Any of you chancing commute to work this week?

Arequipa

Evening,

I hope you're having a nice weekend.

It is around this time when I start getting my bike and gear ready for my commute to work the following week. I ride a roadbike..25mm tyres.

Looking at the forecast and temperatures.. I think I will be driving to work next week...

Are any of you chancing commuting to work the next few days?

A

CramCycle

I am. If you don't see a follow up tomorrow night you will know it went wrong.

Jim_Hodge

Depends on where you are. Very Cold but dry here and roads are absolutely fine.

Arequipa

Hi! You are very brave....

I ride along the coast via Eastlink, Dodder and up to Sandyford..

So it gets colder and icy as you head up towards Sandyford...

Or maybe I am just being a wimp!

eeeee

Do whatever you feel confident and, more importantly, competent to do.

I've been pedaling around a lot the last few days and it's absolutely no fun. Its freezing, anything but the tracks of cars are no go areas in the morning and evenings. Most cars are understanding, bar the odd dick. But I reckon they're the same tools going too fast and sliding and skidding into everyone else. I've never seen so many pile ups! I'm on a fixie thank flip, very glad I took the 23c's off for 25c's! It's no time for a front brake.

It is doable, but unpleasant. If I had other options I'd use them in a heartbeat.

Stark

Haven't cycled since the first bit of snow last Friday, too scared to.

rolling boh

The main roads seem ok around Dublin 15 over the weekend stayed off the bike just in case I would only cycle in this weather if I really had too no point risking injury and damage to bike not to mention a trip to A and E they are busy enough as it is .

eeeee

There's a gritting map here for Dublin, I'm only pedaling on these roads from now on:

https://www.dublincity.ie/residential/transportation/road-maintenance-services/winter-maintenance-service

Map for Cork:

https://www.corkcity.ie/en/council-services/services/roads-and-traffic-management/winter-maintenance/

billyhead

As mentioned gritted roads are fine. Cycling on non gritted roads is madness unless you like hospital food.

Arequipa

Yea,I think black ice and any stretch of ice... No matter how skilled or competent you are, you are very likely to slide out...

On a cycle path.. just a risk of injury from the fall itself...

On a road.. there's a risk of sliding under a vehicle..

Then there's the risk of a car, bus, truck or even other bike losing control and hitting you...

I think there is a high risk of injury..

It is mad... Whenever I watch those A &E shows on TV..often the injured patient was on a bike or motorbike ...

Thank you for the replies

nomdeboardie

Gritting map for SE Dublin's Dun Laoghaire Rathdown council here https://dlrcocouncil.maps.arcgis.com/apps/InteractiveLegend/index.html?appid=26b95239e3a542e18443bf4e8d5b3075 But yeah, I'd go with caution, if at all, even on roads that are supposed to be gritted

CramCycle

Made it in, not much slower than usual. Slippy on the laneways but not treacherous. Main roads were fine. Only when I stopped at the end of the ride did I start to feel the cold on my toes (wearing a pair of Columbia hiking socks which are phenomenal). Pair of track pants over my winter bibs. Had a baselayer, jersey, thermal jersey, light winter jacket and a gilet. Buff around the neck, Beard around the face and a skullcap under the helmet.

Dr_Colossus

I wimped out and took the train this morning with the weather reports of freezing fog so was expecting lots of black ice. 14km commute each way from D15 and over the years this is only the 2nd or 3rd time I haven't cycled. Conditions looked a lot better than I was expecting this morning so remainder of the week remains to be seen.

I cycled Fri which was brutal and quite dangerous with a layer of frozen snow/hail for most of the commute. Roads were not gritted/salted and cycle lanes were treacherous so you had to stick to car tracks on the road. Came off the bike on Fri evening within 100m of home on a gentle slope/bend that was like an ice rink, no traction at all and wasn't expecting it to be as bad since most of the other roads were passable. A bruised and sore hip for my efforts but you can never predict the outcome.

o1s1n

I decided not to chance it after reading this thread. Absolutely hate getting the bus (takes twice as long!) but knowing my luck I'd have come off the bike on the first corner.

Bloody bus was freezing. Stopped for about ten minutes for a driver changeover and left all the doors open!

Macy0161

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119986284#Comment_119986284

I was on the bus on Friday, and Foxrock church inwards seemed no fun - roads hadn't been gritted never mind the footpaths and cycle lanes. Was on the dart today, so didn't see how they were. fwiw I was out on the gravel bike yesterday (pleased of my chuckier "tundra" tyres in the conditions) - it was fine off road and the quieter boreens, but anywhere the cars had compressed was lethal and some black ice where there'd been a thaw and refreeze.

