Black ice down ... !
02-05-15 | 02:48 PM
#2
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 255
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Bikes: C'Dale Synapse, Surly Disc Trucker, Giant Trance, Orbea Avant
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.
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.
02-05-15 | 03:16 PM
#3
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 9,158
Likes: 1,743
From: Lebanon (Liberty Hill), CT
Bikes: Canyon Aeroad, CAAD 12, MASI Gran Criterium S, Colnago World Cup CX, Guru steel & Guru Photon
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.
02-05-15 | 03:56 PM
#5
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 28,682
Likes: 63
From: Houston, TX
Bikes: 1990 Romic Reynolds 531 custom build, Merlin Works CR Ti custom build, super light Workswell 066 custom build
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.
02-05-15 | 05:49 PM
#6
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 6,228
Likes: 440
From: Toronto, CANADA
Bikes: ...a few.
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.
02-05-15 | 06:16 PM
#7
Should Be More Popular
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 46,228
Likes: 11,772
From: Malvern, PA (20 miles West of Philly)
Bikes: 1986 Alpine (steel road bike), 2009 Ti Habenero, 2013 Specialized Roubaix
02-05-15 | 06:54 PM
#8
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 6,431
Likes: 44
From: Minneapolis, MN
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:
https://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):
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.
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:
https://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):
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.
02-05-15 | 07:21 PM
#9
well hello there
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,491
Likes: 390
From: Point Loma, CA
Bikes: Bill Holland (Road-Ti), Fuji Roubaix Pro (back-up), Bike Friday (folder), Co-Motion (tandem) & Trek 750 (hybrid)
I'm totally impressed that you're out there in that type of weather.
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Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
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Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
02-05-15 | 07:28 PM
#10
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,968
Likes: 1
From: Minnesota
Bikes: '09 Trek 2.1 * '75 Sekine * 2010 Raleigh Talus 8.0 * '90 Giant Mtb * Raleigh M20 * Fuji Nevada mtb
Heck, we're impressed with ourselves!
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.
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FB4K - Every October we wrench on donated bikes. Every December, a few thousand kids get bikes for Christmas. For many, it is their first bike, ever. Every bike, new and used, was donated, built, cleaned and repaired. Check us out on FaceBook: FB4K.
Disclaimer: 99% of what I know about cycling I learned on BF. That would make, ummm, 1% experience. And a lot of posts.
FB4K - Every October we wrench on donated bikes. Every December, a few thousand kids get bikes for Christmas. For many, it is their first bike, ever. Every bike, new and used, was donated, built, cleaned and repaired. Check us out on FaceBook: FB4K.
Disclaimer: 99% of what I know about cycling I learned on BF. That would make, ummm, 1% experience. And a lot of posts.
02-05-15 | 08:24 PM
#11
Senior Member
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 1,604
Likes: 3
From: Rural Minnesota
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.
