http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: 2012 Snowday - Number 1 en Sun, 17 May 2026 09:17:27 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=3#post-93876 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 14:43:15 +0000 wee folding bike 93876@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Icy in the Wild West too. I think the rain yesterday afternoon might have washed the salt away so this morning we had a sheet of ice. On other roads there was ice in the schuch. </p> <p>Left the trike in Coatbridge Tesco foyer while I got some photo paper and Parker mechanical pencil leads. To get to Tesco I use a few hundred metres of route 75 as a short cut. It was more icy than the road. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=3#post-93875 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 14:42:54 +0000 cb 93875@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>"I appear to approach all corners like a 90 year old on roller skates at the minute"</em></p> <p>I've done that ever since an icy off 25 years ago when doing my paper round! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=3#post-93874 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 14:28:06 +0000 deckard112 93874@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Have to admit was pretty slippy this morning, commute to work was very tenative on the side roads. An icy off at the weekend has put a dent in my confidence and I appear to approach all corners like a 90 year old on roller skates at the minute. </p> <p>(No offence to elder skaters intended!) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=3#post-93818 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 07:15:51 +0000 Nelly 93818@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>And building on kappers point - its still lying in EH9 which means it will definitely be slippy slidey toward Edinburgh Park - be careful out there. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=3#post-93814 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 01:22:17 +0000 Snowy 93814@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Snowing in EH9, lying on the ground </em></p> <p>I recommend you get indoors then, you'll catch cold ;-) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=3#post-93813 Fri, 07 Dec 2012 01:17:43 +0000 kaputnik 93813@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Snowing in EH9, lying on the ground </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=3#post-93412 Tue, 04 Dec 2012 21:13:08 +0000 Baldcyclist 93412@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Well, I can honestly say that is the most miserable hour and twenty minutes I've spent on a bike since, well, since last night! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=3#post-93411 Tue, 04 Dec 2012 20:46:16 +0000 Dave 93411@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Narrowly avoided quite a tumble on the way home, at the frozen pool on the kink leading up the ramp to the crossing for NEPN on Lindsay Rd. </p> <p>I just wasn't thinking about the surface at all, having negotiated the crazy mess of collapsed wire fence, and tried to take the 90 degree turn over the pool of ice at speed. Front wheel skid into railings arrested by studs at eleventh hour.</p> <p>Studded tyres paid for this year already. :) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=3#post-93409 Tue, 04 Dec 2012 20:28:44 +0000 Greenroofer 93409@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Despite having studded tyres on today, I walked across the Slateford aqueduct. Smooth cobbles with ice on made for a treacherous surface, and with my tyres at 6 bar (i.e. not maximum spikieness) and no margin for error it felt the right thing to do.</p> <p>Callum (?) who I pass there every day said he'd felt his back wheel go as soon as he got on to the aqueduct and hopped off his bike straight away and walked across for the first time in ages. There were two of us walking across west bound when a third person came whizzing round the corner onto the the aqueduct and promptly fell off (without falling into the water).</p> <p>Take care on there tomorrow, if it's still frosty.</p> <p>P.S. When Morningsider said yesterday that he <a href="http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046#post-93112">lost his bottle on Bruntsfield Links</a>, I read that to mean that he had to stop because his actual bottle came off. It's taken a day for me to realise what happened. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=3#post-93388 Tue, 04 Dec 2012 17:46:17 +0000 Smudge 93388@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Turned to ice cold rain as I got onto the bike (sigh), numb face by the time I got to Haymarket :-o</p> <p>Half expecting to be above the snowline by the time I get home. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=2#post-93378 Tue, 04 Dec 2012 17:15:11 +0000 steveo 93378@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Looks like its merely raining now, at least in civilization. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=2#post-93376 Tue, 04 Dec 2012 17:11:56 +0000 kaputnik 93376@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>It was sleeting lightly in Marchmont a while back, so I barred the shutters and drew the curtains, dunno what it's up to now! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=2#post-93372 Tue, 04 Dec 2012 16:53:40 +0000 Smudge 93372@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Sleet/Snow in Colinton now...</p> <p>Edit, now snow proper! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=2#post-93272 Tue, 04 Dec 2012 01:59:07 +0000 crowriver 93272@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Sorry, the Schwalbe Snow Studs are 700x38, like a cyclocross tyre, not 47. What was I thinking of?</p> <p>Anyway I'm now roving around on a bed of rice krispies on my errands... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=2#post-93252 Mon, 03 Dec 2012 21:39:51 +0000 Uberuce 93252@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Pretty sure LaidBack has used cable ties on one of his devices. