Tales from today's commute....

[ianrauk]

Not too bad here in glorious, sunny, Londiunium. It was -2° when I left home this morning. A bit of frost on my (back) road, but once on the main roads it was fine. The gritters were out again last night. So all good.

 

[fossyant]

There were plenty of brave cyclists out on the various path's this morning - no way would I have been out without the tyres. I'm too old to have a bad spill (plus the ear ache from 'The Boss' (at home).

 

[biking_fox]

I wouldn't be on the paths either, but the roads were fine, no more than 1-2mm snow at home, fading to less than that in the city centre.

 

[cyberknight]

I wimped out today too🙁
Snowing on top of the ice so the side roads were too bad to attempt it on a road bike.
Mrs CK wasn't happy when I informed her I was taking the car and I got half way to work and the fuel light came on so I had to do a small top up at the only 24 hours station that was open .
Country lanes had some bad patches where it was collecting so overall I made the right choice

 

[RichK]

Sunrise in Birmingham with a light dusting of snow. Yes, I have Marathon Winters. More people had clearly been cycling than I was expecting.

 

[Arjimlad]

Another day when I would not be riding my usual route to work, were it not for Marathon Winter tyres. Beautiful morning but the back roads were very icy for extended stretches. Lost a little traction on a steep uphill section, even with the studs.

 

[annirak]

Last night on the way home, another cyclist passed me and suggested my rear tyre was low. I made sure to check it properly when I got home, but didn't spot anything amiss. This morning was another story--completely flat. I pumped it back to 6 bar when I left the house--and brought the stand pump with me--but it was down to 3 before I got to the mid-way point. Back up to 6 for the rest of the commute. I guess I'm patching a tyre tonight.

Turns out it was a loose valve core.

The ride in today was much better. Got to use the studded tyres again, on actual ice this time!

 

[biking_fox]

Snow and ice this morning. Lovely and crisp. Had about an inch near home, but enough of a covering the whole way into work. Where there wasn't snow, there was ice ! Had one 'slip' on the ice tyres. I was negotiating a 'bike' chicane on the Fallowfield Loop at Sainsburys, and I put the power down when slightly out of the saddle. The rear gave a quick slip and a scrape. I't did cause the chap on a road bike to then slow and hold back as he was gaining at that point. The surface looked OK, but was icy enough - could be quite dangerous really as the chicane is metal fences.

FB report form the Floop Group that a cyclist fell and broke a hip at that point this morning :-( I'm staying on the roads!

 

[fossyant]

FB report form the Floop Group that a cyclist fell and broke a hip at that point this morning :-( I'm staying on the roads!

Ah, that would explain the space blanket, loads of grit and a hot drink container and a water bottle left neatly this evening ! It was slippy even with studs, but I was going a bit quicker than I should. The guy behind me backed off when my rear skidded a bit.

 

[fossyant]

Ah, the chap that stayed with the cyclist was a mate of mine from Man Uni. Two hours wait for an ambulance. I was thinking of popping one of my spare space blankets in the panniers !

 

[tom73]

Ah, the chap that stayed with the cyclist was a mate of mine from Man Uni. Two hours wait for an ambulance. I was thinking of popping one of my spare space blankets in the panniers !

Just remember one thing which most get wrong re space blankets. They work same way as kitchen foil Keeps hot things hot and cold things cold. If cold and wet get something dry and warm round them 1st then space blanket that way keeps warmth in. Space blanket alone will just keep them cold. Hope that helps

 

[simongt]

On the way home tonight, green light ahead, so kept up about 15mph and fingers crossed they didn't change before I got there.
All good until a numpty decided to pull out just in front of me from a garage by the lights. He then braked and turned left without indicating.
Hey ho.

 

[Jenkins]

Much warmer this morning at -3°C compared to the -5°C of yesterday, but it felt colder due to a light breeze. This evening was the first time this year that I've finished work on time (15:00) and got home just after 16:00 without needing to put my lights on thanks to the clear skies just before sunset.
I do need to remember to pack a cycling cap due to the low sun and glare off the wet roads in the afternoon and, while the Lidl/Aldi ski gloves are wonderfully warm, they do lack a towelling pad on the thumb area and I have a very runny nose in the cold!

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Lovely commute in today.

Main roads were a hideous mixture of traffic and slush, but back roads fabulous.

 

[ianrauk]

wow @roubaixtuesday , that's a fair amount of snow there. Thankfully no sign of the dreadful stuff down here in sunny London. Bit frosty though and minus temps.