Black Ice

[Orange]

Crashed on black ice within 200 metres of the house; right foot caught in the strap and difficult to extricate myself - lucky no other traffic around as it took a minute or two to be able to get uo again. Knee is sore and swollen now.

Discretion being the better part of valour, I've not got changed and will be taking the car a bit later. So annoying - I was really looking forward to this morning's ride as well.

 

[R600]

i'm in the same boat not beeing able to get out and cycle (not falling of) and was realy looking forward to cycling to work. last week managed 2 day, first day got caught in heavy rain and wind halfway into my 15 mile commute second day 4 miles from home the road just became one whole sheat of ice and had to walk a lot of it

 

[Fran143]

Hope you get better soon!! One of the girls came off on black ice on saturday.....broken scapula....think I'll leave the bike for a bit!

 

[fossyant]

Wasn't as bad as I expected as things were really freezing up last night (following some snow on Saturday). Raining this morning, but plenty of ice patches locally, so took the spike bike - glad I did. Main roads fine.

 

[beanzontoast]

When it's icy, I leave the bike at home. I didn't used to, but a few winters' consecutive encounters with the black ice variety - the last one of which sent me sliding along the ground straight across a junction where thankfully there was nothing coming - were enough for me to invest in a discount bus ticket for days like today.

 

[vernon]

It makes sense to abandon two wheeled transport when road conditions make cycling hazardous.

I look back on my twelve years of two wheeled commuting on bikes and motorbikes and wonder how I got away with only one 'off' that really hurt.

 

[Browser]

Hucking forrible conditions this morning. Did't really register until I was just leaving our estate this morning via a left turn at a T-junction and got that nasty dog-on-lino feel through by jacksie from the wheels. Immediately uprighted the bike and coasted to a slower speed then took the bend. I continued to work but kept thinking I had a flat as the rear wheel had that nasty squirmy feel which I usually associate with deflation but must have been slipperyness
I put it down to freezing rain as it had just started as I left, but might have been black ice instead.

 

[skudupnorth]

I had 52 miles of twitchyness yesterday,turning and road cambers were the worst bits

 

[snorri]

Black ice is just ice that people don't see.

 

[I like Skol]

Black ice is just ice that people don't see.

That's what I always thought but wondered if I was missing something. The mythical beast has got a fearsome reputation for causing all ills but at the end of the day it is just wet frozen tarmac.

 

[Amanda P]

There was a film of ice on everything this morning - there's been rain on and off all night, and it's frozen on the ground.

First bit of my route was like wet glass, so I walked on the grass verge. (Mrs Uncle Phil was gingerly trying her studded tyres for the first time on real ice, but had no trouble at all).

Then the bus route was nicely gritted, no problem at all. I got 99% of the way to work, and then came down, hard, on the last bend - which wasn't treated at all.

I'm now at my desk with ice on one knee and the heel of one hand. Nothing's broken, but my knee is stiffening up nicely and I'm hoping not to cycle home tonight on it!

(Jezston's got me on his list for some Nokian studded tyres - pity I didn't have them already!)

 

[Alien8]

Slow slide-over at first T-junction this morning. Walk back home and took the hack-bike instead - tyres are so wide it's like pedalling a tractor.

 

[potsy]

Heal up soon Uncle Phil, this is the dilemma of 99% of the route being ice-free, I have yet to try my studs since the bedding in ride two months ago, and it seems overkill.
But it's the one tiny patch of ice on a side road or car park where they will be worth the extra time and money.

 

[fossyant]

Most of my ride was ice free, but the housing estate was lethal, and to have walked on the icy pavements would have been as bad. My spiked tyres were slow on the road, and it was hissing down, so the 'splash' guards on the MTB didn't stop that mush spray. BUT I didn't fall off.

 

[Amanda P]

Heal up soon Uncle Phil, this is the dilemma of 99% of the route being ice-free, I have yet to try my studs since the bedding in ride two months ago, and it seems overkill.
But it's the one tiny patch of ice on a side road or car park where they will be worth the extra time and money.

Thanks. If I'd had 'em, I would have used them this morning, for sure. It's the bit of ice you're not expecting and that you don't see that gets you.