Does the freezing weather keep you indoors?

[Deanno1dad]

Well I ventured out last sunday,although at 8am it was just above freezing...
As it's got colder,I really don't want to get the slick tyres out on a frosty morning..is this the weather for the knobby tyres only?
How dangerous are road and hybrid bikes on ice.

 

[coffeejo]

I discovered on Thursday that hybrid bikes don't stay upright on black ice ... but that falling off on black ice hurts a lot less than on "dry" tarmac...

Today, I shall mostly be sticking to the main roads. Especially as it's just started snowing.

 

[DCLane]

No, but I'm switching bikes as a result.

Today I'm going to be using the Python MTB rather than the 23mm slick-tyred version which was a bit slippy on the Pennines last Saturday.

No snow here yet though ...

 

[Banjo]

If you hit ice it wont make much difference what your riding. After a fright last year of going sideways at some speed I am much more wary now. Its just not worth the risk.
(PS by pure luck I didnt come off and the bike straightened itself up.) A car came off the road on the same spot a little while later)

 

[Pigo]

I have knobblies on mine but am still very cautious when its icy after having a clash with some black ice in the car previously.
Today I am definitely heading out as I've woken up to a freezing house & a dead boiler!! No point staying in here!

 

[MattHB]

I'm climbing the walls here. I've still not had a chance to take the new felt out. It's -5 out there at the moment, so I'm going to wait an hour or 2 as the temperature seems to be coming up. So long as I'm careful I recon I aught to be ok.

 

[yello]

Does the freezing weather keep you indoors?

In a word, yes. -11c yesterday morning, -8c this.

Beautifully bright and clear skies but cold as....

 

[Kiwiavenger]

im in work on the bike today, was nice and "refreshing" on the ride in and clear roads! saw a few icey patches in the gutters, but nothing on the main bit of the road! was lovely.

 

[numbnuts]

YES I'm a wimp and old

 

[Herzog]

I like the challenging aspect of it.

I've always loved mountaineering literature, particularly the heroic struggles and all that. When it's cold/snowy/windy, I find I'm more inspired to go for a ride. Also, afterwards you can impress people with how macho you are by endlessly telling stories about battling through blizzard conditions...

 

[derrick]

Only commuting at the moment, hit the ice last year and came of, so i take it easy, knobly tyres only.

 

[westofsouth]

....by the way, how do knobbly MTB tyres help on black ice? - surely only spiked tyres will break through the glazed surface.

 

[Camrider]

I think knobblies have little more grip on ice than slicks, studded is the way to go for that stuff. Luckily around here it has been very dry so there has been little ice on the road. I've enjoyed a few short ride this week, but the cold has kept me down to 100 km this week, in the milder weather I was doing around 150.

 

[cyberknight]

I think knobblies have little more grip on ice than slicks, studded is the way to go for that stuff. Luckily around here it has been very dry so there has been little ice on the road. I've enjoyed a few short ride this week, but the cold has kept me down to 100 km this week, in the milder weather I was doing around 150.

Other way around i am afraid..

Slicks give you more rubber in contact with the road , the only thing that is better are spiked tyres..
http://sheldonbrown.com/brandt/ice.html
Must admit i have only done 2 commutes this week as i am on nights so i cant see the ice on unlit lanes,its been - 8 and with a new sprog i am busy at home .
Last winter i did fine on 23 mm gator skins all winter with only 1 off at low speed on black ice.

 

[Camrider]

Slicks give you more rubber in contact with the road

That's good then, I just fitted Conti Contact sports on my town bike