patch in a shaded area etc. which tends to be how my icy commutes are.

I just get to know where the ice tends to lie and avoid it or take it easy at those points. I take a route I know and If it looks particularly nasty I'll stick to major roads.


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## goo_mason (3 Dec 2008)

magnatom said:


> The most important piece of advice I can give you is....
> 
> Don't cycle anywhere near goo_mason!



On the other hand, if you stay a fair distance behind me, you'll be able to tell where you should be getting off and walking by observing where I hit the deck !!


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## tdr1nka (3 Dec 2008)

Goo Mason, CC's very own Torville & Dean!


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## palinurus (3 Dec 2008)

It was OK this morning until I got into the carpark at work. It's often those sort of areas that are the worst (sometimes I've got to the bike stand OK but then had trouble walking to the office. They grit the walkways, but sometimes I get in before they've started)


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## goo_mason (3 Dec 2008)

Flying_Monkey said:


> .... don't use clipless - you'll probably need your feet.....



That doesn't always work - my feet just slipped from under me last year when I had my many offs. I almost did myself a big mischief by practically managing to do the splits for the first time in my life  If it was slippery enough for the bike to skite around, it was also slippery enough to get no grip with shoes (even with SPD cleats providing that little extra grip).

My best advice goes contrary to the OP's statement, but the safest thing to do is DON'T.


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## nilling (3 Dec 2008)

With an off in icy conditions hurts more: it is the speed of the the fall and it is usually a sideways one. Chances are you'll probably not get your hands down quick enough to break the fall thus landing hard on your hip, shoulder and head.


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## Wolf04 (3 Dec 2008)

tdr1nka said:


> Goo Mason, CC's very own Torville & Dean!


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## J4CKO (3 Dec 2008)

Its worth it for your bike to be the only one in the bike shed apart from the dumped 1970's sit up and beg Raleigh, its worth it for the incredulous questions "Are you on your bike".

I quite like it, certainly focusses your attention, now I am sure I can pretty much stay upright, however its when you have to make evasive movements that problems arise, usually due to dimwits looking through a 10cm square porthole they have cleared in their windscreen, then all bets are off !

We used to make a bee line as kids to get out in the snow and ice, people think the Japanese invented "Drifting" in cars sometime in the early nineties, no, it was a group of manchester schoolboys on a frozen pond in Handforth circa 1983, my mate had a steel framed kids racer called a Raleigh Meteor and through some quirk of physics he could spin it 360 on its axis, he didnt know how he did it, on the remarkably similar Arena I couldnt do it. The old Proto MTB/Cruiser that was the Raleigh Bomber, could, by virtue of its huge baloon like tyres stay very stable (for a two wheeler on ice) and do huge, graceful and very long drifts. We fell off, we got back on repeat until concussed and blue with cold, we fell through the ice to return home frozen smelling like the pond life we were.

Ok its not the same on the roads but there is a hint of that time in my decision to cycle on icy roads.


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## jassy-x (3 Dec 2008)

fossyant said:


> Think about it.....one crash can have you off the bike a whole lot longer than a few days in the car/on the bus.....



....my sentiment also fossy....the bike has been safely stowed away in the garage for the last two days and looks likely to remain there for the rest of the week.....not worth the risk with so much time ahead for cycling....


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## fossyant (3 Dec 2008)

Just been out for a walk around the block near work - the main roads are dicey if you are less than 1m from the curb, the side roads...hmmm...let's just say walk !


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## Twenty Inch (3 Dec 2008)

I used to cycle along several miles of exposed back lanes. I found out in Spring that my work colleagues had been running a little book on how often I'd fall off on the way to work.


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## John the Monkey (3 Dec 2008)

I've been off for most of the week - setting off at 6:10am, most everywhere has been iced up on my route, and however good your bike handling, ice doesn't really give you a chance (imo). Having already slid across the tarmac at 20+mph twice this year thanks to the actions of motorists, I'm in no mood to repeat the experience, personally.


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## MartinC (3 Dec 2008)

If the question is "how do you cycle on icy roads" my answer is only if you have to and then slowly, gently and carefully. Anticipate everything as early as possible and watch out carefully for the bad patches.

If the question is "how do you cycle on ice" the answer is only in a straight line without braking or accelerating. 

The trouble with doing the first is that you may end up doing the second, which only works for a short time.


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## sparkyman (3 Dec 2008)

Fell of on the ice today!!! took it easy all the way into work coasted round the corner to my office (very slow less then 8mph) and bike and me decided to part :/ road was nowt but a sheet of ice, no cars following closley so only a slight bump to my pride and elbow to show for it...


