This commute I did not enjoy.

[doddy73]

Gota love Scottish weather.... no point in moaning but we all do

South Lanarkshire Council appear to have gritted the main roads only, it was the untouched residential areas on the way to them that was the problem this morning. Some cars had left tracks in the snow which were now frozen solid.... more like riding on solid packed mud than anything else. I couldn't really avoid it so stopped, let some air out of the Winters, unlocked the front suspension and ploughed through carefully.

Would never have stayed upright on the road bike. The Crosstrail is heavy but it's more akin to a 29er than a hybrid and seems to cope reasonably well in these conditions.

 

[BentMikey]

A better commute today, I hope Pat?

 

[Harry_Palmer79]

Glad you managed to stay upright Pat, I wimped out yesterday as I thought the road would be too treacherous for my commuter and its skinny road tyres. Luckily the great western road was snow/ice/slush free today, so I just had to take it easy for a few hundred yards from my front door and it was basically clear from then on... It still felt a bit slippery which meant it was a slow and steady commute, no sprinting on strava segments today!


Then I got to work and realised I had left my keys in the front door of my flat!

 

[BSRU]

I'm guessing they only fit mountain bikes?

Yes, they are big and lots of clearance is needed.

 

[Col5632]

Yes, they are big and lots of clearance is needed.

Defo some worth thiking about, i sold my MB a few years back as i was not using it, see a few cheap ones on gumtree so might be an option

 

[BSRU]

Defo some worth thiking about, i sold my MB a few years back as i was not using it, see a few cheap ones on gumtree so might be an option

I should point out Ice Spikers are relatively expensive, my MTB cost £5 but the tyres were about £40 each.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

So aslong as your pretty careful you shouldnt slid about?

Yes Col, on ice the winters really work, still you need to take care, but you don't slide about.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

A better commute today, I hope Pat?

Off today and tomorrow: back for 7.30am start on Thursday
Reading this thread with much interest, thanks @ Fossy and @BRSU for the info.
Will look into the spiked snow tyres. I've already got a bike I think will suit.
Between my 3 bikes, clothing, accessories I don't think I've spent much more than a yearly bus pass plus the taxis I would have had to take when there is no public transport, so I'm ok with spending some more to keep me mobile during extreme weather.
For some strange reason, the prospective of going back to bussing it makes me want to fight the weather

 

[Col5632]

I should point out Ice Spikers are relatively expensive, my MTB cost £5 but the tyres were about £40 each.

Yeah i had noticed that but thats the price to pay to still be able to get out and ride

 

[potsy]

What's the difference between the ice spikers and the snow studs?
I see Wiggle have the latter at just over £30, whereas the spikers are £44

 

[fossyant]

More studs. The ice spikers are more extreme, and will be slower on Tarmac. Potentially the ice spikers will grip in ice better, but as you note the price difference is quite big. I paid less than £50 for my snow studs 3 years ago.

 

[fossyant]

For some strange reason, the prospective of going back to bussing it makes me want to fight the weather

We can all appreciate that. Sat in a nicely heated, comfortable car, with my tunes on, for an hour to do 6 miles, makes you prefer to be out on the bike in any weather.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Are those the ones Fossy and BSRU use? They're on sale
Like @Potsy said, they look very much like winters with extra nobs.
Are they prone to losing studs like the winters?

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Another question: should you get a flat with them spikes, would it take the mighty Hercules to change tubes?

 

[mcshroom]

You change them very carefully.

I have snow studs on my hybrid (they are 700x38c). I haven't had to try deep snow yet but they seem happy enough with ice and shallower snow. The tread is a bit more aggressive than the Marathon Winters but not quite as deep as a full knobbly tyre.

The only problem I had recently was riding up a short steep slope on a back road which had a sheet of black ice on it. Unfortunately as the bike is singlespeed I stood up to drive it up the hill, and the unweighed rear wheel started spinning on the ice. Somehow I stayed spiky-side down though