Having a break from riding in winter

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Cowsham
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Re: Having a break from riding in winter

Post by Cowsham »

Jon in Sweden wrote: 17 Oct 2022, 8:41am This is going to be my first winter back on the bike in over 15 years. And it's going to be a Swedish winter, so no doubt interesting.

I've just ordered my studded tyres and winter gloves, but I'm struggling on the shoes front. Being size 49-50 means I have almost no choice.

But I'm intending to do at least 150km a week throughout winter. With studded tyres, deserted back/gravel roads, appropriate clothing and a bloody good headlight, I'll be fine.

What's interesting though is that most of the local cyclists go entirely indoor (Zwift etc) through winter. I couldn't imagine anything worse personally. For me, as well as the fitness aspect, getting out on the bike is a mental health and wellbeing thing. You don't get that in your garage staring at a screen.
A thought occurred to me while reading the above posts -- studded tyres -- shoes -- braking a hip -- are there some who still have feet clipped in when on the snow/ice ?
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Jon in Sweden
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Re: Having a break from riding in winter

Post by Jon in Sweden »

Cowsham wrote: 17 Oct 2022, 11:33am
Jon in Sweden wrote: 17 Oct 2022, 8:41am This is going to be my first winter back on the bike in over 15 years. And it's going to be a Swedish winter, so no doubt interesting.

I've just ordered my studded tyres and winter gloves, but I'm struggling on the shoes front. Being size 49-50 means I have almost no choice.

But I'm intending to do at least 150km a week throughout winter. With studded tyres, deserted back/gravel roads, appropriate clothing and a bloody good headlight, I'll be fine.

What's interesting though is that most of the local cyclists go entirely indoor (Zwift etc) through winter. I couldn't imagine anything worse personally. For me, as well as the fitness aspect, getting out on the bike is a mental health and wellbeing thing. You don't get that in your garage staring at a screen.
A thought occurred to me while reading the above posts -- studded tyres -- shoes -- braking a hip -- are there some who still have feet clipped in when on the snow/ice ?
I would rather be clipped in than not. I can unclip in a nanosecond, and wouldn't want to cycle on flat pedals with the risk of my feet slipping off.

I have no experience of studded tyres yet on bikes, but I've driven cars in deep snow and ice on them and they are extraordinary. Yes, you can't corner, accelerate or brake with quite the same gusto, but the grip is good, and it's progressive and predictable when the grip goes.
Pebble
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Re: Having a break from riding in winter

Post by Pebble »

How do studded tyres perform on non-snowy roads?
Even in wintery conditions may be only 1 mile in 10 is on fully snow covered roads, same with ice, So what would studs be like on such a ride, noisy, hard going, would they even grip as well.
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Cowsham
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Re: Having a break from riding in winter

Post by Cowsham »

Jon in Sweden wrote: 17 Oct 2022, 2:13pm
Cowsham wrote: 17 Oct 2022, 11:33am
Jon in Sweden wrote: 17 Oct 2022, 8:41am This is going to be my first winter back on the bike in over 15 years. And it's going to be a Swedish winter, so no doubt interesting.

I've just ordered my studded tyres and winter gloves, but I'm struggling on the shoes front. Being size 49-50 means I have almost no choice.

But I'm intending to do at least 150km a week throughout winter. With studded tyres, deserted back/gravel roads, appropriate clothing and a bloody good headlight, I'll be fine.

What's interesting though is that most of the local cyclists go entirely indoor (Zwift etc) through winter. I couldn't imagine anything worse personally. For me, as well as the fitness aspect, getting out on the bike is a mental health and wellbeing thing. You don't get that in your garage staring at a screen.
A thought occurred to me while reading the above posts -- studded tyres -- shoes -- braking a hip -- are there some who still have feet clipped in when on the snow/ice ?
I would rather be clipped in than not. I can unclip in a nanosecond, and wouldn't want to cycle on flat pedals with the risk of my feet slipping off.

I have no experience of studded tyres yet on bikes, but I've driven cars in deep snow and ice on them and they are extraordinary. Yes, you can't corner, accelerate or brake with quite the same gusto, but the grip is good, and it's progressive and predictable when the grip goes.
To unclip you usually turn your heel outwards but when you're already on the way down there comes a point where that becomes impossible surely?

