Too Icy?

[slowmotion]

Up to what temperature is the salt and grit mixture effective in your area?

I've absolutely no idea, but gritting is supposed to be good until -5C at least. The last time it got icy in West London, I had to walk the bike across ice on residential streets, but as soon as I got to gritted roads, I was fine for miles and miles. The trick is to remember to get off as soon as you leave the bigger roads.

Edit: It isn't just air temperature that matters, BTW. If there is a clear night sky, you can get icy roads even though the air temperature is above freezing.......cold radiation or something.....

 

[Slick]

I've absolutely no idea, but gritting is supposed to be good until -5C at least. The last time it got icy in West London, I had to walk the bike across ice on residential streets, but as soon as I got to gritted roads, I was fine for miles and miles. The trick is to remember to get off as soon as you leave the bigger roads.

I think the -5 thing is about average, it's to drop to -9 here tomorrow so gritted roads won't help everyone.

 

[Racing roadkill]

There’s not much that will stop me riding, but the forecast up there tomorrow would possibly be enough.

 

[classic33]

I think the -5 thing is about average, it's to drop to -9 here tomorrow so gritted roads won't help everyone.

Not too cold then.

 

[Slick]

Not too cold then.

Nothing out of the ordinary at this time of year but cold enough to keep me off the icy roads on a bike.

 

[Lonestar]

Leave earlier.I had this years ago.Left an hour earlier and got to work dot on time.Normally I like to get to work earlier than dot on time.

 

[biggs682]

if in doubt then dont do it @User46386

 

[NorthernDave]

It depends where your route will take you - they've already started gritting the main and bus routes so they should be OK.
And the CSH (or at least the eastern part of it) seems to get a random sprinkling of grit too. Sometimes.

 

[jefmcg]

I'm interested to understand what people think of the met office warnings. They are warning for ice in London from 4am, but not for Leeds.

This is the first time I've really paid close attention to met office warnings - just turned them on in the app, and so far it's 50/50. We didn't get the Caroline winds, but the snow fell just as predicted.

So does the Met Office not care about icy roads in Leeds, are they wrong, or .....?

 

[NorthernDave]

So does the Met Office not care about icy roads in Leeds, are they wrong, or .....?

Well, experience tells me that they're wrong more often than they're right. Shockingly so at times.
And they almost certainly don't care about anywhere this far North, especially on this side of the Pennines...

 

[Tim Hall]

Don't forget other weather forecasts are available. The Norwegians at yr.no, with a lovely animated app and Meteogroup, the people who the BBC are/were planning to use un place of the Met Office.

 

[NorthernDave]

Some parts of that CSH are slippy under normal conditions, theres some paving slabs that are beige in colour with lines on and I've felt the tyres slipping a bit.
If I go I'm going down Halton Hill to the Shaftesbury then down Harehills Lane to Morrisons.The dentist is opposite.

Well, in theory, all those roads should be gritted. But I can understand your reticence based on personal experience.
If you can hang on, the subzero temperatures are only forecast to last a couple of days (although it's going to rain after that!).

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Up to what temperature is the salt and grit mixture effective in your area?

Depends on the concentration, how well the grit is spread etc. Can be effective to about -10C. The problem is often where a road is gritted, the ice / snow turns to slush during the day and the grit gets washed away. Then the slush is compacted and refreezes with ridges where a cyclist is most likely to be riding. Un gritted / un compacted cycle tracks can often be best in this case, as long as you have a decent / off road tread on your tyres.

 

[Vantage]

Whilst you might be ok on snow or slush, no tyre no matter how nobbly will find traction on black ice. That's where you need to look at the risk factor. Which way are you going to slide across the road and will the car/van/40 ton truck following you be able to stop or swerve around you?
Come summer when the price of studded winter tyres drop, you might want to buy a set.

 

[postman]

Meanwood which is on the other side of Leeds to the poster has had nothing.5 miles have you thought about walking in .