BLACK ICE BEWARE

[fudgedog]

5 of us were out roundabout St Andrews on Saturday, it was cold but a great morning for cycle. Half hour in going along about 18mph chatting away about winter cycling and the bike went from under me. Few cuts and bruises but relatively ok.(but today I feel like I've been hit by a car). 2 miles further along the road my mate said this looks a bit icy, the Y was barely out of his mouth and he clattered to the ground and bad gash to his knee, whacked his head off road but helmet saved the day. Ride cut short after that. Lesson learnt cold sunny mornings BEWARE. Thanks to the guy who blasted his horn and gave us the V's as we picked the casualty off the road.

 

[Matthames]

I remember hinting that it was going to get a bit icy a few days ago:

http://www.cyclechat.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=1015212&postcount=16

Glad you are still ok though.

 

[Jane Smart]

Fudgedog, sorry to hear about your ride out, yes indeed I also went through some icy puddles yesterday on my way to Linlithgow. The fog was dreadful too.

Hope that you feel better soon and also your mate

Take it easy everyone, stay safe

 

[GAVSTER]

I was out yesterday too around Cowdenbeath. More problems with specs fogging up and breath condensing on brim of helmet than ice.

However, going over some tops just before Fordell it was freezing and I made sure I slowed right down as I went through water. It had frozen and I just kept going straight. I think that being out later in the day helped a lot.

Thinking about popping out soon for an hour but I might stay near the coast.

Gav

 

[Jane Smart]

Gav watch that wind out there, can be almost as bad as the ice, it is really blowing a gale in Dunfermline today

 

[Randochap]

My first experience with black ice was on my brand new Sun on Xmas day, 1964, in Wednesfield. Scraped up my shiny Huret-Allvit derailleur! I was young (12) and resilient, so nothing else bruised but my ego.

Latest was New Year's Eve before last. Opened up my chin from one side to the other.

Be careful out there!

 

[Campfire]

Have just seen weather on Countryfile for the week and just noticed that Tuesday morning might be treacherous because of the lying water from the rainfall.

I'm afraid I won't go out in ice unless I'm on my recumbent trike. For those who do - keep safe and beware of cycling into a low sun, as car drivers can't always see you when the sun gets into their eyes!

 

[AlanW]

Oh the joys of winter riding........

Roll on the summer and I can put the turbo trainer back in the loft where it belongs!

 

[Young Un]

Oh the joys of winter riding........

Roll on the summer and I can put the turbo trainer back in the loft where it belongs!

You don't need to worry, your an ice cycling ninja - seeing as you stayed up when three of us went down; bang bang bang.

Steve

 

[HJ]

Aye, you need to look where you are going and ride according to the conditions...

 

[Rezillo]

Last winter I turned off one country lane into another at a moderately fast speed and hit a large patch of ice. I skidded sideways several feet on both wheels, stayed upright by a sheer fluke and carried on pedalling past an oncoming car as if nothing had happened.

To any onlooker, it would have looked very impressive - at least until a few seconds later where I had to stop and get off because I was shaking so much!

I'd done more than twenty miles before this happened with no sign of ice at all, so it's made me a lot more wary of conditions on a cold day.

John

 

[threefingerjoe]

I'm going to make my first plug of the season for studded tyres. Ok, I'll shutup, now.

 

[AlanW]

You don't need to worry, your an ice cycling ninja - seeing as you stayed up when three of us went down; bang bang bang.

Steve

How can I ever forget that Saturday morning, one of the funniest things that I have ever witnessed.

Four of us riding along a icy, narrow country lane with yours truly at the front. Next thing I hear a crash...bang...wallop?

I stop and look over my shoulder and see the other three all on their arses.

Mind you, to be fair, is was bloody slippy and how the heck I stayed upright I will never know to this day.

We then had to walk 1/2 mile on the grass verge as the road really was that bad!

 

[GrasB]

Got caught today, lovely fast ride in primary down the straight bits & easy on the corners, 13.5 miles no problem just as I'm unclipping at about 2mph as I I'm about to put my foot down the bike slips from underneath me to the clipped side. All damage limited to pride so that's good.

 

[HJ]

I'm going to make my first plug of the season for studded tyres. Ok, I'll shutup, now.

So which tyres do you recommend, Joe?