Do you go on your bike when the roads are covered with thin snow ?

[biggs682]

Did you ever go youth hostelling in the winter when young. Sometimes it was white outside. You had no options , only way was to cycle home.. . People are getting soft today,😄

Many a time in my teens with the Kidderminster CTC and I don't remember any of them having heating

 

[cougie uk]

I know a PE teacher who did a 60 kms ride yesterday on such roads. His only comments were : " It was bloody cold. " My answer to that was; " Do you have a death wish".
I know he is in his late 20"s , very keen rider and possibly oblivious to the dangers and I am considerably older and fully aware of the dangers but even so, common sense should prevail I think.

Nope. With age comes knowledge. I'd rather skip a ride than risk being out for weeks with a broken bone.

 

[Always Cross]

I was out yesterday on three wheels though wouldn’t gone out on 2 wheels this old body doesn’t bounce well now

 

[Big John]

Went out for three hours this morning but it was a balmy 1C, so pretty toasty. Roads were good for the most part. Obviously you have to be careful but it's winter and I don't want to be stuck in the garage on rollers if I can help it. I wouldn't go out if there was ice on the roads. I bought a mountain bike about 10 years ago to use off road if the weather got too bad but rarely use it.

 

[presta]

Yes and no.

I went out in any weather, but after riding (or walking) gingerly over the ice to the main road at the top of the estate, I stuck to roads that had been salted. A couple in a BMW once stopped to offer me a lift when they saw me covered in snow in a blizzard, I didn't dare tell them there was nowhere to take me, because I was just leisure riding. When I got home, there was so much snow on the spokes it made the wheels like disc wheels.

 

[bobzmyunkle]

All the people I was heading out with today cancelled. I'm one of the more senior members of my riding group so I'll accept that I should be one of the more sensible and follow their example. (At the same time I have a sneaking suspicion that all this Zwift stuff is making people soft).

 

[wafter]

Nope.

The thought of going out in such conditions fills me with dread tbh; although most of my bikes have skinny and / or slick / near-slick tyres. I'd probably look upon it a bit more favourably if I was on knobblies riding on rough ground with fresh snow.

It's something I'll probably have to face if I ever get to escape this bloody village though, as I plan to commute on the bike if I make it back to the city.

I think, as @cyberknight suggests, if tyres are appropriate and it's fresh snow you're OK, but ice is going to be a killer.

Sadly I've not ridden for 2wks and with the weather as it is / roads as they are I can't see this changing any time soon..

 

[cyberknight]

All the people I was heading out with today cancelled. I'm one of the more senior members of my riding group so I'll accept that I should be one of the more sensible and follow their example. (At the same time I have a sneaking suspicion that all this Strava stuff is making people soft).

all road club rides cancelled this weekend too for me

 

[tyred]

I got caught out on black ice one Sunday afternoon about ten years ago and ended up going down a hill on my side. I wasn't hurt.

What scared me was standing up, picking up the bike and then seeing a Honda Accord coming sideways down the road towards me and me having to jump into hedge and hope for the best.

It made me realise that you can control yourself up to a point but you never know when someone is about to lose control of a car.

 

[Vantage]

Even with studded snow tyres I find I'm struggling to keep upright. It's not the ice or snow specifically, but the way it's been churned up by millions of feet and car tyres. It sends the bikes tyres all over the place. Sketchy at best.

 

[a.twiddler]

When I was younger I did go hostelling and had some great rides in fresh snow. It's quite predictable and enjoyable as long as it doesn't get deep enough to start clogging your mudguards. Once it has turned into ruts caused by other traffic, not so good. Other traffic is not your friend. If it freezes overnight, it becomes virtually impossible to ride.

Having said all that, now I have access to a recumbent delta trike with a double freewheel, I'm looking forward to having a go on selected routes.

 

[Illaveago]

I went out for a short ride earlier to Christen my Zelos it has 700x23c tyres. I only did about 600 yds but it was fine in the fresh snow . We have about 1.5 to 2 inches of snow . I find that it is best to ride in snow with a narrow front tyre to cut through the snow. I went out a few years ago in 3 to 4 inches of snow on a mountain bike but found that the side tyres made it hard to steer . Crossing ruts is the tricky bit .

 

[pawl]

Back in the day when I rode with Loughborough CTC I can’t remember a club run being called off.

The one winter ride I remember well.It was aSaturday afternoon My self and my mate headed out to meet up with the rest of the club at Ilam Hall YH .They had gone up on the morning Dave couldn’t get away earlier as his dad’s shop didn’t close till mid day
We decided to stop in Ashbourne for a meal.When we left it was snowing heavily Anyone who knows Ashbourne will be aware of the steep hill out of Ashbourne It had become impossible to ride . Conditions till the Dovedale turn off weren’t to bad.However the decent to Ilam was really dodgy so it was back to walking.
Would I ride in the current icy conditions at my age no way . Turbo for me.Fresh snow I might give it a try My problem is I feel the cold a lot more at my age

 

[Alex321]

It amazes me constantly that someone will happily get in a two ton box and drive in bad weather but are stunned at those of us who cycle as transport will do the same. We still have to shop, visit people, work and so on.

Why does that surprise you? A small patch of ice, a car will be over it before it causes any real problem, but a bike will be on its side.

Plus, if somebody else loses control of their box on wheels and hits you, if you are in your own box, you have some protection. On a bike, you don't.

 

[Gwylan]

View attachment 670755

Beautiful. Did a suitability test in weather like that. Expected to be trekking and bivvying.
Turned up and we got given bikes and instructions. Bergen and bike do not mix. Snowed throughout the 3 day evasion test. The bikes went over hedges in day 2 and we went hors piste.
Meant the pursuit had to get out of their heated vehicles to find us.