Originally Posted by
electrik
Sure it depends where you live, but everyday during many parts of the year here you get sun melting snow and it's usually frozen by the time you're heading home again(every snow-storm from jan-feb). Earlier in the year you get black ice formed by random pools of rain or run-off from lawns.
Like I said, it depends on where you live. Snow here tends not to melt so much as sublime, i.e. convert from solid to vapor without forming liquids. It comes with an average winter humidity of 12%. We don't get a lot of pooling and freezing. And what pooling and freezing we do get, you can easily ride around or you
can ride over it. You have to ride gingerly and you have to avoid turning, stopping, etc. but you can ride over it.
Originally Posted by
electrik
Speaking from experience, i'd rather take a crash without clips. You may have hurt your hamstring but that is easier to fix than your AC joint and whiplash w/ large concussion.
I'll speak from experience too. I have crashed on ice. It happens even here. Each time I've crashed I'm amazed at the speed with which it happens. There's no preparation or warning or much chance to react. You are on two wheels and then you aren't.
I've also mountain biked extensively for 30+ years. I learned long ago that when you crash, it's best not to try and save yourself by bailing off the bike...I'm not stupid enough to huck off cliffs where bailing out
is a good idea. Generally speaking you want to 'keep your hands, arms and legs inside the car at all times', i.e. you don't what to be throwing you hands out to brace your fall (broken arms and wrists and collar bones) and you don't what to be throwing your legs out to stop you from falling (popped hamstrings and groin tears, broken legs). you usually don't have time to disentangle yourself from the bike because the crash is very rapid...just like ice.
The best avenue of action is none at all. I automatically go rag doll, hold onto the bars and let the bike, my major muscle masses and my helmet take the blows. Same on ice. Trying to bail off the bike only leads to other injuries.
I
Originally Posted by
electrik
have also seen many, many mountain bikers crash worse than they had to because they couldn't unclip or they have to sacrifice time to unclip instead of throwing the bicycle and running it or rolling it out. In general the speed at which the crash happens plays a big part in determining that, and crashing can happen pretty fast on ice if you don't see or suspect it.
Yep. But that speed works against you. You probably can't jump off. So having or not having your feet clipped in isn't going to really matter.
Now say you did have the lightning reflexes to jump off the bike when it goes down on ice. Where are you going to go? Now, instead of two wheels on ice, you have two feet on ice. The ice isn't any less slippery...the reason you are in this pickle in the first place
...and you still have momentum. You are still going to hit the ground but you are all tensed up from trying to save yourself. You are likely to end up with more injuries then if you'd just ridden the bike down.
Originally Posted by
electrik
If you buy platform pedals with larger pins it isn't much of a problem, plus you won't have to purchase expensive spd shoes... you can just use your own winter boots (which is great for commuting and walking around town). That said sometimes i do take my spd shoes even in the winter
You know it is funny how you say those studded tire are useless, but have you considered that you conditions which would be dangerous on slick rubber are now safe and will slip(sorry) though your memory as uneventful?
Well let's see. You are criticizing hairytoes for not liking studs but using them and you are saying that SPDs are dangerous but you use them. Pot. Kettle. Black?