Country lanes in winter

[Ming the Merciless]

I doubt these supposed winter compound tyres. None I tried in the past ever had noticeable grip on icy surfaces. Spikes are needed.

It's that combined with the sipes that give the grip. The same design for car winter tyres us what gives the great grip on icy or snowy surfaces. It works and better than spikes.

 

[Sharky]

Is your work OK with you not going in due to moderately cold temperatures then?

I'm unlucky now to be retired, so no longer commuting.
On one occasion on the first morning of soft snow, I cycled in on an old appollo mtb and I was one of the few that actually got in. On the next morning, the soft snow had turned to ice and I only managed about 100 yds before turning back.

 

[Foghat]

Can your bike take 38mm tyres? Get the Continental top winter contact tyres.

Indeed. Continental's Top Contact II Winter Premium tyres are the answer to general very cold weather riding in the UK. Note the 700x37mm version measures only about 31mm wide; yes, the fronds sticking put may add a few more mm, but if they brush mudguards or anything else they add very little resistance and wear off anyway - so the '37mm' version will actually work with any bike with clearance for 32mm tyres. The 700x42mm version measures a true 42mm wide. Continental really ought to produce a true 37mm version, and a 28mm version wouldn't go amiss either.

I find them excellent, and use them in most frosty/icy conditions unless the ice is severe and extensive, in which case I deploy Schwalbe Marathon Winter studded tyres - i.e. I use the Top Contact Winters frequently on ice as I typically find it on the southern UK road/lane/path network (including countless miles on ungritted lanes) - thick hoar frost, rime, frozen rain, frozen run-off etc are all fine with caution on these Continental tyres.

Studded tyres are horrendously slow though, and on a 15-mile commute will probably add around 15 minutes' riding time over something like a Continental Gatorskin or Schwalbe Durano, whereas the Top Contact Winter will probably only add 7-8 minutes for the same riding effort. Studded tyres inspire a confidence even on extensive sheet ice (although caution is still required) - studs are lethal when cornering on road ironwork, though, whereas the Top Contact Winters are fine on dry metal and generally fine on wet metal with caution.

I quite happily ride across icy patches on the non-studded Top Contact Winters - yes I do need to exercise caution, and take extra care to corner more slowly than normal, but they cope admirably and riding a straight line across ice on them is very straightforward compared with non-winter compound/tread tyres.

For muddy and wet leaf road conditions, I use the Continental Top Contact II regular tyres in various widths depending on application, which have a fairly aggressive tread but still roll reasonably well due to a smooth centre strip. Definitely noticeably faster than the Top Contact Winter. The 700x28/32/37/42mm versions of these tyres are all fairly true to size in terms of tyre width.

Successful winter riding is all about the right tyre choice (and clothes) for the conditions. The only conditions that will stop me are deep snow and winds above about 70mph.

 

[tom73]

My bike is the stock Planet X London Road Apex 1 with 28mm Vittoria Revolution Tech G+ Rigid Tyres. Thanks @YukonBoy - I'll take a look at those Conti tyres

No wonder your enjoying it great fun bike to ride.
should take 38mm no issue currently I’ve 35mm on my London road and no problems with plenty of room left.

 

[andrew_s]

Successful winter riding is all about paying close attention to the weather and the state of the road, and moderating your riding style accordingly.
It's trying to ride in the same manner as you do in the summer that causes the problems.

The Conti Top Contact Winter is the best available non-studded tyre, but even with those, or studs, you won't have the same grip on ice as you'd have on a dry road, and if you don't ride carefully you'll be off.

 

[rogerzilla]

All bets are off on ice, unless you have studded tyres. For the few days a year when it's actually icy, I'll take the bus or drive (big urban feeder roads are salted, psyclepaths and bike-safe roads are not). I've crashed three times on ice and it was never much fun. I have studded tyres and kept a bike ready to go with them last year, but only used them about 5 times. I live in the south, though.

 

[classic33]

Slow down. Allow extra time for commute to take into account. 15 minutes less in bed is nothing compared to broken bones

I'll second the above. Never used spiked tyres, but allowed extra time, costs nowt, for the same journey.

This slowing down/allowing extra time has been applied to narrow country roads and main roads. I've often been the only wheeled vehicle on the roads.

 

[Milkfloat]

If it is just frosty then I just corner very slowly, if it is full on icy then I change my route to the main roads which get gritted. I don’t use any kind of winter tyre.

 

[biggs682]

If the pavement and roads are frosted then i normally don't use the bike

 

[Soltydog]

Now if there is any danger of ice, I dont go out on the bike. Get a thermometer and if it's below say 5 degrees, think twice.

That is generally what I do. I've come off once on ice & it hurt despite nothing being broken, but I rode into work the other morning, got up & ready, got my bike out & then noticed next door's cars were all frosted over & thought I'm out now, sod it. Just took it steady & all was fine, but if the forecast is for frost or ice, I don't consider it at all. My commute is similar to the OP, 16 miles & the first 10 miles or so from home are on country lanes

 

[mjr]

If it is just frosty then I just corner very slowly, if it is full on icy then I change my route to the main roads which get gritted. I don’t use any kind of winter tyre.

One of the incidents which motivated me to get studded tyres was sliding down a gritted road on my backside while the bike came alongside. The road had been gritted but it was too cold for it to work or there hadn't been enough traffic to smoosh the salt around or something.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Spiked tyres on a spare bike or wheelset. If you've never heard of them google it, they are amazing fun.

Another vote for spiked tyres. I have to ride for several weeks a year on compacted ice & snow: spikes mean the bike handles like it is on clean dry tarmac, it's remarkable: you could ride along a frozen river with no problem, apart from sinking of course.

The main danger is that I forget and put my foot down on ice when I get off, whereupon I have the danger of my foot going off in a random direction and the bike staying right where it is. This causes much amusment among the natives.

 

[mjr]

Another vote for spiked tyres. I have to ride for several weeks a year on compacted ice & snow: spikes mean the bike handles like it is on clean dry tarmac, it's remarkable: you could ride along a frozen river with no problem, apart from sinking of course.

The main danger is that I forget and put my foot down on ice when I get off, whereupon I have the danger of my foot going off in a random direction and the bike staying right where it is. This causes much amusment among the natives.

Ok just to quibble on it being like dry tarmac I will mention that you still shouldn't brake hard on sheet ice. There is a very small risk of the ice under the tyre detaching from the tarmac and becoming a sort of ice sleds under the wheels. I've cracked ice but not yet broken a chunk free, but I think it could happen if you made a habit of hard stops.

I avoid the foot thing by leaning on traffic light posts instead of putting feet down. The UK's stupid habit of traffic lights both before and after junctions helps with this, even if it does encourage red light jumpers stopping with their cars blocking cycleway crossings.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Is it foolhardy to continue to try and commute to work over the winter months through country lanes?

Yes

 

[rogerzilla]

A hard dry frost is no problem. I've ridden in when it's been -12 deg C. Rain in the evening followed by an overnight freeze is the dangerous thing - or light rain onto deep-frozen tarmac, which is even worse.