Ice, does it stop you?

[jack smith]

Monday i took the boardman team carbon out in the ice and it was fine i never got a hint of sliding ect even on fast decents up to 40mph.. Nuts i know.. But i was running late already had the road bike at hand and my commute is down a massive hill i thentook the mtb out on the night 6 miles each way through loads of ice and never got any slipping either so i dont think ice would really stop me riding but im very confident with my bike handling skills but if i knew it was icy id favour the mtb over the road bike

 

[andyfraser]

Well, I've broken my leg twice falling less than 3 foot. I'd still rather fall 3 foot than 20

Lol! I probably should've added that I've fallen off a bike many times, twice on ice and one of those at speed, and had motorbike accidents, although they were below 40 mph, and walked away with cuts and bruises. The one time I slipped on ice I broke my wrist.

 

[Bodhbh]

Lol! I probably should've added that I've fallen off a bike many times, twice on ice and one of those at speed, and had motorbike accidents, although they were below 40 mph, and walked away with cuts and bruises. The one time I slipped on ice I broke my wrist.

It's a fair point. If your no stranger to a bike slipping out beneith you and - maybe have instinct on how to curl up or whatever - then it will bother you less? I really really don't like at all tho, despite having some slips on foot - at least there I feel like I have some control on the outcome. When the bike goes, it just goes.

 

[andyfraser]

It's a fair point. If your no stranger to a bike slipping out beneith you and - maybe have instinct on how to curl up or whatever - then it will bother you less? I really really don't like at all tho, despite having some slips on foot - at least there I feel like I have some control on the outcome. When the bike goes, it just goes.

I've just been very lucky.

 

[jefmcg]

[QUOTE 3418050, member: 259"]Far more dangerous.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, I'm starting to wonder if I might not have broken a rib on Saturday

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Repurposed the Mrs underused Dutch bike as my snow stud one ready for a worse winter than last year. I quite enjoy the snow and ice for the change it makes to the less populous bits of my ride & the incredulous comments from people, that I've ridden in it. The way some talk it's as if you've done brain surgery with a Swiss army knife.

 

[slowmotion]

I commute in London where the main roads are gritted and you should be pretty much OK in any weather. The problem is when you deviate from the gritted ones. You can anticipate some falls, even if they are only a couple of seconds away. On ice, you are down before you can think. I take the van and suffer sitting in traffic for forty five minutes.

 

[mustang1]

I have a tradition each year of never putting them on until after the first time I needed them. So far I've managed without them this year and I've a hilly ride planned when I want to use the spare bike and don't want to be slowed by spiked tyres so it is going to be after that before I put them on.

I've had them for about 4 years now.

I know what you mean. I only have one commuter bike so don't want it hounded down by spikey tires, so like you, I will wait until after I need them. But like someone else pointed out, I need to bed mine in...

 

[summerdays]

I know what you mean. I only have one commuter bike so don't want it hounded down by spikey tires, so like you, I will wait until after I need them. But like someone else pointed out, I need to bed mine in...

Well the ride I needed the unspiked tyres for completed I've now no excuse for no putting them on other than the fact that I'm lazy!

Edit: thinking about a post I made about today's commute it's a good job as a teenager ran into my bike this morning not looking where he was going, and he might be feeling it a little more if there had been spikes to run into.

 

[hennbell]

Clean it? Never

You can purchase ice bikes directly from some manufacturers, but most people modify a old bicycle.

 

[Biscuitfrisky]

I came off this Sunday trying to turn after a set of lights.
The ice was practically invisible.
Hurt like hell, for about 10 minutes.
No bones broken, laughed and got on with it.

 

[Deleted member 22722]

http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/winter-118-spikes-28-x-1,20-wire-67805/wg_id-1956
Probably this. If I had to commute I would certainly consider them.

Aargh, wish i'd seen this post on Monday. I've just bought a pair of these from a UK supplier and paid double that.

Came off on a stretch of Black ice the weekend before last. Went down immediately like a ton of bricks on my shoulder. Still hurts now but I suppose i'm lucky I didn't break my collar bone. After I picked myself up I looked back on the corner where i'd come off and still couldn't see the ice. I was convinced there wasn't any until I stepped on it and lost traction. Totally invisible.

Thought my bike got away intact but upon further inspection later I found my brand new Selle Italia saddle has got a 1" gash in it. Paid about £90 for it only 4 days beforehand

Sticking my winter spike tyres on my spare set of wheels this week so i'm ready for the next cold snap.

 

[wam68]

Why is it when you fall the first thing you think of is not whether you have broken anything or damaged anything. The biggest concern is if anyone saw you. Crazy

 

[confusedcyclist]

I came off last week at 28mph, not fun. Nervous about going back out in the cold now.

That was on my road bike. Still happy on my spiked MTB tyres.

 

[Flying Dodo]

A pricey solution, but one worth the expense, is to have a spare set of wheels ready with ice tyres already on them. Last winter I only put them on the commuter bike for a couple of days, but the ability to just spend less than a minute swapping the wheels over, compared with struggling with Marathons made it worthwhile.