I came off, again

[Deleted member 35268]

I decided to brave the conditions and head out on my bike yesterday, it had been -4 or -5 and things were iced up. I left about 9:20am. I spotted many an icy patch and I took things really carefully.

By about 11 am I reached Britwell Hill , parts of which had received little or no sunlight and were completely iced up. For these sections I went about 1mph, feet unclipped, in case I needed to dismount. It's a perfectly straight bit of road so you have plenty of time to get organised.

Then, on the last downhill section I came to a complete stop before another icy section, and again tippy toed on my bike, but the gradient was steeper than the traction I was able to get, the back wheel and then the front wheel wen't all over the place and I knew it was game over - fortunately I managed to do the sort of dismount you would do if you were falling over ice skating and I got away with no harm or damage what so ever.

A few minutes later I saw another cyclist coming the opposite way - I imagine he would have had to have walked the icy sections, which is what I should have done!

No footage i'm afraid, I'd run out of space on the Go Pro.

This is the road....

Windy Milla

Me cold

 

[Tin Pot]

Is the bike ok?

 

[biggs682]

@Rooster1 the conditions you mention are why i have only covered 150 miles so far

hope you are ok ?

 

[mjr]

Yesterday's group ride was cancelled/postponed because air temperature was -4 at 8am so ground temperature maybe -7, we leave at 10am which means people start cycling from home at 9am and the gritted alternative route to reach yesterday's destination included a famously dangerous tree-lined bit of the A1065. When conditions are like that, it's a case of £40 of studded tyres, or wait until later when it thaws.

Hope you and the bike are OK but go for an afternoon ride next time it's like that, eh?

 

[Deleted member 35268]

Yesterday's group ride was cancelled/postponed because air temperature was -4 at 8am so ground temperature maybe -7, we leave at 10am which means people start cycling from home at 9am and the gritted alternative route to reach yesterday's destination included a famously dangerous tree-lined bit of the A1065. When conditions are like that, it's a case of £40 of studded tyres, or wait until later when it thaws.

Hope you and the bike are OK but go for an afternoon ride next time it's like that, eh?

I promised to help my wife with the cleaning, shopping and washing in the afternoon which I did, and I cooked the roast dinner too. I had to go in the morning or not at all. I think i'll do an MTB ride next Sunday if this cold snap carries on as I really can't be ice skating on my arse again.

 

[mjr]

I promised to help my wife with the cleaning, shopping and washing in the afternoon which I did, and I cooked the roast dinner too. I had to go in the morning or not at all. I think i'll do an MTB ride next Sunday if this cold snap carries on as I really can't be ice skating on my arse again.

Sounds like a plan! I'm not an MTB fan so I'd switch the cleaning, shopping and washing to the morning at this time of year if you can (and take some damned responsibility - "help my wife" indeed! ) and if you have one, a timer-controlled oven is great at starting roasts off if the worshipful Sunday banquet at @Rooster1 Mansions means the whole hog might need to start cooking before you'd return.

 

[Darren Gregory]

Hope you and the bike are all okay.

I usually commute most week days leaving the house at 05:45. My journey takes me on back roads and therefore I have avoided the bike since Christmas. Very annoying but last time I fell off I broke a rib so I really don't want that again. Drove into work about 08:30 and felt bad as most of the roads seemed okay but having read your post I think I am making the right decision.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Studded ice tyres
Hope you and bike are well!

 

[snorri]

Studded ice tyres !

Or move to the seaside.