Black ice down ... !
 

Im okay, bikes okay, one minute making a turn, next im laying sideways like being sucker-punched by Hulk Hogan.

Should have stayed home.


:winter2:

Ouch. I hope you are OK.

That would be why I am too chicken to ride on icy roads. I made the mistake a few weeks ago of trying to ride my mountain bike across a large area of ice. That didn't go well.

Glad you are OK. This is what ended my adventure of riding a motorcycle through the winter many years ago. No accident but very close on black ice on an interstate at 60 mph.

Yep, I learned that lesson when I was 15. I don't care to repeat it!

I'm sure the temptation is great, but it isn't worth it. Not to me anyway. Glad you and the bike are not seriously hurt.

Good to hear you're okay. It's always on the back of my mind whenever I suit up to ride to work in the morning--should I be doing it on this particular day? Reading about experiences like yours sways me toward not riding to work tomorrow.

I went down on yesterday's club ride. Ice was across the entire road. There were 4 riders, two of us went down.

Crashes suck. I hope you heal up ok.

I always roll my eyes at anyone biking where it's snows and there's ice and they claim "but they plow the roads well here". Yeah, except for that one patch of black ice that you're going to hit eventually.

Some people are more thrill seeking than I am, but technology does make it possible to ride when there's ice with no safety issues - it's called studded tires.

Here in Minnesota I use Schwalbe Marathon Winters in 35c:
http://www.evelostore.lv/userfiles/i...1405621546.jpg

I aim for patches of ice with those because they're so grippy on ice it's better than snow.

If I lived in a more "probably won't see any ice but can't be sure" climate, I'd use the 45nrth Xerces (30c):
http://45nrth.com/files/products/Xerxes_2.jpg

Smooth tread down the middle, studs if you start to slide or you're turning. With high tire pressure the studs don't come into contact with the ground when you're going straight.

Riding a bike over a foot and a half of snow, technology has not solved. But ice? You can ride on just ice perfectly safely with the right tires.

I'm totally impressed that you're out there in that type of weather.

Heck, we're impressed with ourselves! :roflmao2:

I was out on the lake a few days ago, tried to cross a bare-ice plowed road, really really carefully. Didn't make it. Slow motion oh-crap-here-we-go. Half expected it so pretty funny. My son has studs. He laughs at ice.

Studded winter tires are definitely the way to go when roads are icy. I rode around town today with plenty of packed snow and ice and never once felt like I was at risk. Of course my winter speeds are lower, my braking more cautious and my turns slow and wide compared to dry pavement, but I can still average 12-15 mph over a ten mile ride in small town traffic. Beats the heck out of a trainer in the basement.