Winter cycling photos and writeups

[Vorpal]

I remember when I was over in Norway (or perhaps Germany? Cant remember...) if you had studded car tyres you had to pay more road tax. Does that apply to bikes?

Al

No. The additional fees for studded tyres are because of the damage they do to the roads, and bikes aren't heavy enough to do any significant damage. In fact, the government subsidise them, to help people keep cycling in winter.

[Jon in Sweden]

Did a really lovely 50km today with quite a lot of new gravel exploration.

I'm not sure why I didn't investigate these routes before. They really aren't far from home. There was a 6km section that I'd describe as being quite possibly perfect gravel. Flat, fast, smooth and through beautiful pine forest.

[rjb]

Unfortunately it looks like Keith the woodman has succumbed to the rising tide of floodwater.

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[Jon in Sweden]

Unfortunately it looks like Keith the woodman has succumbed to the rising tide of floodwater.
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The photos haven't come through properly.

Just his yard or his house too? His yard goes underwater fairly often, to be fair.

Checking in with a friend in Cullompton who works for the Metoffice, he's had almost 110mm of rain so far this month. Very, very wet indeed.

[rjb]

I'll try again. The yard is under and the fire brigade were pumping out from within his house today. Not looking good sadly.

[Jon in Sweden]

I'll try again. The yard is under and the fire brigade were pumping out from within his house today. Not looking good sadly.

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Ah bugger. That's not good at all. Third time in less than 10 years.

[Pokatos]

We almost didn't have snow here in Ukraine this winter...



Some of the photos from previous year in Kharkiv. Before the russian invasion

[foxyrider]

We almost didn't have snow here in Ukraine this winter...

I saw more snow and ice than that in the south Cotswolds today!

It was a cold (avg -3c), foggy day, i hadn't planned on a stop but needed to make one to warm myself up a bit with a cuppa. Yes there was some snow across Chippenham way and ice/frost pretty much everywhere else. No pics, it was too cold to take gloves off to use the phone

[Jon in Sweden]

I've been out a few times lately on the city bike in the forest with one or other of my daughters and the dog we're looking after for a few months. Can't do much more than 10-11kph average, but the jack russell keeps up well enough. Any faster and I think he'd struggle.

Does anyone else have one of these WeeHoo trailers? I think they're wonderful. We bough ours just ahead of moving to Sweden for £75 and it's done nearly 800km I think. It's got a studded tyre on it now too. It's a good workout, even if my daughters pedal!



Very interesting ice on some of the puddles too. As the water has drained away, new ice seems to have formed in layers, so that the end result looks like a contour map

[Bmblbzzz]

Beautiful contoured ice puddle. Thank you for posting that.

[roubaixtuesday]

Took the scenic route on the commute on Thursday.

Shining Tor and the sunset:

[Jon in Sweden]

Beautiful contoured ice puddle. Thank you for posting that.

It's my pleasure. I thrive on trying to spot these little natural wonders. There's nothing wrong with being 38 and still looking at the world through a child's eyes, I think.

Took the scenic route on the commute on Thursday.

Shining Tor and the sunset:

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Belting sunset

[foxyrider]

Beautiful contoured ice puddle. Thank you for posting that.

It's my pleasure. I thrive on trying to spot these little natural wonders. There's nothing wrong with being 38 and still looking at the world through a child's eyes, I think.

Oh to be 38!

[Jon in Sweden]

I found the limits of the studded tyres this week.

We had a few inches of snow before last weekend, which proceeded to slightly melt and refreeze each day. By Friday, all the gravel roads were pretty icy.

I was on one, not too far from home, turned right slightly to get out of an increasingly icy tyre track. The bike went left, I went right. Landed on my chin (somehow!).

No damage to the bike really, and just a clean gash on my chin. I bandaged it up with a combination of my snood and hat and cycled (carefully) the 12.5km home. 3 stitches and I'm as good as new.

This was again a new set of conditions for me. Repeatedly refrozen snow seems to be extremely dense and impossible to grip. I'll avoid all gravel tracks when those conditions present again.

Lesson learned, and glad it wasn't more serious.

[Jon in Sweden]

Had my first properly snowy ride today, with about 5cm on the road and falling snow. Minus 3c.

Tomorrow's ride is going to be interesting as there is over 10cm now.