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## Bodhbh (3 Dec 2008)

Looking like I might be okay over winter myself as nearly the whole commute is on busy, well-gritted road, which has not frozen. Fingers-crossed. I think otherwise I'd blow the 50 odd quid on some form of icespiker tyres in a flash tho, I really do not want to go off and do not see ice as a challenge.

Might seem like an indulgence. But everyday lost off the bike to public transport is 4 quid down the drain and 1hr added to the commute so the tyres would be worth it with just a few icy days otherwise.


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## summerdays (3 Dec 2008)

Thanks for all the information ... I'm not intentionally going to set off onto black ice but you never know when you will get caught out by conditions.

And the car doesn't sound that much safer in ice - found out my BIL crashed last night and is in hospital with lots of broken bits (hip/knee/wrist) after having to be cut out of his car.


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## Auntie Helen (3 Dec 2008)

Cycled into Uni today and took the long route there as it was such a beautiful morning with the frost and the ice. When I arrived my fellow-students, mostly half my age, looked amazed that I'd cycled in. Of course I am cheating by being on a recumbent trike as I didn't feel at all unsafe on the slippery roads. It was good fun though!


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## User482 (3 Dec 2008)

I'm sticking to the main roads at the moment - they get gritted whereas the cycle paths do not.


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## wafflycat (3 Dec 2008)

As the enlightened have alreasy pointed out - use a recumbent trike! 

On a more serious tone, when my son was studying for A-levels, his educational establishment was a 26-mile round trip by cycle, on a year-round basis. When it was icy, he'd use my recumbent trike. At first he was loathe to do so - but when it appeared at college, it was actually deemed to be cool, due to it being so different, and was in demand for having a go on by all & sundry at college.

My 'bent is a basic IceT, a tourer, so not the lightest of machines, so not exactly speedy, yet if I had to get rid of all my cycles except one - I'd ditch the uprights (my beloved Bianchis) and keep the IceT - it is just so practical for year round use, and I get given far more room on the roads, and it's safer on icy surfaces. It's an entirely practical choice - as well as being huge fun!


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## Mr Pig (3 Dec 2008)

J4CKO said:


> its worth it for the incredulous questions "Are you on your bike".



Which translate means, "Are you a complete moron?"

There's nothing big or clever about cycling on ice, it's just plain daft. Hit a smooth patch of ice and your chances of staying on the bike are remote. Then you've got to consider how much you would prefer to go through Christmas without a broken hip/wrist/arm...


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## Leadlegs (3 Dec 2008)

I learnt the hard way many years ago that ice and cycling don't mix.

Now if it's icy and I want to go for a ride I go offroad. Yes the ice is still there, but it's usually obvious, lying in depressions that can be avoided and has never been the cause of a tumble for me.


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## palinurus (3 Dec 2008)

I remember seeing a video on Youtube of some nutters cycling on a frozen river. They stayed upright, mostly (although I bet it was a pretty straight stretch of river).

I'll have a look for it later.


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## Domestique (3 Dec 2008)

In response to the op, once you are on sheet ice you are going to go down.


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## palinurus (3 Dec 2008)

Nutters cycling on ice as promised


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## ufkacbln (3 Dec 2008)

Get a recumbent Trike....

Seriously stable and safe platform for bad weather/


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## J4CKO (3 Dec 2008)

Mr Pig said:


> Which translate means, "Are you a complete moron?"
> 
> There's nothing big or clever about cycling on ice, it's just plain daft. Hit a smooth patch of ice and your chances of staying on the bike are remote. Then you've got to consider how much you would prefer to go through Christmas without a broken hip/wrist/arm...




They do say similar things the minute the temp drops below 14c, when it goes dark before 8pm, when it rains etc etc.

The roads were not completely ice covered, its just a case of picking your way through it, taking your time, we take risks every time we get on a bike, Mountain bikes career down hills, we can fall off and or be hit at any time whatever the weather, if you treated cycling based purely on risk you would never do it and go everywhere in a massive off roader.

The walk from the bike sheds was the most treacherous bit in cycling shoes.


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## John the Monkey (3 Dec 2008)

User3143 said:


> Usually you can see ice so have your feet ready if you feel the bike come from underneath you.


Round our way you'd have no chance - walking home last night it was impossible to tell what was wet road and what sent you skidding and scrabbling as your boots desperately tried to find purchase again.


