MMACH 5

Not my first cold ride, but my first ride in sleet.

I was bundled up so was plenty warm. Heck, I even had to open up the pit vents in my snowboarding coat. My nose was a bit chilled and the condensation on my goggles turned to ice crystals, rendering them useless.

The only time it got a little hairy was when I hit some ice on a bridge. As soon as the bike started going squirrelly, I unclipped and hung my feet down close to the ground to try and lower my center of gravity. I guess it worked, since I was able to coast the rest of the way across the bridge. Otherwise the commute was fairly uneventful.

I have to say, it was pretty cool the way the ice build-up on my rims would go flying off when I hit the brakes.

Weatherman says the water on the roads will freeze over, so I don't know if I'll be able to ride tomorrow, (that is, unless there are some suggestions on how to make a road bike more ice-worthy ).

ken cummings

Well yes, I built my own studded tire when I could not afford commercial ones. It worked fine on black ice for a mile or so until the bolts I'd screwed thru an old tire gave me multiple flats. Now I hear many good things about commercial studded tires.

pinkrobe

Sleet? I hate sleet. I'd take -25C over sleet any day.

huhenio

Hot and dry = no problem
Hot and wet = mmm
Cold abd wet = no problem
Wet and Cold = not a chance.

MMACH 5

My office opened two hours late today so I followed suit and slept in for an extra three and a half hours.

My street and neighborhood were completely covered in ice so I drove in. The roads were fine; a little wet in some places but the ice is only on the side streets.

I should have ridden my bike today.

thdave

That's the problem for me--my street (a dead end) has been impassable many days when all the other roads are fine.

markw

If it makes you guys feel any better, it was 29F and clear where I live in socal the other morning. So being a good midwestern transplant, I did what I thought was the proper thing and drove. I'm still trying to figure out who to file a complaint against for a sub freezing morning.

Artkansas 

I did the opposite. Having moved from California to the mid south, I encountered my first snow and ice. Most of the snow had to be scraped off my car, a new treat, and pedaling in, I hit a couple of small snow and ice patches.

I forgot to wear my hat underneath my helmet, I didn't notice that till I went down the hill on Mara Lynn where the wind gave me a good case of brain freeze.

So far, so good.

MMACH 5

I rode in today. According to my cyclometer's thermometer, it was 13°F when I left the house. When I got to work, it had warmed up to a balmy 20°F.

I stayed upright through a couple of patches of ice, but the biggest lesson for today is that my gloves aren't warm enough. I'll be upgrading them over the weekend.