Cycling on Snow and Ice?

[Sara_H]

I've never cycled in snow or on ice, I've always opted for the bus in such conditions before now.

Bearing in mind that I live at the top of a VERY steep hill, any advice?

I use a mountain bike with slick tyres, but was wondering with winter approaching, should I put the knobblies back on?

I dont really want to invest in studded tyres, because even during winter odds are there wont be snow or ice, so I'm not sure they're neceserry.

HELP!

 

[fossyant]

There is plenty of ice about in winter.

Fresh snow, then any knobbly tyres are fine. It's once it gets compacted and turns icy you need to be careful.

I commute mostly on a road bike with 23mm tyres. If the road has been damp and frozen, out comes the MTB with the studded tyres. Knobblies don't grip on ice, nothing does, except studs.

With studs you still have to remember you are riding on ice, so no silly line changes as you'll push the studs ability to bite.

Main roads tend to be treated, but it's the side roads that would normally mean a walk - and that's not fun on ice. I also see getting on the MTB as 'mixing it up' - a bit of variety as I can cycle off road most of the way to work via the Trans Pennine.

This will be my studded tyres 3rd winter - they will last years - hunt round now for deals - I paid about £46 for a pair of Snow Studs.

 

[fossyant]

PS Cycling in thick snow is fantastic fun - just make sure your clothing is correct !

 

[mr Mag00]

+1!

 

[Sara_H]

There is plenty of ice about in winter.

Fresh snow, then any knobbly tyres are fine. It's once it gets compacted and turns icy you need to be careful.

I commute mostly on a road bike with 23mm tyres. If the road has been damp and frozen, out comes the MTB with the studded tyres. Knobblies don't grip on ice, nothing does, except studs.

With studs you still have to remember you are riding on ice, so no silly line changes as you'll push the studs ability to bite.

Main roads tend to be treated, but it's the side roads that would normally mean a walk - and that's not fun on ice. I also see getting on the MTB as 'mixing it up' - a bit of variety as I can cycle off road most of the way to work via the Trans Pennine.

This will be my studded tyres 3rd winter - they will last years - hunt round now for deals - I paid about £46 for a pair of Snow Studs.

Whats it like cycling on studs on treated roads ie not icy?

 

[fossyant]

Whats it like cycling on studs on treated roads ie not icy?

Slow

You run them at about 30 PSI - snow studs are MTB tyres so are going to be slow anyway. Marathon Winters are more of a road/trail tyre so roll faster.

You know the studs are working as they don't half make a noise..tinkle tinkle

 

[Matty]

PS Cycling in thick snow is fantastic fun - just make sure your clothing is correct !

Hard work though.

 

[Bicycle]

I once challenged myself to cycle to work every day for a year when living just outside Sarajevo, which is chilly in winter and at that time was inadequately cleared because of internal political differences.

As winter came, I gradually started to move from the back routes (uncleared) onto the 'snow-cleared' roads.

Soon after that (and to my regret) I moved onto the pavement in places for my own safety.

I rode an old POS/MTB I bought from a PX.

Tyre pressures were critical, but I have no idea of the figures.... they were best on snow when it was about 'that' hard to squish them. I imagine 40-ish psi.

Ice is simply terrifyng (I had no studs or spikes) and the best I could do was stay in a straight line and not touch the brakes.

A good sense of balance is important, as is being used to the bike you're riding and used to its habits and vices.

The only major problem I had was one morning when both the (cable) V-brake levers seized. It was like dying in slow motion.

I eventually skidded to a halt on the soles of my shoes to find that both cable inners had frozen to the outers. I think they'd got wet with slushy snow the previous evening and frozen in my porch.

It took both hands on each lever to break the ice. That was after I'd stopped... After that I kept my cables in very good condition.

I also did a 'Hoogerland' into a barbed wire fence one time on ice, but although I tore my trackies to shreds I had not a scratch on me. I still don't understand how.

As to hills, that really is asking for trouble in snow or ice. Even getting up them in the cold is nigh on impossible. Descending is an act of faith for which I lacked the necessary courage.

Even if you're on soft snow and your tyres dig in, you will probably have limited braking (I was on rim brakes).

This was, I should add, not UK-type winter weather, but usually around -12C, dropping to -17 ish in the early morning.

My conclusion (having done the year on a bike) was that rain is better than snow and sun is better than rain. This conclusion was based on perception rather than empirical analysis, but I stand by it.

I didn't wear a helmet for that year. Had I done so, my risk perception would have been dramatically altered and I'd be dead now as a result of over-confidence. Perhaps. Or something.

 

[Little yellow Brompton]

I've never cycled in snow or on ice, I've always opted for the bus in such conditions before now.