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## goo_mason (3 Dec 2008)

John the Monkey said:


> Round our way you'd have no chance - walking home last night it was impossible to tell what was wet road and what sent you skidding and scrabbling as your boots desperately tried to find purchase again.



That was what almost shredded my nerves on the way home last night. Couldn't tell which was which until it was too late !

And this 'foot down' stuff - if it's icy enough to make the bike slide away from under you, your foot will just slip away from under you when you put it down. I found that out the painful way 

I was lucky to have cycled through winter 2006/2007 without coming off on ice; last year was a painful and expensive lesson on avoiding icy cycles, and the other day was a reminder that it's really not worth the risk and a few days off won't matter in the grand scheme of things.


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## LondonCommuter (3 Dec 2008)

Wish I'd had the benefit of this on may way in this morning. I was getting closer to central London and thought I'd avoided the ice when I learnt the hard way what NOT to do. Still fuming from a car going in the opposite direction turning right across me, I turned left after it, hit icy cobbles as I braked, both wheels locked, I was leaning too far in and fell onto my side. 2 small cuts on pelvis and elbow and probably a bit stiff tomorrow but nothing too bad thankfully. Clips probably helped as I'd have probably twisted my ankle and done more damage if my foot hadn't been locked in.


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## BentMikey (3 Dec 2008)

goo_mason said:


> And this 'foot down' stuff - if it's icy enough to make the bike slide away from under you, your foot will just slip away from under you when you put it down. I found that out the painful way



This is because you lack Lee's skillz.


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## alp1950 (3 Dec 2008)

palinurus said:


> Nutters cycling on ice as promised



Nice link- see you can cycle on ice. Were they using studded tyres?


Anyhow having read this thread & a similar previous I'm quite glad I left the bike at home today.


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## palinurus (3 Dec 2008)

Tips from Icebike

Black Ice


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## palinurus (3 Dec 2008)

alp1950 said:


> Nice link- see you can cycle on ice. Were they using studded tyres?
> 
> 
> Anyhow having read this thread & a similar previous I'm quite glad I left the bike at home today.



I've no idea whether they were using studded tyres. Maybe I'll ask the question.

I'm glad I rode in today, it was cold but didn't appear to be especially icy (SE). Took it easy on the way home, it's more difficult in the dark to work out what the surface is like.


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## HLaB (3 Dec 2008)

palinurus said:


> I'm glad I rode in today, it was cold but didn't appear to be especially icy (SE). Took it easy on the way home, it's more difficult in the dark to work out what the surface is like.


It was very icy here in the morning and I was thinking it'd be worse when I cycled home in the dark at night, well that's my excuse for going slow. It wasn't icy


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## Dave5N (3 Dec 2008)

If you have too, let a load of air out your tyres, 40-50 psi max, and keep steady. Brake in a straight line, as a last resort, and use the back brake.


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## goo_mason (3 Dec 2008)

DIY Tyre-Chains, anyone ?


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## fossyant (3 Dec 2008)

I'll be opting for 1600 kg (plus my 78kg's) or so and 215mm tyres tomorrow - all 4 of them....

It's just too wet at the moment - no breeze to dry the roads....yeh main roads are OK, but move slightly out of the traffic line...then you'll be off.

I used to ride 20 miles to work when in my 20's in the freezing cold - was fine, all on country lanes....rough surfaces, just frost, no bad ice... the problems come with the smooth surfaced roads.... condensation just collects and it freezes.... nasty.

I experienced a really freak weather event when cycling to work in my 20's... Had been cold and damp, but the temps took a big fall at 5-6am..... cars had dew on them, but the roads were like sheet ice - I should have turned back when my rear wheel felt odd..... needless to say, I came off big style 3 times..... got into work rather battered and bruised. Our Financial Director, in his 40's cycled to the end of his road, on the way to the station, and slipped off - no speed, cue badly broken leg, months off work, lots off complications...... 

My young age saved me - bounced rather well....don't think I'd bounce as well now aged nearly 39....

TBH, when racing the philosophy was...don't risk the season for some silly ride....same really goes if you are a commuter..... a few days off the bike never hurt anyone...a split second off might !


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## threefingerjoe (4 Dec 2008)

I don't think I'd ride commute on ice or snow without my studded tyres. They work especially well on glazed or blackice. Follow that advice on the icebike.com page. I regularly commute on ice or packed snow in winter. I have my Nokian Hekkapalita W106 studded tyres mounted on a spare set of rims, so I can install them in a hurry if I find that it got icy or snowed overnight. I used them the first 2 days of this week, then went back to my normal road slicks today, as it was a little warmer. But, it rained today, and is supposed to be -6C in the morning, so I guess I'll go out to the garage and put the studded tyres back on.


