A question to cyclists, going out in these conditions?

ColdAsIce

ColdAsIce

ColdAsIce

Soldato
Joined
26 May 2006
Posts
6,213
Location
Edinburgh
Do you guys/girls have a death wish? The roads are so dangerous with black ice, piled up snow on both sides of the road which is making the already narrow roads even tighter. Not to mention the extremely poor visibility created by on coming snow.

Is it honestly worth cycling in these conditions?
 
This post could have probably been added to the road cyclists one in the sports sub forum. But anyway, I cycled in today. There were stretches of road with ice so I moved a bit further out to avoid it. The car drivers were accommodating and the traffic was slow moving anyway. Very hard work in the cold though, I need thicker gloves!
 
ColdAsIce said:
Do you guys/girls have a death wish? The roads are so dangerous with black ice, piled up snow on both sides of the road which is making the already narrow roads even tighter. Not to mention the extremely poor visibility created by on coming snow.

Is it honestly worth cycling in these conditions?
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it's fine, i went out in the snow on wednesday, thursday and friday mornings to go shopping and such. dont have a death wish, i just know my ninja cycling skills are up to the job :)
 
uvarvu said:
This post could have probably been added to the road cyclists one in the sports sub forum. But anyway, I cycled in today. There were stretches of road with ice so I moved a bit further out to avoid it. The car drivers were accommodating and the traffic was slow moving anyway. Very hard work in the cold though, I need thicker gloves!
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Exactly. I cycle nearly every day and make myself perfectly visible. I find that drivers are accommodating and polite generally, just as I am. We're all trying to get somewhere in these conditions and everyone's journey is important.
 
I currently am not cycling, and I hate it. We've a decent groundfrost around me, a lot of the roads I commute on aren't heavily trafficked, and the condition of them is bad enough without ice everywhere. It makes getting to/from work a pain, but I am not going to risk breaking a limb/ending up under a car due to ice.
 
I try to cycle but recenty i just cant.

few reasons why i recomend not to..

1. To damn cold, my hands ice up and dont work = cant brake lol (-8 here)
2. Ice on roads and pavements = no grip = fall over = pain = ice pain is worse...
3. MORON drivers who cant seem to understand why im moveing from ice to non ice parts of the road... they just toot there horns and shout at me calling me names and shis.
4. im lazy this time of year :D

Some drivers think they own the roads, not careing for cycles at all... even though we are frozen stiff and actually working hard to get where we wana go and not all smug warm in cars... Bloody drivers.!

(hmm im also a driver so this all applys to me aswell) :D
 
Although my post may have come across as quite aggressive, I am genuinely worried that cyclists are putting their life at risk attempting to cycle in these conditions. The road conditions are dangerous enough for cars, buses and lorry's without adding cyclists to the mix.
 
ColdAsIce said:
Although my post may have come across as quite aggressive, I am genuinely worried that cyclists are putting their life at risk attempting to cycle in these conditions. The road conditions are dangerous enough for cars, buses and lorry's without adding cyclists to the mix.
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car drivers put themselves at more risk than cyclists i believe ;)
 
For a few days it was safer here to cycle rather than walk as the pavements were completely covered in ice whereas the roads were nice and clear. I don't think we've had it as bad here (Norwich) as other places though!
 
Doesn't bother me whatsoever. It's just really icy in east Lancs. 5 miles to work, no problems for me. If anything its much easier and quieter on the roads.

If you can't stop for or see a cyclist/horse/car/mary poppins you shouldn't be on the road or you should slow down. Of course there's risks, but I haven't lost traction once on the bike and I'm still occupying the same bit of road I normally would. The only risk is other road users, but let's be honest, it's probably safer by now as all the morons that drive like morons in the dry warmer weather will have crashed and given up by now if conditions were that bad.

By the time I've walked to get on public transport I arrive at work on the bike £5-10 better off. It's a no brainer for me.
 
The way I see it, if the roads are icy enough that it would be dangerous to cycle, it's most likely also going to just as dangerous to drive a car.
 
Good on them for cycling - but I'm happy in my climate controlled warm cage on wheels at the moment. :cool: As for them cycling further out, as much as I find a lot of cyclists behaviour irritating in London, they are the weaker creatures on the roads so you just give them space. Just as I expect people to when I'm on my motorbike. However there are still too many idiot cyclists who think they own the road though in London :(
 
Big red light on the back of the seat post, big white beam at the front for seeing with as opposed to being seen, big knobbly tyres, cosy gloves with merino wool inner, merino hat, merino base layer, merino mid layer ( I likes merino wool), waterproof top layer, waterproof socks, waterproof trainers and baggy shorts. Check.

The tyres offer excellent grip, the wool keeps in the heat and lets out the sweat. It's all about keeping wam but not too warm and sometimes, even when it's -6 (or even colder) I will pack the jacket into my rucksack due to the merino being so effective. As long as my core, hands and feet are warm I'm a happy cyclist. The legs have their own hairy coat to keep out the cold. :)

I can't stress enough just how important good lights are. If motorists can't identify you from distance, expect a close encounter as they get nearer although some don't even bother that you are there at all, regardless of how good your lights are.

Wrap up at the start of your journey and lose the layers as you heat up. Enjoy the conditions and relive your childhood as you skitter and slide from time to time. Ride the slide and control your back wheel and you'll find yourself actually looking for more ice to slide on. Great fun.
 
I've stopped cycling to work in this weather, even though it's only 4 miles. It's not for fear of skidding as there's a path adjacent to the road most of the way. It's just that I simply can't be arsed with freezing my plums off.
 
One thing I don't like are the strobbing lights - why can't cyclists just use solid beams?

Don't blame you Robbie! I remember last year on the motorbike, coming down the motorway it was touching freezing, and pulling into a service station for a coffee was a challenge as I could hardly move my legs off the bike!
 
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