View Full Version : Biking over ICE PATCHES
Hi! I was wondering if anyone could give me advice about biking over ice patches??? I live in RI. It has been Such a cold LONG winter. My daughter and I finally was able to take our bikes out on the path today. It was about 2 miles of ICE! We actually HAD A BLAST!!!!! It was not black ice. More like FROZEN SLUSH in the majority of the area!! Neither of us fell and we had such a nice day outside finally!! I would love tips from experienced people though!!! Hopefully, it will be SPRING soon and we can get back to longer rides!!!We do have snow in our forecast for tomorrow though!!!! So I guess the path will be ice filled for a while longer!!:crash:
WorldIRC
03-12-03, 11:42 PM
I dunno if its correct what I do but I stay in a low gear and I try not to pedal quickly. This helps prevent the wheel from spinning out yet I can keep a stable cadence. Also try not to make your turns to sharp. That is what I do. If you feel yourself slipping, turn into it like in a car.
Maelstrom
03-12-03, 11:54 PM
Drop the wheel air volume to get more tire on the ground. That will allow for much more control over the bike. :)
MichaelW
03-13-03, 05:47 AM
Carefully.
Think of traction as a limitted resource which you expend to accelerate, turn and brake. When you run out of traction, you skid. On ice you have less traction, so dont mix turning with acceleration or braking. Ice tyres, with metal screws will increase your traction.
Keep to an easy gear, and feel for your rear wheel braking out from under you. Most times, you can catch the feeling before you fall.
The danger is less from the fall, which is pretty harmless, but from the vehicle which is tailing you. I have fallen on black ice, and if you relax into the fall you just go sliding along. If you panic and fight the fall, maybe stick your hand out, you will break something. The best pace to absorb the fall is on the side of your arm and shoulder, so keep hold of the bars and tuck your elbows and head in.
All good advice but I install Nokian mount and ground studded tires in december and take them off on April 1st. I live in mass. and that's the only way I can ride comfortably through the winter. If you ride your bike a lot they are worth the money. I get about 3 to 4 years from each set of tires and put about 3000 miles per year on them.
You want to use all of the available traction (which isn't much) to maintain your balance. Therefore try and make your net acceleration 0. This means no turning and just maintaining a low speed over the since (without slowing down, because this takes grip too). As a result you will have a bit of extra grip to stay upright, which is the key! :)
All good advice but I install Nokian mount and ground studded tires in december and take them off on April 1st AMEN! It's my first winter with Nokians and I LOVE THEM!
If you plan to do a lot of cycling on icy terrain check out this Link. (http://users.rcn.com/icebike/Equipment/testedonice.htm)
I wanna get some studded nokians cause I hear they are the best snow tires out there, figure it would be nice to go run some of the trails in the sierras before the snow melts and everyone else does.
KleinMp99
03-14-03, 10:43 PM
Originally posted by SusieQ
Hi! I was wondering if anyone could give me advice about biking over ice patches???
I dont know but when I bike over ice I try to jam on the front brake and jump off my pedals as high as I can and then try to land back on the pedals. Sometimes (like on icerinks) i do the same as before but I try to do spinning maneuvers while in the air. That is how I get across ice.
2manybikes
06-21-03, 08:03 PM
Studded Nokian tires.You saw my tracks or me If you were on the East Bay Bike Path riding in the slush.Or the solid ice earlier.I had a black bike and a Yellow Jacket.I rode on the ice and the slush and the snow every two or three days.The studded tires are a big help.I can ride on lakes or glare ice like pavement.The Ice rink in Barrington,Echo lake,Brickyard pond.etc.I went the length of the Bike path on ice.It's a lot of fun actually.
TravisJPed
06-23-03, 11:25 PM
HA! i say go with it and have fun i like to book it as fats as possible over hard packed snow then hit the ice at like 25mph LOL! and whip my bike sideways and gooooooo for a lllloooonnnnngggg ride! lol its hella fun!
But in your case lower tire pressure go to a store buy TONS! of screws or studs and twist them into the knobs of your tires using plyers....... and DONT! lean wen turing simply keep the bike vertical and ONLY! turn the handle bars gradually.
:) hope i helped.
livewombat
11-18-03, 08:09 PM
2 approaches:
Recumbent with low seat position, long wheel base, and boots. When I hit the ice, I put my feet down to the sides and "ski" along on them.
Trike. It doesn't tip over.
NO WAY would I ride a regular bike on ice.
Mary
2 approaches:
Recumbent with low seat position, long wheel base, and boots. When I hit the ice, I put my feet down to the sides and "ski" along on them.
Trike. It doesn't tip over.
NO WAY would I ride a regular bike on ice.
Mary
If by "regular" you mean a bike not fitted for winter riding (no studded tyres, for example) I agree. But if you mean a two-wheeled upright bike, I say get some studded tyres and give it a go. You'll enjoy it! As you can see from threads in Winter cycling, many others do.
--J
erraticrider
11-20-03, 03:01 PM
HA! i say go with it and have fun i like to book it as fats as possible over hard packed snow then hit the ice at like 25mph LOL! and whip my bike sideways and gooooooo for a lllloooonnnnngggg ride! lol its hella fun!
Of course, should you hit some pavement without ice in that loooong sideways ride, your bike will turn into a catapult arm, slamming you into the road and you'll know what Beloki felt like at the end of his ride in the Tour de France this year. But, what's a little pain and a few broken bones; it certainly won't stop Beloki from racing next year.
Hi! I was wondering if anyone could give me advice about biking over ice patches??? I live in RI. It has been Such a cold LONG winter. My daughter and I finally was able to take our bikes out on the path today. It was about 2 miles of ICE! We actually HAD A BLAST!!!!! It was not black ice. More like FROZEN SLUSH in the majority of the area!! Neither of us fell and we had such a nice day outside finally!! I would love tips from experienced people though!!! Hopefully, it will be SPRING soon and we can get back to longer rides!!!We do have snow in our forecast for tomorrow though!!!! So I guess the path will be ice filled for a while longer!!:crash:
Keep the bicycle rolling in a straight line. Don't make any sudden moves like turns, brakes, or shifts.
Deflate your tires just a bit for more traction.
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