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## Calum (4 Dec 2008)

Don't bother riding if it's icy. It's dangerous enough in the car, with 4 wheels. On a bike, you're highly likely to come off. Perhaps more so on a motorbike.


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## Wolf04 (4 Dec 2008)

Decided discretion was the better part of wussing out and arranged a lift into work today as forecast for high winds and heavy snow. No wind or snow so could easily have made it in. Last night's return commute put me off as around five all the frost which had thawed during the day had frozen into one continous sheet, had three close calls and pushed the bike on several stretches. Lets all be careful out there!


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## HLaB (4 Dec 2008)

Wolf04 said:


> Decided discretion was the better part of wussing out and arranged a lift into work today as forecast for high winds and heavy snow. No wind or snow so could easily have made it in.



It was similar here, doom & gloom forecast; I was going to take the bus but stayed in my warm bed a few minutes too long cycled instead, If I'd got the next bus I'd been late. I wore quite a bit extra expecting the worst but there was nothing.


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## Wolf04 (4 Dec 2008)

HLaB said:


> It was similar here, doom & gloom forecast; I was going to take the bus but stayed in my warm bed a few minutes too long cycled instead, If I'd got the next bus I'd been late. I wore quite a bit extra expecting the worst but there was nothing.



Yeh light snow now but just melting for the most part. On a bonus point I've located my Nokian Hekkapalita W106 studded tyres which were being stored at freinds house. So back to commuting next week. Only worry is the cars sliding all over the place.


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## J4CKO (4 Dec 2008)

I enjoyed my icy ride home last night, I did fall off but it was funny rather than dangerous, was on a narrow bridalway, tanking along due to new winter chunky tyres and really good lights, skimming over stuff because it was solid, hit a section that was a frozen crust over some foul smelling leafy water, ran out of momentum and fell sideways giggling like a loon and lay down on the embankment, not hurt at all.

I have noticed that the panniers help as they hit the floor first in the two occasions that I have fell off recently, they tend to leave a space for your leg between the bike and the floor, ok wont help in all situations but a squashy bag landing first does help. Must make more effort to stay on.

In car today, the wind and rain put me off.


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## Baggy (4 Dec 2008)

Went home on the main roads last night avoiding any off road bike paths. No sign of any ice - if it drops below freezing again I'll definitely stick to the main roads.


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## fossyant (4 Dec 2008)

J4CKO said:


> In car today, the wind and rain put me off.



Eh.....riding in ice, then scared by a bit of water.  Twas not very nice this morning, but better than ice !!! Even had a cycling colleague say "I'd never thought I'd be happy to see rain.....after that forecast..."


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## MartinC (4 Dec 2008)

Don't forget that it's not just how you cope with it that matters but also how well other people do. Cars drivers who aren't too bothered about traction or visibility need to be factored in.


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## goo_mason (4 Dec 2008)

MartinC said:


> Don't forget that it's not just how you cope with it that matters but also how well other people do. Cars drivers who aren't too bothered about traction or visibility need to be factored in.



Agreed. I'm trying to suss out the drivers' psychology which makes them drive even faster when the weather requires them to do the opposite and really slow down. Noticed it last week - there's a long, straight stretch of road immediately upon leaving work. In the summer, cars amble up there. Now that it's been cold and wet, they seem to be in a terrible hurry to get home quickly and they're tanking it. I couldn't believe the speed of some of them last Thursday when there was a very heavy hail shower - visibility was severely reduced, as was road traction - but that didn't seem to occur to any of them. Especially those who tried to overtake me on the 90-degree left bend at the top of the road...


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## J4CKO (4 Dec 2008)

J4CKO said:


> I enjoyed my icy ride home last night, I did fall off but it was funny rather than dangerous, was on a narrow bridalway, tanking along due to new winter chunky tyres and really good lights, skimming over stuff because it was solid, hit a section that was a frozen crust over some foul smelling leafy water, ran out of momentum and fell sideways giggling like a loon and lay down on the embankment, not hurt at all.
> 
> I have noticed that the panniers help as they hit the floor first in the two occasions that I have fell off recently, they tend to leave a space for your leg between the bike and the floor, ok wont help in all situations but a squashy bag landing first does help. Must make more effort to stay on.
> 
> In car today, the wind and rain put me off.




