cooker

I typically hang up the bike late in the year since I don't feel safe riding on ice. And if I was starting to think about riding through the winter, I've lost that notion again.

Yesterday morning I decided to ride despite a light overnight dusting of snow (but no ice) because I figured it would warm up during the day, and I wanted to get some last rides in. I should have taken the mountain bike but it needs some minor repair so I took the road bike with 1.25 inch tires. As I said, I expected the roads still to be clear later.

Throughout the day there were more light flurries but it all seemed to be melting as soon as it hit the ground, and when I left the office, the street was wet but unfrozen. Of course, Toronto has a lake effect where the farther you are from Lake Ontario, the colder and snowier. My house is 8 km/5miles north and (according to Google Earth) 66m/200ft higher compared to my office.

As I rode along in the dark I increasingly noticed ice crystals reflected in the glow my headlight cast on the asphalt, but I had no trouble with traction even on the uphill grade of Poplar Plains Rd, so I seemed to be doing ok. But as I cut across Kilbarry towards Lascelles I found this residential street covered with a thin layer of ice and snow. I got a little nervous and unclipped my right foot just in case, but as I slowed to almost a full stop at the intersection my bike went out from under me to the right and I fell to the left.

The last time I fell, two years ago on the first or second day I went clipless, it was on dry summer pavement, and you topple slowly sideways. But when the bike skids out from under you, you go down much faster. I had no time to unclip and took the hit on my hip, elbow and shoulder, and I also felt the side of my helmet fairly lightly hit the ground. I had no head pain, and the helmet has no damage other than a tiny dent in the outer shell, so I guess I might not have had a serious head injury without it, but I'm glad I had it anyway.

And boy, those cleated bike shoes aren't that great for walking home on icy sidewalks either!

Robert

mooklekloon

I agree. Yesterday was nastier than it looked. My dad went down on a big patch of ice on Bathurst just north of Eglington on his way in to work. Luckily he wasn't hurt and there were no cars around. His bike was also OK. I ride the same route as him but I leave about an hour later than him and found myself on the same patch of ice and somehow managed to keep traction with my 28 mm armadillos. I **almost** went down on a sewer grate on Bathurst just north of Steeles on my way home, but my back tire managed to regain traction and I stayed up. I avoided Poplar Plains yesterday and went through Avenue Road most of the way. Damn Canadian winters.

Are you ok? Is your bike ok?

cooker

Sore hip, but no injuries or bike damage to speak of, thanks. The downside is unfortunately, I didn't get a pass from raking leaves this afternoon!
You and your dad both commute downtown from north of Steeles? Wow.
RGC

nathank

hey Robert. hope you're ok.

i had almost the exact same accident winter 2002 - actually i think it was slicker for mine as cars/sun had melted the snow druring the day and a few hours after dark as i rode home it was BLACK ICE (ina split second i went from riding to lying on the ground and took the force on my wrist and hip and my wrist was hurt for months)

anyhow, what i did is the next day i went and bought studded tires! and they work! sure, the studded tires have a littler higher rolling resistence and you ride a little more slowly, but it is SAFE!

i now love riding in the snow and ice - there are many threads, but i find the Schwalbe Snow Studs to be the best for commuting as they are a good compromise between snow/ice and paevment.

i just mounted the same tires Friday morning after our first snow and it's worth the small investment --- they don't cost much more than regular tires and last at least a few seasons (i ride year-round and have the spike on from Nov-April and they are now starting year 4.

huhenio

I am not riding on ice ... I leave that for the figure skaters wannabes




j/k

2manybikes

The studded tires make it pretty easy.

Walkafire

I tend to let some air out of the tires... go with the minimum amount.

I ride on Town & Country tires from Continental (26 x1.9), they are great on Ice with the lower air pressure. If I had packed snow, or knew the roads were ice all the way to home/work, I would put on my Studs, but when it's patchy, the semi slicks are great.

mooklekloon

Yeah, we both work really close to eachother, but we don't ride down together that often. Sometimes we ride home together. We live north of Steeles around Bathurst. He goes to Bay and Dundas, I go down to Bay and Richmond.

ghettocruiser

Yesterday was indeed a little nerve wracking...Thursday night I had the studded tires on to make sure that wheelset was functioning after the summer, then I check the forecast and PUT THE SUMMER TIRES BACK ON because no one was saying anything about snow or ice. Friday the roads are all icy. I slowly pick my way home grumbling all the way. Plenty of car accidents as well.

shaq-d

toronto here too. i take steeles ave west of yonge st regularly to commute. i find bathurst and keele to be okay. not great, but do-able. steeles on the other hand can be a real *****.

sd

robmcl

I am with you on this. I have been commuting for a bout 5 years now and always in a northan climate. I go as long as the roads are clear. God bless the peole with studded tires that go all winter, but I think your chance of being injured go up by a lot.

Portis

What are you doing riding on ice without studded tires?

ItsJustMe

I love my Nokians. I rode all last winter, including on ice and hard pack snow, and never so much as slipped a bit.

icithecat

Ice? Can someone please explain this word ice?
Just kidding.

clevernamehere

Uh, yeah... as others have said, with good studded tires ice is pretty much a non-issue.

I actually find motorists give me more room the worse the conditions are. That combined with studded tires & I think riding on ice may actually be safer than summer riding.

Boudicca

OK, OK. You don't have to rub it in!

cooker

Good question. I don't need studded tires because I don't (usually) ride on ice. I got caught by bad weather, foolishly tried to ride through it just this once, and went down.
R

shaq-d

hmm i saw a witner commuter last week or so and we chatted for about 3-5 minutes.. it was on the small road just parallel to steeles, south of steeles ave, toward bathurst.. wasn't u was it?

sd

bostontrevor

I love commuting in the snow. In fact, by my own observation, I have better traction and control in the snow and icy conditions than most motorists. You can ask the guy in the 4WD Jeep I pushed through an intersection last year.

Having said that, the cold weather snuck up on me this year. Riding over to some friends' house on Wednesday evening, I completely bit it on some frozen puddle splash and scraped up my elbow and won a huge technicolor bruise on my thigh. I knew it was chilly, but I wasn't even thinking ice yet.

cooker

Yeah, it took a few days for mine to surface, but it's a lovely mottled purple and green now.

mooklekloon

Nope.

Roody

Ice is not so nice when you're riding. However, in the city at least, it is mainly found on small side streets and only on certain days of the winter. I have fallen on ice 6-7 times but never seriously hurt. If you ride fast on ice, you probably would get hurt. But typically, you'll ride slower on ice, if you're at all clever. And you kinda slide on the pavement, so road rash is less likely. Also, your layers of clothing provide some protection. I put my saddle a little lower on icy days, so I can use my feet to make cool skidding turns and stops.

Do not drive a car in icy weather. Period. If you're scared to ride your bike (I am sometimes!) just walk. Of course you'll still fall sometimes! You can learn how to fall gracefully in self-defense courses or acting classes.

slagjumper

Hey Robert hope that you are feeling better after that slip. Pittsburgh's weather is funny. Most often it snows, then warms up a bit. The effect is to provide some descent snow riding the night/day of the snow fall, but then it goes to slush.

Trouble is that I have these nokian studded tires. I have not put them on yet, because it is not icy enough, long enough. So I would be left with an ice-only bike as long as the tires where on.

Why not just get some studs and ride when it turns to ice?

cooker

Thanks, I'm fine, but - I'll stick with the bus for now.
RGC