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119986536#Comment_119986536

Gritted now but the paths aren't, so there is several sections with an inch of ice and people effectively skating as they walk along. If you are going in the bike paths, stay as close to the road as possible. I just used the bus lane for the most part

Plastik

Anyone been down through Deansgrange, Blackrock bypass, Booterstown in the last few days?

I commuted on Friday and the N11 from Loughlinstown roundabout to Cornelscourt and down through Deansgrange etc to Merrion set a new benchmark for the worst conditions I've ever encountered on the bike. It was plainly obvious that DLRCC had no gritters out on Thursday night/Friday morning, despite all of those roads being main arteries into Dublin city centre, and all of them included in the DLRCC gritting schedule. For the first time in all my years commuting I actually left work early and took the bike home on the Dart.

Working on WFH for the full week if I can swing it, if not I'll take the mtb, at least I can cycle easier on frozen grass where it's available.

growleaves

Taking the bus this week

breezy1985

What's the story with grit and bike maintenance. Will the salt wreck the gears if not cleaned off ?

Seth Brundle

I'm working from home today but managed to get out on my hybrid for ~40km along the grand canal. The roads between Leixlip and Hazelhatch were fine. I'll probably be in the office for the rest of the week and will be pedalling rather than sitting in a queue of cars.

Arequipa

Evening!

Yea, I drove to work this morning....

I left really early and so the roads were relatively quiet...

It's definitely not conditions for roadbikes with skinny tyres....

I don't know if any of you notice that I feel more groggy and tired after driving versus my regular non-icy commute by rothar?!

tnegun

I'm giving it a miss for this week it's just not worth it the risk of breaking something or worse!

stevencn88

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119987149#Comment_119987149

To give you an idea, I cycled out to the CX in Blanchardstown yesterday (40 odd KMs round trip), and this morning the chain was completely dry. Not a speck of lube left on it. There was surface rust starting to show on the cassette and the chain too. I'd only cleaned the whole drive train on Friday and applied fresh lube! That said, if you are using wet lube, you probably won't have this issue as much.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119989183#Comment_119989183

I had a feeling that happened to me last year but the bike was also old so hard to tell. Definitely don't want that happening the new bike.

Stark

I was out cycling this evening. No issues. Out Chapelizod road and north circular, back through the Park. Only potential issue was the roads were still a bit cold and icy in my estate so walked the bike through the estate.

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119989183#Comment_119989183

yep, a few years ago i went out on the bike on a very cold day, put it away when i got home and forgot to clean the chain. a week later, the chain was bright red with rust.

eeeee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119987149#Comment_119987149

Yep.

I give the bike a quick spray with water when I get in. (It's steel, I have extra worry!)

stevencn88

I’m usually very good for cleaning it, especially after such terrible conditions. But I was just to cold when I got home and figured “be grand to do in the morning”, took me three times as long today 🙄

Suvarnabhumi

I was off on Friday and Monday, so I missed the worst of it. This morning I walked from the house to the main road as the estate was pretty bad. The main roads were fine from Sandyford to Tallaght. I walked again on the cycle path over the M50 as it hadn't been gritted. Took me 50 minutes in total instead of the usual 30-35 (I was on a borrowed mountain bike instead of my usual road bike).

De Bhál

cycled in to work, up through Ballymun from Finglas East, roads fine. Footpaths were bad this morning though in spots on the school run.

Fian

I was fine cycling in (to Dublin) from Dundrum this morning, but I have a Christmas party tomorrow so I think the Luas will be a better option tomorrow! I will get the last luas home too since we are forecast to be so cold over night and i expect taxis will be very scarce. Going to see the winter lights in Merrion square this evening, which should be lovely in the cold, that will put me in a good frame of mind for the cycle home.

I wore warm gloves, a baselayer, a snood and arm warmers this morning, so was not chilly at all. In fact kind of nice in the crisp winter morning. The wicklow mountains look like a postcard.

machaseh

I just biked a little bit yesterday morning and it was not slippery or icy at all.

I only have to go to office on Thursday and I will judge in the morning whether there's too much snow/ice or not. If there's too much then I will have bought the present for the christmas secret santa for nothing, because biking is my only feasible way of getting into the office. There is no bus route, walking is 50 minutes and biking only 15 minutes.

