Tales from today's commute....

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

Sixmile

Veteran
Location
N Ireland
Back on the bike after a break of 12 days :unsure: due to a combination of work, weather and chest pains. All 3 areas have since shown improvement so it was back for an easy 10 miler into work today.
 

Arjimlad

Tights of Cydonia
Location
South Glos
If you intend to report a motorist for bad driving towards you, get the date and time stamp sorted on the camera.

Unexpectedly terminated commute this morning. 5 miles into the commute on an unlit road, riding deliberately wider than my normal road positioning because I know there can be puddles in that section of road, I hit black ice. The bike just went from under me. Luckily a driver about 50 metres behind was alert and managed to avoid me. The driver was also courteous enough to stop and make sure I was OK. In the twilight and lit with the bike front light, the black ice looked to be around 20 metres in length and over both carriageways. I am guessing the ice was caused by spray from the puddles, as the rest of the road up to that point had been dry. Ended up walking the bike on the grass verge to get away from the ice, as it was impossible to walk with, or push the bike, on the road, without one or both of us sliding.
Another 12 miles and the return journey was not appealing, so made my home. Bruised ribs, hip, elbow and some unpleasant looking thigh grazes. Bike seems to be mainly scuffs to the brake hoods.
Reported the road conditions to the Council.

Hope you feel better soon. I bought a pair of Marathon Winter tyres after having this a couple of times 2 years ago. Ended up riding them today although there was very little ice. I have a feeling I'll be glad of them later in the week though.
 

Bazzer

Setting the controls for the heart of the sun.
Hope you feel better soon. I bought a pair of Marathon Winter tyres after having this a couple of times 2 years ago. Ended up riding them today although there was very little ice. I have a feeling I'll be glad of them later in the week though.

Hmm. I ride with M+, but I'll bear that in mind. Although other than walking it, (assuming I had seen it in time), I think spikes would have been the only thing which would have stopped a fall. It was just one big sheet of ice and it was the camber that got me.
I think in future for the road and one other, in suspect conditions I'll put the Volt 1300 on full beam, to give me as much vision as possible. I had restricted it to medium in consideration of other road users, but it may be a case of having to be selfish.
 

roubaixtuesday

self serving virtue signaller
Hmm. I ride with M+, but I'll bear that in mind. Although other than walking it, (assuming I had seen it in time), I think spikes would have been the only thing which would have stopped a fall. It was just one big sheet of ice and it was the camber that got me.
I think in future for the road and one other, in suspect conditions I'll put the Volt 1300 on full beam, to give me as much vision as possible. I had restricted it to medium in consideration of other road users, but it may be a case of having to be selfish.

IME no amount of lights helps on that kind of ice, and the camber makes little difference too. A couple of years I went down in similar circumstances on a flat straight road after sun up. No warning at all, just straight down. I think all you can do is ride slowly to minimise the damage if you do go down.

I now have spiked tyres on the mtb for icy mornings.
 

straas

Matt
Location
Manchester
Sacked it off this morning, my road was like a sheet of ice - don't think it's worth the risk.
 

Leaway2

Lycrist
It was very icy on my road this morning so took the hybrid. I walked off the estate. The road leading to the main road was icy but not too bad so slow and steady wins the race or at least allows me to stay upright. It is snowing now, but not sticking so it will be a moist ride home.
 

aferris2

Guru
Location
Up over
Cold riding in this morning but only a few icy patches so not too much of a problem on that front.
What was a problem though was the freehub which was trying to be a bit more "free" than I wanted. Very quickly figured that I had to keep pressure on the pedals constantly otherwise it lost drive completely. See what a difference it makes to the cadence:
cadence.jpg

Guess what I'm doing tonight!
 
My new(ish) commute is along 7 miles of towpath and 5 miles of road each way. Road was wet and rammed full of traffic and with the sleet was a tad dodgy, the towpath was slippery as a greased eel either side of the continuous ribbon of unbroken 2 inch freezing cold puddles. I have never been as wet, but still beats driving. Roll on tomorrow.
 
Last edited:

I like Skol

A Minging Manc...
Big disappointment today on the commute. Last nights snow came to nothing so this morning I only had to deal with a few frosty patches on the pre-6am trip to work. I then kept watching the snow fall thick and fast on the rare occasion I got an opportunity to look out of the window at work, but at hometime it was just dampness but no precipitation so got to ride home in just my normal cold day commute clothes.

Did have two things of note happen on the way home though. Got passed by a police van driving at night with no lights on, just the DRLs at the front. I was hoping to point out his error at the next junction or set of traffic lights but he turned onto an unlit section of motorway and as I crossed the bridge I watched him disappear into the darkness :rolleyes:

Next muppet driver was on the town 'by-pass' very close to home. I almost got left hooked by a vehicle that passed me at the last moment then split left onto a slip road type junction. I think he heard my WA**ER expression as his drivers window was part down to let his cigarette smoke out. We had to stop at traffic lights anyway and we sat there glaring at each other..... What a tool!

Arrived home dry and fresh. Good ride for the final day, hopefully get to play in the snow for a few days now.
 
Top Bottom