I remember at school walking up an icy grass bank with my hands in my pockets trying to look cool. I didn't look too cool walking into school with a black lump on my forehead.

On ice things happen far too fast especially as we age our reflexes are slower and bones are much more brittle, the consequences are horrific.

Luckily we get more cold wet windy weather than really icy because of living near the Atlantic ocean. On icy days I'll do static bike training to keep my bike fitness up. There hasn't been a really extended period of icy weather since 2010's snow and eventual ice storm ( lasted from December through to about middle of April )
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mattheus
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Re: Having a break from riding in winter

Post by mattheus »

Cowsham wrote: 17 Oct 2022, 4:03pm [To unclip you usually turn your heel outwards but when you're already on the way down there comes a point where that becomes impossible surely?

I remember at school walking up an icy grass bank with my hands in my pockets trying to look cool. I didn't look too cool walking into school with a black lump on my forehead.

On ice things happen far too fast especially as we age our reflexes are slower and bones are much more brittle, the consequences are horrific.
The last time I came off on ice (also the last time my tyres slipped on ice) it all happened too fast to even THINK about unclipping.

I had a bruised elbow (and tatty sleeve) to show for it, but it made me VERY cautious for the next few weeks!

I don't blame riders staying indoors to avoid ice, but at the same time i think if you take it steady in dodgy conditions the risks aren't particularly high. My persepcetive may be unusual: i was once hospitalised for 9 weeks after crashing my car on ice! Easily my worst accident so far in life.
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foxyrider
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Re: Having a break from riding in winter

Post by foxyrider »

Pebble wrote: 17 Oct 2022, 2:30pm How do studded tyres perform on non-snowy roads?
Even in wintery conditions may be only 1 mile in 10 is on fully snow covered roads, same with ice, So what would studs be like on such a ride, noisy, hard going, would they even grip as well.
On ice free roads they are noisy and you need to be cautious of metal road furniture, on the other hand the sparks going over a manhole frighten the bejayzus out of following traffic! :lol:
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foxyrider
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Re: Having a break from riding in winter

Post by foxyrider »

mattheus wrote: 17 Oct 2022, 4:10pm
Cowsham wrote: 17 Oct 2022, 4:03pm [To unclip you usually turn your heel outwards but when you're already on the way down there comes a point where that becomes impossible surely?

On ice things happen far too fast especially as we age our reflexes are slower and bones are much more brittle, the consequences are horrific.
The last time I came off on ice (also the last time my tyres slipped on ice) it all happened too fast to even THINK about unclipping.

I had a bruised elbow (and tatty sleeve) to show for it, but it made me VERY cautious for the next few weeks!
I've had similar experiences but i'd far rather be clipped into step ins than not. My alltime worst ice experience was black ice and toe clips, i skated about 50m down the thankfully clear road removing considerable amounts of skin from knee, hip, elbow and shoulder, i still have the scars over 40 years later. More recent iceipodes using step in pedals have resulted in more cosmetic damage and each time i've broken free of the bike almost immediately.

I suppose if i looked at all my offs over the years ice has been a feature of a good percentage but road defects and other surface issues score highly too, my last off was high summer crossing a 'dry' ford, dry except for the algae on the concrete bed, took me down everybit as quick as ice but with absolutely no warning with temperature etc that you will have with ice.

I've ridden a fair bit on/in snow and ice, it can be great fun or a huge chore, the worst surface i find is frozen slush, almost impossible to ride on with any 2 wheeled vehicle. My tips are to respect it, think ahead and sit on your bike like a sack of potato's, run your tyres a few psi lower for a wider tyre footprint, give yourself more braking space and keep your speed down, stay relaxed, if you are tense you will fall off! In addition try to read the road, bridges/culverts can cause icy roads above, be cautious of very sheltered areas that don't get sunlight, listen to your tyres - if it suddenly goes quiet you'll be on ice, especially noticeable with studded tyres. Oh and quiet lanes and bike tracks are more liable to ice than more used roads.

