Originally Posted by
ItsJustMe
Could be. Maybe it was colder when I was trying with rim brakes. In that instance the brakes simply did nothing despite not being seized as far as I could tell. After I finally stopped by ditching, there was clearly ice on the rim.
I switched to discs after having that happen to me a couple of times and haven't had any brake failure since then. But it's possible it was a temperature difference or something.
I would suspect ice somewhere in the brake mechanism like in the cables or the caliper themselves. But that can happen with discs as well.
As mcours2006 has pointed out, I'm much more concerned about the tire to road friction than the brakes. I resisted studs for many years and still hate them but they do work better than regular tires. Last winter I stopped at a stop sign while on my bike with studs (front disc/rear rim) and was shocked at how slick the road was when I put my foot down.
Originally Posted by
ItsJustMe
For the last few years I just give up and drive if it's freezing rain. There are plenty of days to ride on, and I can't afford the time to ride on all of them (riding to work and back takes 3 hours out of my day versus 1 hour to drive).
My problem with freezing rain isn't the rain. It's the vast number of idiots who have moved to Colorado from places where there is no freezing rain and they can't drive in it
90% of them can't drive in warm rain! I, too, usually leave my bike at home on the days when driving is more like hockey.