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Black ice everywhere

Pigeon Reaper

Take care this morning. Lots of black ice around along with normal ice. Dublin bus lanes are dangerous along with many junctions. A few cyclists and motorcyclists came off in front of me this morning.

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monkeybutter

MB Lacey wrote: »

how? I'd love to commute the whole winter, but the thought of skidding on ice scares me - so how did you avoid falling?
type of bike/ tyres/ skillz/ route?
I'm on a hybrid, 10k commute each way, 32 panaracer tyres, 39 year old human bones - don't want any accidents, any tips to avoid appreciated.

Wear a helmet like Lumen :pac:

If the road is wet and it's been in negative figures and the thaw hasn't kicked in, the only advice is don't cycle.

Try to walk on ice, rubber has no traction even at walking speed.

Or buy some safety gear like studded tyres

dubmess

souter wrote: »

??? I'm a fixie too but I'd never use the front brake on ice - I had a tiny skid today but handled no problem because it was the back. Front wheel and it's goodnight Vienna.

Or am I missing something?

I just wanted to mention that I also run a front brake before someone fainted

FISMA

Pigeon Reaper wrote: »

Take care this morning. Lots of black ice around along with normal ice. Dublin bus lanes are dangerous along with many junctions. A few cyclists and motorcyclists came off in front of me this morning.

Note to all: Do not wear polarizing sunglasses when there is a possibility of ice on the road.

Polarized lenses can cause the ice to become less visible.

Anyone that has ever used them skiing probably noticed they weren't as good on reflection off of snow as compared to that of water, while fishing for example.

Jawgap

MB Lacey wrote: »

how? I'd love to commute the whole winter, but the thought of skidding on ice scares me - so how did you avoid falling?
type of bike/ tyres/ skillz/ route?
I'm on a hybrid, 10k commute each way, 32 panaracer tyres, 39 year old human bones - don't want any accidents, any tips to avoid appreciated.

monkeybutter wrote: »

With a helmet on?

Wear a helmet - apparently they keep you upright now.

Failing that, take it steady in the corners, careful with the sprints and lay off the brakes.

daymobrew

Lumen wrote: »

Had no issues cycling in from Clonsilla-Castleknock-Phoenix Park-Dublin centre this morning around 08.15, running 23mm Conti GP4000S@100psi.

I was going through Laurel Lodge (Castleknock) this morning with 28mm Conti Sport Contact @ 80psi on the rear of my hybrid and 5 yr old on crossbar seat. My rear wheel slipped quite a bit especially when I put any power on it.

I kept off the front brake as I think it is easier to cope with a rear wheel slide.

On the way home from the school run I was nearly caught out by those raised parallel strips where a footpath crosses a cycle track - my front wheel was in one groove and rear wheel in a different one. Scary :eek:

Lumen

daymobrew wrote: »

I was going through Laurel Lodge (Castleknock) this morning with 28mm Conti Sport Contact @ 80psi on the rear of my hybrid and 5 yr old on crossbar seat. My rear wheel slipped quite a bit especially when I put any power on it.

You want to hang the child out over the rear wheel. More traction that way. :pac:

jimmycrackcorm

Fell myself turning on a junction this morning. Clipped in so I now sport a nasty large graze on my leg.

Only now remembering that I had the exact same fall at the same place a few winters ago. But cycling on after was almost terrifying waiting for another slip.

NeedMoreGears

'have to say I felt somewhat nervous than perhaps I should have been this morning. As I mentioned on the wimp list thread - clipped in with 23mm tyres was not really the way to go (for me at least). I had a hard fall about 4 weeks ago (wheel stuck in a rut) which has made me more concious of a tumble. So its the 1.75" non-knobblied but not road slick type tyres with regular old style toe clips for me tomorrow ; or perhaps the train.

Caroline_ie

I am not comfortable when I see icey roads. I live on the Clonee side and the Ongar road and cycle path was covered in ice. I was on teh fixie. I dismounted half of the way while POBs on BSOs had no problems at all. I blame falling and breaking bones on ice for making me the chicken I am in winter. Tomorrow, I am using ice tires on the CX bike...

billyhead

Lumen wrote: »

I have commuted through the last four winters (including the two brutal ones) without once falling off my bike due to ice. It's really not that hard.

It doesnt matter how experienced on the bike you are. Black ice can take you down. Be careful out their folks. I broke my pelvis as a result of black ice

Lumen

billyhead wrote: »

It doesnt matter how experienced on the bike you are. Black ice can take you down. Be careful out their folks. I broke my pelvis as a result of black ice

That was on the coast, right? I know of several people who have busted themselves up on costal roads in winter.

daragh_

Don't have any ice tires and don't trust the Gatorskins on my single speed after this morning. If its the same in the morning do yiz reckon I should use my MTB with knobbly tires?

Dermot Illogical

Lumen wrote: »

I know of several people who have busted themselves up on costal roads in winter.

Well for some. I wish I could afford a Winter break in Spain.

Zorba

White glistening roads on my way to work this morning around 6am ish. Bike went from under me going down a little hill just before i got to the ice free main road, no brakes or sharp turns were involved ! Ripped a wee hole in me tights and one of my overshoes is a bit shredded but could have been a lot worse.

souter

which are just bog standard 35c as opposed to 25c (one of the benefits of commuting on a cx).
For the Day After Tomorrow ice of 3(?) years back I still have Lumen recommended ice spikes (yet to be used)

It then turns out said Shackleton has the preternatural skillz to never have fallen on black ice even without said Mad Max yokes.
A salutary lesson - it's not about the tyres.

Anyway, for me the judgement call is the peace of mind running lower pressure in case of ice vs. increased risk of pinch flat and a helllish tube repair in freezing conditions.

decisions decisions - gonna play it safe and stick on the fat tyres till Imbolg.

souter

dubmess wrote: »

I just wanted to mention that I also run a front brake before someone fainted

fairplay, I'm so wussy I run a back brake as well. Which I'd like to upgrade to a disk brake. Then add a emergency drogue chute when they become available.

doozerie

Black ice:

Regular/Vanilla ice:

Vanilla+Ice+vanillaice.jpg

Yup, black ice is definitely more scary, has more of that "I'm gonna fcuk you up" look to it.

Jawgap

^^^^ not bad for 2 in the morning!

davidsatelle100

looks worse out this morning. be careful out there

Or go mad and get the bus

godtabh

I''m getting the bus. Not worth the risk

Jawgap

It's not that bad.....

Took the bus this morning - I need to ensure I can type with two hands for the next few days and while I would not expect to fall, once the thought that I might fall crept in there it festered - and partied along side the looming deadline for some work I've to finish by Monday.....

Lumen

doozerie wrote: »

Yup, black ice is definitely more scary, has more of that "I'm gonna fcuk you up" look to it.

Racist! :pac:

Harrybelafonte

Any sign of salting work done?

daragh_

MTB or Car. Hmmmmm

Lumen

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Any sign of salting work done?

Gritters were out around D15, judging by the apocalyptic rumble to which I awoke.

buffalo

Think yesterday was worse. My bus didn't skid once this morning.

AdMMM

Quick check out the window and my testicles have withdrawn into my chest in terror.

Very mild today, lots of salting had happened, but even the unsalted back roads of the N. Kildare were grand.

kenmc

Frost on the cars in my drive was worse than yesterday, roads were frostier but as I had the spikey MTB I didn't notice any ice on the roads. Although work seems to have moved 10 minutes further away than it was yesterday

fletch

Felt colder this morning but the roads weren't as slippy...didn't slide once