Leisure rides on icy days

[old_windbag]

I like rmurphy and philwhitesides posts some very good tips and pointers there. I love the look of schwalbe studded tyres and from video on youtube ridden on an ice rink they seem to work, also very cheap from rosebikes. They are so competitive for tyres, dynamo's, lights etc and good customer service.

I feel like a chicken nowadays not venturing out when 2 or 3 degrees or below, yet reading the posts I'm not alone. The rural roads where I live have many sheltered spots where the ice simply does not go due to the low sun. Many of these on downhill sections with tight bends at the bottom so the need to brake is paramount yet with black ice also guaranteed so I err on the side of caution and go on turbo or long walk. I like to get out on the bike so to miss a few days mid winter is fine in exchange for staying upright and not being put off the bike for 2-3 months due to broken bones. I've been caught out several times riding on "glass" and it's stressful( often I'll bail out and walk sections ), white frost does not have the same fear as it seems to ride ok. I was caught out riding down 5-10% gradient on sheet ice once with the bike accelerating and me knowing that to brake I'd be on the deck....... I had no choice but made it into the snowy verge and got off. I then fell on my "ahem" a few hundred yards later when walking the bike down the hill. I was so pleased to see my home that day, but 600ft altitude though small, meant a totally different climate( about 2 degrees c drop per thousand feet I think ).

So for me I'll go out if it has been dry for a few days prior to the cold temperatures so avoiding black ice issues and even then I'll try to stick to a flattish route on main roads( mostly gritted ) at sea level. A proper Sir Cowardy Custard .

Addendum: I see many photo shoots in C+ showing ice/snow covered roads and that mob riding racing bikes on 25mm or less tyres....... surely they don't go out on long rides in those conditions on tyres/bike like that? It must be just a couple of hundred yards for the shoot, if not they must be crazy.

[Vorpal]

These marathon winters,

Can you leave them on all year for commuter bikes?!

Cheers
Martin

You can, but it's hard work. I suggest just leaving them on until the danger of ice is past, then putting your summer tyres back on. If you don't like changing, get a second set of wheels, and keep winter tyres on one set and summer tyres on the other.

[Vantage]

I opted to go with the Schwalbe Snow Styd tyres over the Marathons simply because they were cheaper. But I also figured the more nobbly nature of the tyres would mean better handling in deeper snow. Does anyone find that the Marathons tend to spin/slip more on snow than ice?
I've also found that whilst these things have so far kept me upright when other tyres would have me faceplanting, they tend to slip a bit then grab before it all goes pear shaped. As if the tyre is loosing grip on the bits between the studs. Does anyone else find that?

[Vorpal]

I opted to go with the Schwalbe Snow Styd tyres over the Marathons simply because they were cheaper. But I also figured the more nobbly nature of the tyres would mean better handling in deeper snow. Does anyone find that the Marathons tend to spin/slip more on snow than ice?
I've also found that whilst these things have so far kept me upright when other tyres would have me faceplanting, they tend to slip a bit then grab before it all goes pear shaped. As if the tyre is loosing grip on the bits between the studs. Does anyone else find that?

A few points...
1) Keep the inflation at the lowest possible for your weight. With studs, the more tyre is on the ground, the better grip you have. I run mine at 35 - 40 psi.
2) snow on top of ice can still be a problem, if it's deeper than your tread, but shallow enough to slip on the ice. Avoid riding on stuff like that, if possible.
3) studs are less effective at higher speeds. I find that around 12 mph (it may be at lower speeds with higher inflation pressures) the studs become much less effective. So, I'm super cautious going down hills; I came very close to an off several times before I learned that one.
4) on *just* snow, fat knobbly tyres are better than studded tyres, the Snow Stud is better than a Marathon Winter, & in deep snow, nothing works very well, unless you can get a fat tyre to sit on top.
5) If you are riding a lot on ice, more studs are better; the Schwalbe snow stud tyres have half as many studs as a Marathon Winter, or Ice Spike tyre. Of course that makes them lighter, and ride better, as well, so it's a trade-off.

[Si]

I opted to go with the Schwalbe Snow Styd tyres over the Marathons simply because they were cheaper. But I also figured the more nobbly nature of the tyres would mean better handling in deeper snow. Does anyone find that the Marathons tend to spin/slip more on snow than ice?

Yup, and they are horrendous in patches of grey slush that fall off the bottoms of cars - they've lulled you into a false sense of security then you hit the slush and the world spins. In snow a good mud tyre is better...my preference being the old panaracer Spike. But i'd rather than the Winters for road riding were one might meet ice as I'm content to slip a bit in snow and I keep a weary eye out for the slush ponds.

[RideToWorky]

These marathon winters,

Can you leave them on all year for commuter bikes?!

Cheers
Martin

You can, but it's hard work. I suggest just leaving them on until the danger of ice is past, then putting your summer tyres back on. If you don't like changing, get a second set of wheels, and keep winter tyres on one set and summer tyres on the other.

Hi Vorpal again,

Many thanks for that!

Regards
Martin