I suppose my colleague could pick me up out of the goodness of his heart but I don't think that's going to happen.

devonp

cycled home to Leixlip y'day evening ...serious fog it kept dripping off my helmet

roads fine only dodgy bit was the footbridge at KH and the rd into the estate

in this morning again ..roads fine ...still cold

Arequipa

Hi!

I am considering cycling to work tomorrow... It was definitely milder today..3-4 Celsius as against 0 - 1 C on Monday...

It doesn't look too bad along the Northside coast and around Dublin Port..

Still a little sketchy up towards Sandyford.. but a thaw is happening...

It seems the wind has swung from a Northerly to an Easterly..

eeeee

I'm just sick of it now. It's so cold! It's just such an effort. Come on the thaw

Alkers

Haven't risked the bike all week, have a brand new gravel bike that I'm afraid to get dirty, or worse!

magicbastarder

it's due to be -5C at 9am on thursday morning in dublin. same in galway.

growleaves

Drove into work this morning. Was very icy where I was so could have been in trouble cycling.

Plan is to cycle to work next week when the ice will have melted.

eeeee

There'll be the post-gritting-thaw-first-rain slipperyness when it does consistently warm up. Mon the spring!

McHardcore

I’ve been cycling in it. Glad to have 28mm tyres on the bike. Had one small slide where I took a slow turn too sharp, but got my foot down in time to stop the fall. Grateful to getting a new front and rear light for the fog for the dark evenings. Overall it’s been grand, thankfully.

growleaves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119994017#Comment_119994017

You are really are hardcore

5uspect

I cycled a few days this week. Good base layer and new tyres on the ebike so it wasn't bad. Visibility in the fog was pretty bad but I was well lit up. So may drivers without fog lights, DRLs only or no lights at all!

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119994659#Comment_119994659

F me, the number of motorists without lights on the evening of the bad fog, sort of blending into the bacground once they were 20m away like I was playing Turok on the N64. Only 1 cyclist without lights but there were very few out in general. I couldn't even be bothered to tell him what a muppet he is as I went past.

On a related note, guy in a white short sleeved t shirt at 7:30am this morning, to be young and immune to the cold.

o1s1n

Back on the bike this morning for the first time this week, did not see a bit of ice at all (north Dublin to UCD, through the city/out along the N11), in fact the roads seemed dryer and safer than on a wet day.

Am really hoping that holds out now for the commute home. Either way, absolutely delighted to be back on my bike and not on the bus!

tnegun

Fresh snow and ice in Kildare kept me at home again this morning even walking at lunch this week has been sketchy around here.

07Lapierre

My commute is on gritted roads, so i think i'll cycle in tomorrow...i know FCC were out gritting the roads as the truck passed me on my way home this evening and showered me in Grit! :)

Seth Brundle

I went in on my hybrid today and the roads were fine - once I left my estate. The only spots with ice on them were bridges and the ice was only on the footpath, notb the road.

It is freezing hard already now and I suspect my estate will be like an ice rink tomorrow. As I spent money getting the carbon around the BB repaired last week, I think I'll take the hybrid again tomorrow just to avoid any potential regrets!

secman

Haven't been out on the bike since last Wednesday, rest will do no harm at all, wasn't fussed once I hit 10,000 kms for the year. I'll look forward to getting back out on Sat, but Sunday looks a washout. Didn't chance it , rather a week off than potentially 5 or more weeks if I came off, at 65 your healing times are not what they used to be !

Dr_Colossus

As mentioned above I whipped out on Mon and took the train with the orange warning but have cycled the rest of the week.

Tues morning was particularly icey after the freezing fog and had to walk out of my estate as there was no traction. Rest of the week was ok until this morning, hard frost and the Phoenix Park was completely white at 06:30 and no sign of any gritting by the OPW. Bike was clogged with ice by the time I got to work as pictured below. I met a gritting lorry further out by Luttrellstown Castle this morning and also last night around 19:00 but I guess the council don't cover the OPW grounds and the OPW couldn't be bothered, it did look picturesque even at that hour in the dark.

Marty Bird

I’ve had no issues since the cold snap began until last night only on the bike 5 mins and I was down, which I found strange as other nights have been colder and surfaces have been fine in general.

CramCycle

Well it was all fine until last night, motorists generally tolerant, bike lanes were covered in an inch of ice until last might in most places. I didn't fall or hurt myself though, I have some damned chest infection, ears are blocked, coughing up parts of my lung, heavy chest in regards taking a breath is now laboured.