The wind was pretty strong, also, I was peed off as I reversed the wifes car out last night and bumped into a car across the road, black car, against a massive light sapping hedge, unlit section of the road and rear tints, in a rush, knackered and pissed off, my own fault but looking at it later it was pretty much invisible.

Taking laptop home tonight, working from hiome tomorrow, bad week for cycling, one day in the saddle, resolve to do a full week next week, being away in London buggered my routine a bit.


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## fossyant (4 Dec 2008)

I was going to add J4CKO, that you are becoming a proper "mad cyclist" - i.e. going out in silly weather (ice)...... welcome to the club.....!!!!


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## ufkacbln (4 Dec 2008)

IditaBike


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## Carwash (4 Dec 2008)

Studded tyres. Can you get snow chains for bikes?


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## Lazy-Commuter (5 Dec 2008)

I headed off this morning thinking it was "just" frosty but found a few slippy bits on some of the smaller housing estate roads which made life interesting.

I had a bit of a moment turning from a larger road on a housing estate into a smaller one: I was going pretty slowly and turning gently but I started getting definite messages from the tyres that they weren't happy and wanted me to turn even more gently. So I got off and walked up the short but steep hill just after that point.


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## levad (5 Dec 2008)

I too thought it had been mild overnight. Set off this morning and came off on black ice less than 2 miles into the 13! Road rash on my thigh. I think, as has already been mentioned, that my pannier hit the deck first, the company laptop in there seemed to survive. Anyway I took the next 11 or so miles much more carefully, the roads got worse but I managed to stay on. It was unnerving to hear cars skidding behind me and watching them skid across the stop line at junctions. My route is all country back lanes so there is never a chance for them to get gritted.

The technique I followed after the off was to stay in a low gear and spin my legs. Keep going slowly, make the corners as straight as possible, and pray when going downhill.


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## J4CKO (5 Dec 2008)

fossyant said:


> I was going to add J4CKO, that you are becoming a proper "mad cyclist" - i.e. going out in silly weather (ice)...... welcome to the club.....!!!!




Cheers, I like to have outlets to effect an aura of eccentricity as I get older 

Have only done one day this week, one day on the train to Birmingham, one day working from home, two in the car carting my gear back and forth and only one on the bike, next week will improve, its funny, sometimes its actually quite unpleasant but I miss it, it feels real, going in the car feels so lame, no adventure and despite it being fast, not much fun.


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## andharwheel (8 Dec 2008)

We get a lot of ice up here and if you want to keep cycling; use studded tyres. I dont have the option of using the car and wouldnt want to anyway. Huge amount of grip with studs. Peace of mind as far as I am concerned. Schwalbe do two the Snow stud with studs on the edge of the tread (currently the one I am using) or the ice spiker with studs in the middle of the tread as well. They are heavy wide tryes with more rolling resistance, but well worth the extra effort. I am fit and stong enough to cope with that anyway. If it wasnt for these tyres I wouldnt have cycled much in last two weeks.


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## briank (8 Dec 2008)

Flying_Monkey said:


> black ice, bikes and large HGVs don't mix. For once I am using a misture of back roads and cycle routes... the disadvantage of this is there is actually more ice in these areas, but you can enjoy the challenge without having to worry so much about other vehicles. I like the test of cycling skill.



Yeah, keep out of the traffic if you can!
Avoiding clipless? Not so sure. Last time I found my wheels on ice I was clipped in and riding fixed wheel and managed not two panic. So as the back wheel lost traction and began to spin, I span too and kept hands well away from brakes. The gyroscopic effect of the rear wheel meant I not only stayed on but managed to change direction (slightly) and was quite elated by what remains one of my best bits of bike handling. 
And I do remember a time when London was covered in black ice and the *only* vehicles moving were bikes with (back then) toe clips - and riders who could keep the power delivery smooth.


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## Madcyclist (8 Dec 2008)

I thought i'd mention that the cars passing me on my daily commute seem to be giving me more room than normal possibly down to the Hi Vis and road conditions. Estate roads and country lanes are either frosty or icy but main roads have been fine.


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## J4CKO (8 Dec 2008)

Back on it today, with the Laptop, 17 inch screen Dell Monster, weighs a tonne !


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## JimB (7 Apr 2009)

*Black Ice project*

Hi Guys,
I am doing a university project to design a product that enables safer riding on black ice without resorting to studded tyres.
I have seen that this is a subject close to your hearts and I wander if I could pick your brains with 3 short questions on the subject.