I'll be out this winter, around 200 miles each week i expect :D
Convention? what's that then?
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Cowsham
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Re: Having a break from riding in winter

Post by Cowsham »

No one has mentioned ( except Mattheous own crash ) about the car driver losing control on the ice and mowing you down.

So if you still want to go out but still mitigate the risks as much as possible I'd try to stay on the cycle paths away from drivers.

Only last year I was on my way home in the car when a woman came around a corner on the icy road caught the grass on her near side and did a complete 180

I had seen she was too fast for the conditions. I pulled over as tight as I could to the grass bank as possible and the rear of her car just missed the side of my car.

I thought if I'd been cycling and the left front wheel of her car hadn't dug in and spun her around would she have slid over into me? Doesn't bear thinking about.
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Cowsham
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Re: Having a break from riding in winter

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Out at 6am this mornings commute -- 3 degrees when I left home -- thats as cold as I suffer. Need to get the warmer gloves on from now on. That fog is not too nice either I think I'd prefer rain that's forecast for tomorrow morning.
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Jon in Sweden
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Re: Having a break from riding in winter

Post by Jon in Sweden »

I think it's very different here.

Most people have studded tyres over winter on their cars. Full winter tyres are the law. You basically can't move without them.

I'm planning mainly to stick to deserted gravel roads through winter whilst riding fully studded tyres. Even in good weather, I can go an hour without seeing another moving vehicle.

Nevertheless, I had a couple of good spills as a kid on ice. I have a healthy respect for it.
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Cowsham
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Re: Having a break from riding in winter

Post by Cowsham »

Jon in Sweden wrote: 18 Oct 2022, 6:51pm I think it's very different here.

Most people have studded tyres over winter on their cars. Full winter tyres are the law. You basically can't move without them.

I'm planning mainly to stick to deserted gravel roads through winter whilst riding fully studded tyres. Even in good weather, I can go an hour without seeing another moving vehicle.

Nevertheless, I had a couple of good spills as a kid on ice. I have a healthy respect for it.

Yous'll be more accustomed to that kind of weather -- a skiff of snow here and the whole country comes to a stop.
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De Sisti
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Re: Having a break from riding in winter

Post by De Sisti »

I cycle throughout the year, except for bad weather. Extremely strong winds, rain and ice does not make cycling enjoyable for me, so the alternative is a session on my insideride rollers, or a good workout on my concept2 rower.
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Re: Having a break from riding in winter

Post by ANTONISH »

De Sisti wrote: 14 Jan 2023, 8:36am I cycle throughout the year, except for bad weather. Extremely strong winds, rain and ice does not make cycling enjoyable for me, so the alternative is a session on my insideride rollers, or a good workout on my concept2 rower.
That seems a sensible alternative - much better than risking a fall on ice.
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Re: Having a break from riding in winter

Post by arnsider »

Well, I personally don't think that too much cycling is good for you. Other physical activities are just as good and probably less risky, especially in inclement weather. My fitness is based on cycling, walking and swimming. I've never been that competitive anyway and I'm immune to being off the back or slow. Of course, I keep up with a group, but my groups don't have a race mentality and we like to take in the scenery, which is why we are at home on the hill as much as awheel.
Many of us get arthritic as we age and then, overdoing any exercise is not good for you. Frankly, if it is cold, windy or raining, I'd much rather be in the pool doing lengths with a bit of hydrotherapy thrown in.
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Cowsham
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Re: Having a break from riding in winter

Post by Cowsham »

ANTONISH wrote: 14 Jan 2023, 11:08am
De Sisti wrote: 14 Jan 2023, 8:36am I cycle throughout the year, except for bad weather. Extremely strong winds, rain and ice does not make cycling enjoyable for me, so the alternative is a session on my insideride rollers, or a good workout on my concept2 rower.
That seems a sensible alternative - much better than risking a fall on ice.
Agreed -- a fall now could scupper plans for the rest of the summer especially as I suspect most of us on this forum are getting on a bit. Falling when you're older can have a completely different outcome than when young. Icy conditions forecast for the next few days.
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