Current weather

[[XAP]Bob]

Today (15th Jan) I was driving southwards on the A38, busy dual carriageway, between Burton On Trent and Lichfield. (Bare with with me, I'll get to the bit about the weather conditions in a minute)

If the rider of the modern road bike I passed just before Alrewas is on here, please listen up! (black helmet I think)

The sun was pretty low,directly in drivers eyes even at 11.30am when I passed you, the road was wet and extremely shiny and the conditions were such that no one could see you...it was like looking into the sun reflected off the wet road.
It was dangerous to yourself and other road users and I just wondered what on earth you were thinking?

The car in front of me obviously didn't see you as he pulled round you at the very last second. I gave you as wide a berth as possible but didn't have as much warning as I wanted.

Now, I know he has every right to be there and as motorists we need to be aware etc etc, but get this.....there was a bloody cycle path to his left not 2 metres away!!!
What on earth was that all about? What are you proving? I was scared for you and your safety. Wise up!

sooper8: I agree with you - it was dangerous. I would certainly have thought twice about driving in those conditions with the possibility that there may be cyclists that you couldn't see. How risky does it have to be before motorists are prised from their vehicles?

Nice sarcastic dig mate....did you ever have to drive a car, or are you a hard core bike everywhere kind of guy?

That's not a dig - it's a perfectly valid statement. The cyclist wasn't creating danger - the motorists were; they were driving at a speed greater than that which was safe. I'll drop to a very low speed when I can't see where I'm going - I might up that speed on a motorway because I have a pretty good expectation of there being nothing particularly small or slow on the road, but it would still be a good way short of the limit.

[Mark1978]

When did you last try that cycle path? I often won't try a cycle path somewhere I don't know - because it could do anything - at least I know what the road is doing.

Agreed a road is likely to remain a road! Whereas a cycle path can quickly turn from nice tarmac to rocks or deep mud in quick order.

[snibgo]

In the current conditions (-2 deg C during the day), I won't ride anywhere that I don't know is ice-free.

To anyone new to cycling in the cold: I had forgotten just how much it saps my strength. I dropped the car off for its service/MOT yesterday and cycled the 6 miles home, but had to stop twice, being cream-crackered with rubber legs. Shame, as I had been making good progress, probably because I ride faster when I don't like the weather.

Cycling to the garage today to pick up the car, I deliberately took it far more gently and had no problems at all.

[dbascent1986]

Did do 40 miles on Monday, and about 12 miles today. Can cope with the cold but not cycling at night in heavy snow/sleet! Thankfully was able to retreat to the granny gears as the body started to pack up.

[eileithyia]

Snow? What snow? Mind tis pretty chilly oop norf........ certainly an hour of cycling was quite enough in that cold.

[RickH]

In the current conditions (-2 deg C during the day), I won't ride anywhere that I don't know is ice-free.

I'm getting really fond of my Marathon Winter tyres even if they are a bit slow & sound like I'm riding on gravel on clear road, on the mile to the roads there a couple of semi-permanently icy patches & I can ride straight across them. My regular, approx 4 miles each way, utility run is no slower than it would be on my road bike as I don't have to get off & tiptoe round the ice plus I don't have be as cautious everywhere else that I'm not sure whether the road is just damp (from traffic &/or salt) or icy. They've also given a new lease of life to my old (1986 vintage) Muddy Fox MTB that has spent a long time languishing in the shed.

I'm actually quite looking forward to getting out in the snow that is forecast for tomorrow to see how the tyres fare then.

Rick.

[Ant]

I have to admit I have been looking forward to some snow for weeks as I have recently bought some studded tyres for my mtb. Very impressed with them on frozen canal towpath and icy roads. Personally I like cold weather and haven't really struggled yet, although yesterday was pretty bitter...

[[XAP]Bob]

Generally snow requires tread, ice requires studs.

So make sure you can deal with both...

[RickH]

Generally snow requires tread, ice requires studs.

So make sure you can deal with both...

...seems to cover both. They could maybe do with deeper and/or more spaced out tread for in the snow but do have the fine sipes in the tread you get in winter tyres. I've yet to try them in significant snow.

Incidentally I found in the past that in fresh powdery snow 23mm road tyres worked better than an MTB with knobblies - the road tyres cut sliced down to something more solid although traction was limited, where the MTB proved almost impossible to steer but had better traction (which just propelled you in a random direction!)

Rick.

[[XAP]Bob]

Yep - I have a M Winter for m rear wheel - but I change to a bike if there is deep snow (Hmm, must take my bike home someday)

[Vantage]

That's not a dig - it's a perfectly valid statement. The cyclist wasn't creating danger - the motorists were; they were driving at a speed greater than that which was safe. I'll drop to a very low speed when I can't see where I'm going - I might up that speed on a motorway because I have a pretty good expectation of there being nothing particularly small or slow on the road, but it would still be a good way short of the limit.

I have to disagree on this.
When cycling into a low sun I have the sense to realise that if it blinds me, then it will blind other road users, like cars. Given that some of these cars will have less than pristine windscreens making the glare even worse, I get the hell out of the way and do not ride in the middle of the road where I am more likely to be hit as a result of not being seen and especially on a dual carriageway where traffic speeds are higher.
I agree that drivers need to lower their speeds in conditions where visability is an issue, but how slow is slow enough? Driving too slow risks irritating other following drivers who may then do something stupider, like a risky overtake.

[[XAP]Bob]

You are not responsible for the behaviour of other motorists.

You should slow down.until you can stop in the distance you can see to be clear - whether that distance us limited by dark, rain, snow, glare, myopia or dirt doesn't matter.

[Ant]

I'm using continental spike claw 120 tyres, which have a regular mtb tread with studs in the outer tread, such that in none snow conditions you can run them at a reasonable pressure and they are just like any other mtb tyre, albeit with a soft grippy compound. When snow or ice appear you let a bit of air out and they just seem to grip and grip. They seem to work really well, although I'd like a bit more experience with them before I start raving about them....

[Ellieb]

Most people on this forum support the idea of defensive riding: If you are coming up to a junction and a car is waiting, you should ensure that if it pulls out you can avoid it. All sorts of advice like catching the driver's eye etc etc is given out. Nobody is suggesting that the driver would be right to pull into your path, just that you need to take precautions against what you can see to be a potential dangerous situation developing. I don't really understand what the difference is in that sort of case and the one mentioned above. If you are cycling on a busy road in poor visibility then you are putting yourself at risk with very little chance of mitigation (lights notwithstanding).
You are perfectly entitled to cycle along the road & ignore anyone waiting to pull out: You are perfectly entitled to ride on a road in low sun conditions & ignore the danger.
Whether it is sensible is another matter.

[[XAP]Bob]

Haven't commented on the cyclist.

Mirrors, lights and positioning help, but the DANGER is still being created by the motorist, not the cyclist...