So, if you could spare a minute to reply I would be grateful.

Thanks, Jim...

1, Would an accessory, perhaps applied to your existing tyres, which would enable you to safely ride in icy conditions be something you would be interested in buying?

2, If the accessory lasted one season, would that be good enough?

3, What if the product was a use-once application that is designed just to get you home on an icy day. Would that be of interest?

Thats it...happy cycling.


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## summerdays (7 Apr 2009)

I think a one use application wouldn't be very good. Some days you would put it on and it wouldn't be needed and the reverse. (It would also have to be very quick to apply too if you had to do it before each journey.) You can't tell how back the ice is going to be when you set out - you can guess but it can be very variable depending on local microclimate.


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## skrx (7 Apr 2009)

Hmm... maybe something that sprays a gritty paste onto the tyres?

I don't think I'd use it, ice isn't a problem often enough where I live.


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## Carwash (7 Apr 2009)

I think a one-use or one-season product more easily applied than studded tyres would be ideal for the British climate; we seem to be constantly caught off-guard by snow and ice here, but it' doesn't usually last all that long.

It probably wouldn't sell too well in Scandinavia though!


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## HLaB (7 Apr 2009)

A one use/ once season product would be interesting. It would depend on the performance of the bike to likelyhood of ice for me.


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## fossyant (7 Apr 2009)

Right - you've got about 8 months to sort it.

Retractable spikes like James Bond's Aston Martin would be good !!

I don't know what you'll come up with


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## palinurus (7 Apr 2009)

JimB said:


> 1, Would an accessory, perhaps applied to your existing tyres, which would enable you to safely ride in icy conditions be something you would be interested in buying?
> 
> Yes. Because I'll never get around to getting studded tyres since it's rarely icy long enough in SE England to justify the cost.
> 
> ...



I like it that these questions get asked. When I last had to design something for a qualification I didn't bother doing any research, I just assumed that the really heavy conical steel candleholder that got really hot if you ever tried to use it would be just the ticket. That said it's still in daily use 24 years later.

As a doorstop.


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## sunnyjim (7 Apr 2009)

Two things I notice when winter commuting on a recumbent trike are a) I didn't fall off so much and  the back (drive) wheel keeps slipping on the ice on the short but V. steep hill outside my house when leaving for work on a frosty morning. Taking a cue from railway locomotive practice, a small bag of sand dribbled between the legs in the line of the back wheel was an obvious solution. A friend suggested that even more convenient would be a little stream of ice-melting warm water squirted on the road from about the same position. I might try that next year.


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## snorri (7 Apr 2009)

1 Might be interested, depending on the price!

2 Yes, I suppose fitting a new product before the onslaught of winter would be OK.

3 No. I would want the product to be permanently attached and test it out in varying road conditions in order to build up my confidence in its effectiveness. Also, if it were a one-off usage, being a thrifty Scot I would probably wait until falling off at least once before considering fitting it, by which time I would be so close to home as to feel it was not worth fitting it that day.


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## Kirkymole (14 Jan 2014)

Keep your weight towards the rear
Keep upright
Keep your knees and arms slightly bent just incase you suddenly lose it
Take your turns wide and slow, don't lean into it nearly as much as you usually would
Stay well lit and wear some hi vis, preferably long sleeved, it'll help if you touch the tarmac hard
Brake on the rears, avoid the fronts at all costs
Drop the pressure in your tyres, make them softer and put more rubber to the ground

Most importantly, when the bike goes, don't even attempt to recover it, it won't work and you'll end up in more pain. If you're going to hit the ground, go limp and DON'T brace.


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## trickletreat (15 Jan 2014)

This can be fun, steering is not so good!


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## fossyant (15 Jan 2014)

You have drive, but won't be on your bum.

That said you can't go out to play with that rear, no back wheel slides and stuff.


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## trickletreat (15 Jan 2014)

fossyant said:


> You have drive, but won't be on your bum.
> 
> That said you can't go out to play with that rear, no back wheel slides and stuff.


Spot on, but possible on snow and slush!


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## fossyant (15 Jan 2014)

Trikes on snow must be a right laugh on new snow or ice. Well jealous


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## DCLane (15 Jan 2014)

To cope with any ice I've bought these - Schwalbe Ice Spikers - collecting them Monday:






They're to go on the Viking Targa DD24 a.k.a. 'heap of junk' bike, which will (hopefully) have it's bits moved onto a Raleigh Special Products frame in the spring:


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