Snow

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
User avatar
TrevA
Posts: 3551
Joined: 1 Jun 2007, 9:12pm
Location: Nottingham

Snow

Post by TrevA »

Anyone else got snow? We had a blizzard on Friday night and now everywhere is white over and iced up. Side roads not rideable and main roads only passable with care on a bike. I'm seriously cheesed off. 2 weeks off work and I can't ride because of the weather.
Sherwood CC and Notts CTC.
A cart horse trapped in the body of a man.
http://www.jogler2009.blogspot.com
Merry_Wanderer
Posts: 1002
Joined: 31 Aug 2012, 9:33am
Location: North Leicestershire

Re: Snow

Post by Merry_Wanderer »

Hi Trev

Same here - road through the village is iced over snow with tyre tracks on dry looking (at the moment) but black ice last night tarmac. The A6 about a mile away looks better but I am going to have a break until I go back to work on 5th January (unless there is a thaw in the meantime)
Vorpal
Moderator
Posts: 20700
Joined: 19 Jan 2009, 3:34pm
Location: Not there ;)

Re: Snow

Post by Vorpal »

Studded. Tyres.

:wink:
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
The fat commuter
Posts: 292
Joined: 12 May 2014, 7:54pm
Location: The hilly side of Sheffield

Re: Snow

Post by The fat commuter »

Lot of snow here - we actually got stuck in it in the car on Friday night, ended up abandoning the car and walking home. Only three miles but not easy in four inches of snow, with snow still falling and without a coat. Recovered the car yesterday and dug our road out to get the car on the drive. Re-dug it again today as the tracks that I'd dug had been splattered over with snow by people deliberately not driving up them.

Got work tomorrow - need to be there by 7 am and I'm unsure whether to take the bike or not. I do have winter compound tyres - but they're not studded. Very sunny now but any compacted snow that isn't cleared is just turning into ice.
mercalia
Posts: 14630
Joined: 22 Sep 2013, 10:03pm
Location: london South

Re: Snow

Post by mercalia »

London ok :)
User avatar
Si
Moderator
Posts: 15191
Joined: 5 Jan 2007, 7:37pm

Re: Snow

Post by Si »

Vorpal wrote:Studded. Tyres.

:wink:



Refitted mine today....found some snow and ice to play on.....best thing since sliced bread.
User avatar
deliquium
Posts: 2349
Joined: 9 Mar 2007, 3:40pm
Location: Eryri

Re: Snow

Post by deliquium »

Passed us by here in Snowdonia this week, apart from the very tops of the mountains. 3 years ago I was snowed in for 2 weeks (I mean the car was at the end of the stoney track where I hide/live) - couldn't find anyone who had stock of studded tyres that winter (Europe was badly hit too). I was able to get some Schwalbe Winter tungsten studded tyres by a balmy March. Apart from 'running them in' on smooth uniced tarmac, I've not had to use them in anger :( Hopefully we'll get some snow here in 2015?
Current pedalable joys

"you would be surprised at the number of people in these parts who nearly are half people and half bicycles"
User avatar
Si
Moderator
Posts: 15191
Joined: 5 Jan 2007, 7:37pm

Re: Snow

Post by Si »

I've not had to use them in anger :( Hopefully we'll get some snow here in 2015?


Afraid they aren't brilliant in snow (although they are better than slick road tyres)......it's the ice where they come into their own!
User avatar
deliquium
Posts: 2349
Joined: 9 Mar 2007, 3:40pm
Location: Eryri

Re: Snow

Post by deliquium »

Si wrote:
I've not had to use them in anger :( Hopefully we'll get some snow here in 2015?


Afraid they aren't brilliant in snow (although they are better than slick road tyres)......it's the ice where they come into their own!


That's why I chose them specifically - the valley and mountain pass main roads usually get snowploughed and if there's an overnight frost, they get impacted - hence wanting something to ride on road on ice :D

One day hopefully?
Current pedalable joys

"you would be surprised at the number of people in these parts who nearly are half people and half bicycles"
User avatar
TrevA
Posts: 3551
Joined: 1 Jun 2007, 9:12pm
Location: Nottingham

Re: Snow

Post by TrevA »

mercalia wrote:London ok :)


Yes, I know. My son lives in London and came to visit on Friday but he's gone home again as the conditions are better for riding.
Sherwood CC and Notts CTC.
A cart horse trapped in the body of a man.
http://www.jogler2009.blogspot.com
Vorpal
Moderator
Posts: 20700
Joined: 19 Jan 2009, 3:34pm
Location: Not there ;)

Re: Snow

Post by Vorpal »

Si wrote:
I've not had to use them in anger :( Hopefully we'll get some snow here in 2015?


Afraid they aren't brilliant in snow (although they are better than slick road tyres)......it's the ice where they come into their own!

Actually, they are quite good in light snow, and brilliant on old snow (as long as it is packed down or crusty enough to hold me up), which is what I've been riding them on. They're no better than any other tyre (i.e. horrible) if there is snow on top of ice, and the snow is too deep to let the studs bite into the ice.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
User avatar
Si
Moderator
Posts: 15191
Joined: 5 Jan 2007, 7:37pm

Re: Snow

Post by Si »

I would disagree - if it's just snow and no ice then a good mud tyre with deep, well spaced tread will grip and shed much better in my experience. However, as an all rounder, where ice may be present, then any losses on snow are more than made up for on ice.


Anyway, having come home and made that first post yesterday, I find my decision vindicated. I came home along one road which appeared frost covered and has a sharp bend in it. I had no trouble at all on the bend and was thinking that it was only a bit of frost and not really icy. Mrs S came home a little later and told me that she'd just seen a car go off sideways at the same bend. There but for the grace of stud.....
User avatar
foxyrider
Posts: 6044
Joined: 29 Aug 2011, 10:25am
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Re: Snow

Post by foxyrider »

Plenty of snow up here, @ 30cms at home when i left this morning but Planet X are selling winter tyres cheap at the moment :D

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TYSCWIN/sc ... piked-tyre
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
SteveHunter
Posts: 186
Joined: 24 Aug 2014, 10:02pm

Re: Snow

Post by SteveHunter »

Limited in sizes though, I just looked for 700cc ones and they only have 40mm width available which won't fit on my bike.
User avatar
foxyrider
Posts: 6044
Joined: 29 Aug 2011, 10:25am
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Re: Snow

Post by foxyrider »

Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
Post Reply