That was difficult today!

[brickisred]

Slid down the lane to St Fagans, walked the Ely trail then stuck to the road which was like riding on sand. Studded tyres were great on the compacted bits but it's mostly loose lumpy snow.

It was more fun on Friday going through a pristine field of snow and throwing up a wake like a boat!

 

[PJ79LIZARD]

It was the worst conditions I've rode in today, used mtb with knobbly's, had two gears cause it was froze up, had to get off the road cause I had no fast gears so couldn't get up to speed. Had to resort to the pavement, which were bad kept wheel spinning on the inclines. Wished I hadn't of bothered by the time I got ere. It's mostly down hill on the way back so that's going to be interesting!

 

[BSRU]

I found brown snow quite dangerous, there were patches of brown snow mixed in with the compacted white snow, the white stuff was fine but the brown stuff proved to be not very stable.
Also the snow along the side of the road, just outside the tyre tracks was frozen solid, not flat and very unforgiving.

 

[fossyant]

The 'sand' consistency snow is very difficult to ride on - that's when it's broken down, but not turned to slush - not good for cars either. The stuff just shears off under tyre - it's not stuck to anything...TBH riding in sand is easier - I've done it.

 

[Downward]

Not sounding good - Wonder if it's best to stay on Road or Snowy Pavements ?

 

[PJ79LIZARD]

Came back on road much better on the return, had full use of my gears as they had defrosted at work. The side streets were real bad, and it's coming down again now. Well I'm finished now til the new year so I'll be sticking to the turbo! I really wish I could justify 70 quid on studded tyres.

 

[Glow worm]

Not sounding good - Wonder if it's best to stay on Road or Snowy Pavements ?

Most of my commute's off road cycle paths and they're fine with fresh snow, but awful when it gets really frozen hard and rutted. I got on the road this morning and joined the gridlock for once instead. Bike was so cold, only had one gear and no brakes as all the mechs had frozen.

Then I got to the airport (Cambridge) and the pedals stopped driving the rear wheel completely. I thought something had sheared and it was terminal, so cursing, I left the bike, bussed home and drove back for it. Took it to an LBS- and the bike had warmed up in the car and to my amazement it was completely fine. LBS fella* said he'd seen it once before in extreme cold, sometimes the metal in the back wheel contracts in the cold and the thing won't turn with the pedals. Or something. Anyway, flippin' annoying but it was -10.

*Revel's (Formerly Moon's) of Newmarket- a really superb LBS.

 

[Glow worm]

had two gears cause it was froze up, had to get off the road cause I had no fast gears so couldn't get up to speed.

That's one gear more than me! Was wondering - does anyone know if WD40 would sort out frozen gears? It seems to do just about everything else.

 

[PJ79LIZARD]

I'd cleaned my mtb the other week lubed it and wd40 pivots, springs and that on mechs. It's still froze in these extreme temperatures. Not much you can do I don't think.

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

Tricky today on the road bike for sure, I keep thinking I am going to run out of luck...

The cycle lane was useless, full of snow that had frozen, so rode in with the traffivc which was okay, but at one point I was back in the cycle lane, teetering like hell, managed to stay upright, but afterwards I thought if I had fallen over, I would have been in the path of cars ...

I am really considering getting an MTB cause it has to be so much better than a road bike surely?

 

[Glow worm]

I'd cleaned my mtb the other week lubed it and wd40 pivots, springs and that on mechs. It's still froze in these extreme temperatures. Not much you can do I don't think.

O well, Never mind. I thought the bike was invincible in all weathers!

 

[wmtlynx]

After meeting some morons on the road yesterday whilst driving my car, I bit the bullet and biked it to work. 75 minutes for just under 6 miles on the Asda bike. Started on the road, but after about 500 yards of sliding all over the place I gave up and went off-road. Problem was slush mixed with hard patches of ice, followed by overtaking cars spraying slush under my wheels causing me to lose grip. Found the pavements a lot more adhesive with compacted snow, and just kept the wheels turning in a mid-range gear and it was fine. Managed to stay upright all the way to work, and all the way back, with only a few wheelspin moments. Walked parts of my route, mainly where there were clusters of pedestrians, or where the pavement narrowed.

All in all, very enjoyable, and I'll be doing more commuting by bike in future when the roads are back to normal and I can safely use the Raleigh Wayfarer.

75 minutes is embarrassingly slow I know. But on Saturday I walked it and took 2 and a half hours.

Steve

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

After meeting some morons on the road yesterday whilst driving my car, I bit the bullet and biked it to work. 75 minutes for just under 6 miles on the Asda bike. Started on the road, but after about 500 yards of sliding all over the place I gave up and went off-road. Problem was slush mixed with hard patches of ice, followed by overtaking cars spraying slush under my wheels causing me to lose grip. Found the pavements a lot more adhesive with compacted snow, and just kept the wheels turning in a mid-range gear and it was fine. Managed to stay upright all the way to work, and all the way back, with only a few wheelspin moments. Walked parts of my route, mainly where there were clusters of pedestrians, or where the pavement narrowed.

All in all, very enjoyable, and I'll be doing more commuting by bike in future when the roads are back to normal and I can safely use the Raleigh Wayfarer.

75 minutes is embarrassingly slow I know. But on Saturday I walked it and took 2 and a half hours.

Steve

why are you embarrassed? you slogged it in when most bike commuters are wrapped up in nice warm tin cans. you should be proud. well done. tbh if you can hack it out there with the rest of us all weather commuters......you'll love the spring. once again..well done!!

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Been riding my fixed to and from work all through this cold spell, not missed a day yet, but we haven't had it as bad here as some places. Friday afternoon was the worst, Most of Bedworth and our side of Coventry was gridlocked, spent most of the trip home at walking pace, or just above, going down the outside of stationary traffic, took me 45 minutes to get home instead of 25 minutes. Most days the main roads have been clear and the side roads have been slippery.

 

[wmtlynx]

why are you embarrassed? you slogged it in when most bike commuters are wrapped up in nice warm tin cans. you should be proud. well done. tbh if you can hack it out there with the rest of us all weather commuters......you'll love the spring. once again..well done!!

Thanks for the encouragement. Not been cycling for too long (as an adult) and currently got an average speed of about 10mph showing on my Raleigh Wayfarer, which, in nicer weather, I was using on cycle routes around South Birmingham and testing my grinding skills on local hills. On a commute I'm guessing I'd be averaging about 12mph should I attempt it. Today on the Asda bike I achieved about 4.5mph on average.

But, I'll judge my experiment a success. With gridlock imminent in places (Snow forecast for tonight, tomorrow and Wednesday here in Brum) it may be a more sensible choice than taking a car out that may have to be abandoned, or relying on buses that have been hit-and-miss since midday Saturday. To take a train for my commute to work is estimated at 1 hour 50 minutes with a lot of walking and waiting. So in this weather, the bike seems to be the most sensible option.

Steve