Oooh, ice...

[magnatom]

I don't need to, you have already said that you followed the line that the cars nearside tyres took that was in front of you, and the car went over one of the two patches of ice that are on the corner of that junction.

Then you have an amazing ability to detect black ice. You are a superstar. Obviously.

 

[User482]

Um, if you can clearly see it then it probably isn't black ice...

 

[BentMikey]

No, that's ice and the exact patch where you hit the deck. Next time try turning the handlebars instead of leaning into the corner.

Interesting - this is a good display of ignorance on how bikes go round corners.

 

[magnatom]

Interesting - this is a good display of ignorance on how bikes go round corners.

Actually BM, I think to a very, very small extent, Lee is right about something! About turning the handlebars.

This very morning, when I was cycling on 'visible' ice I noticed that to keep balance at the slower speeds I was riding at, I was in fact turning the handle bars in the direction I was turning, not, as you would normally do, away from the direction. I find it does keep you more stable.

 

[BentMikey]

The stable handlebar position might be different at different speeds, but that's down to the particular bike geometry. You *cannot* turn a normally ridden bike, slow or fast, without leaning, unless there's a third point of support.

 

[fossyant]

You can't see black ice - it's what is often 'wet' surface that becomes a patch of ice - you can't always tell. The white bits are frost.

You have very little chance of staying on if you hit ice, especially on smooth tarmac.

Lee you don't half talk some rubbish.

 

[magnatom]

The stable handlebar position might be different at different speeds, but that's down to the particular bike geometry. You *cannot* turn a normally ridden bike, slow or fast, without leaning, unless there's a third point of support.

True, but by turning the handlebars in the direction of the turn, I found it kept the lean to a minimum.

Actually, the way I am writing this, sounds like I've only just started doing this on ice. What really happened was I discovered that this is what I do on ice.

 

[BentMikey]

You'll do that anyway when turning at low speeds, ice or not. There is still leaning going on, else you wouldn't be turning. I'm guessing what's really meant when people say this is that you should ride slowly, not fast. Captain obvious on ice surely? And as fossy says, there's a good chance you wouldn't stay up anyway on black ice.

FWIW I also don't think you could have spotted that ice, and it's not apparent to me on the video. Well, the general probability of ice is, but not the actual patch Lee claims to see.

 

[magnatom]

FWIW I also don't think you could have spotted that ice, and it's not apparent to me on the video. Well, the general probability of ice is, but not the actual patch Lee claims to see.

Aye well. Lee is, as Lee is. His purpose in life appears to be to find something to argue about, no matter how small, no matter how insignificant. S'funny how some folks gets their kicks...

 

[Downward]

This is my little contribution to the thread from this mornings cycle.

Yeah noticing more and more the Ice on even main roads - Do the gritters only go out once a night nowadays ??

 

[Downward]

Oh and after not cycling for over a week now there is no way I am going out on the roads in this weather especially around here where even the main roads are inadequately gritted.

 

[goo_mason]

Yeah noticing more and more the Ice on even main roads - Do the gritters only go out once a night nowadays ??

Another way for the councils to economise, I think. I've seen very little evidence of fresh gritting on my route.

Got to decide soon whether to ride in or not tomorrow. Given the way the cars were driving tonight, and the fact that the ice / frost that had melted during the day had started turning into deadly skating rinks again, I think I'd quite like to live to see the start of my hols off work this Friday. Only snag is that they've closed off the guided busway along Broomhouse and the traffic tonight along that way was utter chaos - and I'll get stuck in it if I go by bus.

Hmmmm..... boredom but the chance to get a good read of my book, or the chance to fall on ice or get hit by the cold-crazed motorists ?

 

[palinurus]

Happily jumped on the bike this morning, no evidence of ice where I live, the puddles had no ice on them, no frost anywhere. I started noticing that the puddles were frozen when I was about halfway in. Roads seemed fine, I put a bit extra power through the rear wheel from time to time to test the surface (I have no idea whether this is truly helpful, but it makes me feel better)

A colleague came off, she has to ride down a north-east facing hill on a singletrack road. I'm bloody lucky with my route.

 

[palinurus]

...Land Rover came round the corner sliding in my direction..

That I do not like.

 

[fossyant]

The roads are much dryer round Manchester tonight - will still be a walk to the main road, but they are looking OK at the moment - fresh gritting has been done.