Your ride today....

[Supersuperleeds]

No snow here in Leicester yet, but it is cold. Left the house just after 06:30 this morning, definitely needed the ice tyres on. Slow pootle up to Gilmorton and back for a very leisurely 27 miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1307559518

 

[Fonze]

First winter ride and first ride for 7 weeks freezing cold.
Halfway through and a double puncture going through a pothole.
So not the best way to start but hey ho.

 

[cosmicbike]

A chilly 21 miles this morning, lowest temperature of -0.1 C which for us Southern softies is quite cold enough. Stuck to the main roads which were gritted overnight, need to keep an eye on the RT-58 to make sure the carbon frame doesn't melt while I'm not looking.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

First winter ride and first ride for 7 weeks freezing cold.
Halfway through and a double puncture going through a pothole.
So not the best way to start but hey ho.

Have a like for having got out rather than for the punctures.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Another play in the snow this morning but this time I swapped tyres to the snow studs which proved to be much better in the mix of conditions, particularly where it was slushy.

I headed into town via a slightly roundabout route and through The Quarry which was busy with people perambulating and also full of parked cars as there is a winter fair going on.

Having ridden the length of Victoria Avenue I headed into the town centre to visit The Square where my sister has a stall at the last Made In Shropshire event of the season.

From there I dropped back down to Victoria Avenue and rode the length of it again before heading out of town across Greyfriars Bridge.

10.5 miles this time at 8.3 mph average. Taking it carefully on the slippy surfaces.

On the run into town.

First run through The Quarry, looking at St Chads and the marquee for the winter fair.

Shrewsbury School and their boathouse.

Someone's keen. And I've been called brave for cycling down here.

By the Welsh Bridge and Theatre Severn.

Looking up the avenue towards Quarry Place before I head for home.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Another play in the snow this morning but this time I swapped tyres to the snow studs which proved to be much better in the mix of conditions, particularly where it was slushy.

I headed into town via a slightly roundabout route and through The Quarry which was busy with people perambulating and also full of parked cars as there is a winter fair going on.

Having ridden the length of Victoria Avenue I headed into the town centre to visit The Square where my sister has a stall at the last Made In Shropshire event of the season.

From there I dropped back down to Victoria Avenue and rode the length of it again before heading out of town across Greyfriars Bridge.

10.5 miles this time at 8.3 mph average. Taking it carefully on the slippy surfaces.

View attachment 386511
On the run into town.

View attachment 386512
First run through The Quarry, looking at St Chads and the marquee for the winter fair.

View attachment 386513
Shrewsbury School and their boathouse.

View attachment 386514
Someone's keen. And I've been called brave for cycling down here.

View attachment 386515
By the Welsh Bridge and Theatre Severn.

View attachment 386516
Looking up the avenue towards Quarry Place before I head for home.

Which snow tyres do you have?

 

[derrick]

Was a bit nippy this morning, but we thought we would give it a go. Set of just after 9am out towards Navistock, about 10 miles out the roads started to get icy, so we decided to abort the ride and retire to the pub, we back tracked as we knew the roads were not to bad, a mile from the pub one of the girls had a visit from the puncture fairy, so we had to wait another 10 mins before we got our first pint. 20 miles a bit short but hey ho what can you do. After a couple of beers and a curry it was home for a shower and a nap.
https://www.strava.com/activities/1307926172

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Which snow tyres do you have?

Currently on the bike are Schwalbe Snow Stud and the ones just removed were Marathon Winter (the full 200 stud ones) which had terrific traction and braking grip but wanted to slide off sideways at the slightest provocation.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Currently on the bike are Schwalbe Snow Stud and the ones just removed were Marathon Winter (the full 200 stud ones) which had terrific traction and braking grip but wanted to slide off sideways at the slightest provocation.

Cheers, I run the full 200 stud ones and agree they are not very good with proper snow.

 

[robjh]

After half a day spent just doing 'stuff' around the house, I got out on the bike for an hour or so around sunset, which is currently just before 4pm here, and was glad I did, once I'd got used to the cold. I went up into our little stretch of hills that start just south of the village and run into Essex, through the villages of Heydon and Great Chishill, and back via Elmdon. An icy film still glistened on the roadside puddles and I took some corners carefully, but the snow isn't due here until tomorrow. There was no spectacular sunset - too much cloud near the horizon - but a lovely transition from cold, white skies to a deep gloaming, and a crispness to the air. It was only 17 miles but they were good ones.

a rather blurry picture of the B1039

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Some proper snow over night in Leicester so let the pressure down on the ice tyres to 40psi and decided to go for a slide. Tyres worked like a dream (despite what I posted up above.) I think a combination of fresh snow and low pressures is needed. I think once the snow is all rutted and frozen it will be much harder to stay upright, we'll find out tomorrow on the commute I suppose.

Anyway just over 7 miles with a top speed of 16mph and an average speed of 9.4mph show it was hard work. Mind you this is what I was riding in:

Time for a cup of tea and some porridge

https://www.strava.com/activities/1308845968

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Sorry. Not much typing due to frost nipped digits. 205km Audax yesterday with nearly 2500m climbing. Ice in England, riders off all over the place and snow on the Brecon Beacons. Wales is beautiful. Cake and jacket potatoes by the WI. I don’t think I could have asked for a better way to spend a Saturday. Long day mind: Up at 04:44 and into bed at 23:11. Think I’ll put my feet up. If I can find them.

 

[Donger]

Sorry. Not much typing due to frost nipped digits. 205km Audax yesterday with nearly 2500m climbing. Ice in England, riders off all over the place and snow on the Brecon Beacons. ............ Think I’ll put my feet up. If I can find them.
View attachment 386595

On behalf of everyone who has ever done a winter audax .......
Well done that man. A monumental ride, considering the conditions. Chapeau!

 

[Jon George]

Out on Patsy #3 The Hybrid with studded tyres and lowered pressures for a little 11 mile jaunt. More than one driver didn't appear to give any consideration to how much slush/snow they sprayed over my legs as they passed at speed. (Most drivers, however, extremely considerate.)
Drying out a bit before cycling over to the pub.

Wood smoke and snow out near Nacton:-

 

[arranandy]

Great ride this morning over here in the Netherlands. Did the Wouw Toertocht which is a sort of off-road sportive. Most folk were on MTBs but I did it on my CX bike. Great fun, most of it was on trails and tracks in the local forests with a few more technical bits thrown it for good measure. Started off dry, then light light rain which quickly turned to heavy snow. A good workout for a old guy who's not ridden a MTB or CX bike offroad for about 15 years.

Not sitting watching live CX on Dutch TV feeding my face


https://www.strava.com/activities/1309185942