Bearing in mind that I live at the top of a VERY steep hill, any advice?

I use a mountain bike with slick tyres, but was wondering with winter approaching, should I put the knobblies back on?

I dont really want to invest in studded tyres, because even during winter odds are there wont be snow or ice, so I'm not sure they're neceserry.

HELP!

I've used the Brompton in the last two winters, both of which we had snow, ernough to cause traffic problems.

I

Dropped the seat
Stuck to either fresh snow or cleared roads
Made sure i took the primary position any time I could see ice/slush dragged across from junctions

It was fun on the cycle tracks in the snow*, less so on the roads but "interesting"

I would probably do it again, even if just for the bragging rights in work " I managed to get into work on my bike, what sort of scond rate vehcle are you driving...?"


*as an aside, it was odd to ntoice that when it was COLD and snow there were no signs of dog droppings, as soon as it was warmer but still snow, you could see clearly where poochikins crapped. Don't dogs crap in the cold or is there some other reason that owners suddenyl don't need to use the cycle track as a toilet?

 

[Globalti]

All you need to do is put the knobblies back on the MTB and pump them up pretty hard. This will help them to dig down deep into snow and find grip, it's the same reason why winter car tyres are narrower than summer tyres. Don't listen to the tosh about riding with low pressures, that will give lower ground pressure over a bigger area and less grip - same reason why powerful executive cars with fat tyres are so bad on snow.

You can ride on knobblies in slush, fresh snow and best of all, crunchy re-frozen show like you find on trails after people have walked on it and it's frozen overnight, but be wary of getting your wheel stuck in a frozen wheel rut.

The only time you won't be able to ride is on sheet ice. If you're out on refrozen snow and you encounter a frozen puddle, keep the bike upright, don't touch the brakes and just free wheel straight across keeping your weight central over the bike until you find grip again. More than a puddle though and you will start needing to steer and lean the bike to maintain balance and suddenly it starts getting risky. A fall on ice is somehow even more jarring and bruising than any other surface, it really hurts. Maybe it's because you go down so fast.

 

[BSRU]

I cycled last winter using Marathon Winters, no worries about ice or compacted snow.
The only problem I had was fresh/uncompacted snow, my solution this year is I have bought a £5 EBay MTB and fitted a pair of Ice Spikers, so I now have three bikes for all weathers.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I always put the geared bike away when the clocks change at the end of October and ride fixed through the winter. Take it easy, read the road ahead, handle the bike gently, no harsh manoeuvres or sudden moves and stay away from the brakes as much as possible, if you can see its slippery and have to use the brakes use the back and not the front, if you use the front you are risking a face plant, the back is likely to make the bike fish tail which can be controlled, and if you do go down there's a good chance you will land on your arse instead of your face.

 

[G-Zero]

It's not all about just staying on your bike.

You also need to consider what the weather is likely to do during your commute, especially if it's a longer trip, extended due to snowy conditions.
Some of the prolonged snow showers we've had over the past couple of winters would preclude using the bike for me.

Poor visibility, whiteout conditions, numpty motorists with no idea how to drive in the snow = bike in garage.

Poor visibility, whiteout conditions, all off road = bike out of garage.

 

[Little yellow Brompton]

IME when it is snowing hard is the most fun , the roads are clear because all the cars are stuck at junction//roundabout , those that do get through are held up by the person who don't listen about travelling and is crawling around at 10 mph , those that aren't can see that you have to follow wheel tracks and wait and pass wide .

 

[Bayerd]

All you need to do is put the knobblies back on the MTB and pump them up pretty hard. This will help them to dig down deep into snow and find grip, it's the same reason why winter car tyres are narrower than summer tyres. Don't listen to the tosh about riding with low pressures, that will give lower ground pressure over a bigger area and less grip - same reason why powerful executive cars with fat tyres are so bad on snow.

You can ride on knobblies in slush, fresh snow and best of all, crunchy re-frozen show like you find on trails after people have walked on it and it's frozen overnight, but be wary of getting your wheel stuck in a frozen wheel rut.

The only time you won't be able to ride is on sheet ice. If you're out on refrozen snow and you encounter a frozen puddle, keep the bike upright, don't touch the brakes and just free wheel straight across keeping your weight central over the bike until you find grip again. More than a puddle though and you will start needing to steer and lean the bike to maintain balance and suddenly it starts getting risky. A fall on ice is somehow even more jarring and bruising than any other surface, it really hurts. Maybe it's because you go down so fast.

With this in mind, anybody know who makes the thinnest knobbly, 700 size? I need some for my bso so I can keep on cycling in the snow.