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=2#post-93225 Mon, 03 Dec 2012 18:02:36 +0000 Bruce 93225@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@kaputnik</p> <p>disc brakes here so it might be worth a bash, I need new tyres anyway as current ones are starting to split in places. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=2#post-93217 Mon, 03 Dec 2012 16:48:42 +0000 kaputnik 93217@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Bruce not if you want to stop with rim brakes, no ;) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=2#post-93216 Mon, 03 Dec 2012 16:36:19 +0000 Bruce 93216@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Has anyone tried to put zip ties on tires, does it work </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=2#post-93194 Mon, 03 Dec 2012 14:46:39 +0000 Darkerside 93194@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>And really dire news if you had to change the tube... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=2#post-93192 Mon, 03 Dec 2012 14:45:48 +0000 cc 93192@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@sallyhinch reminds me of an idea I saw - maybe on copenhagenize? - a year or two ago: if your bike has hub brakes, just tie a cable-tie around the rim &amp; tyre every inch or two all the way round the wheel. Said to be good for snow. Not sure how good it would be for lateral movement on ice though. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=2#post-93190 Mon, 03 Dec 2012 14:38:41 +0000 kaputnik 93190@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@sally they look like a very elegant solution, if issues of rolling off can be avoided, they would be great. I guess you could let some air out of the tyre, tighten them as best you could then put some more air back in the tyre to really lock them in place. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=2#post-93189 Mon, 03 Dec 2012 14:32:10 +0000 sallyhinch 93189@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Someone's just posted the following on my blog <a href="http://www.bikerumor.com/2012/11/18/bike-spikes-by-cesar-van-rongen-look-to-add-snow-chains-studs-to-your-ride/" rel="nofollow">http://www.bikerumor.com/2012/11/18/bike-spikes-by-cesar-van-rongen-look-to-add-snow-chains-studs-to-your-ride/</a></p> <p>easily attachable/detachable snow chains for your bike. Thoughts? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=2#post-93188 Mon, 03 Dec 2012 14:18:36 +0000 Darkerside 93188@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>'if the roads are icy, I'd rather not be on then because of the danger from other vehicles that do not have spikes.'</p> <p>That was the cause behind the only day two winters ago I ended up walking the bike. Sudden snow fall, and cars sliding all over the place. I was fine, but it's not much consolation when two tonne of metal glides into you. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=2#post-93187 Mon, 03 Dec 2012 14:17:03 +0000 Nelly 93187@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I listened to Arellcat and Uberuce reasoning on the Marathon Winters, and used them for the first time in anger today. Fitted to my Genesis Day01 CX, and with some fettling are under the mudguards - they are not coming off until Dave C tells me its Spring !!</p> <p>I leave early (6.30ish) which can mean side roads can be icy/slushy.</p> <p>I had my hip done last year, and it would be an absolute disaster if I came off and dislocated/broke it.</p> <p>So - to me - while the cost is not irrelevant - it is worth it and more. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=2#post-93181 Mon, 03 Dec 2012 13:52:40 +0000 deckard112 93181@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Have been out on the bike all weekend and loved every minute. Down at Glentress on Saturday which had had a few inches of snow, great fun in that lot. Then out on the roadie yesterday although now thinking I need to get winter training tyres after an 'off' on black ice coming through Queensferry. Scary much?</p> <p>As for communting I must admit to using main roads in this weather over paths simply due to higher use by other vehicles and salting/gritting which usually means for a far grippier surface. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=2#post-93179 Mon, 03 Dec 2012 13:35:10 +0000 DaveC 93179@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I have Schwabe Snow tyres (2 rows of spikes instead of the usual 4, on very knobbly tyres) on my CX (700x37). I just swap over and keep them on as I can't be bothered changing weekly depending on the forcast. I just pop them on in November and take them off when the roads start to dry out after winter. They help with the sludge that are leaves in late Autumn, as well as peace of mind on ice, slush. I try to keep off roads as much as possible and use cycle paths instead, as is my personal preference not liking mixing with motor vehicles in town. I've not have any misshaps so far on them and they are just into their 2nd winter. I got them cheap from The Bike Chain in a sale. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=2#post-93177 Mon, 03 Dec 2012 13:31:52 +0000 amir 93177@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I've had enough falls on ice and am plenty old enough not to want to repeat that. I don't yet have spikes, despite commuting in from outside the city. The main reasons are:</p> <p>- cost vs benefit: the number of days when they are needed has been low in most years recently. The main road to work is usually well gritted.</p> <p>- if the roads are icy, I'd rather not be on then because of the danger from other vehicles that do not have spikes.</p> <p>- I'd have to get my old mtb up and running. None of my other bikes have sufficient clearance.</p> <p>I have been successfully avoided ice so far this year by being crocked, being away or, as currently, by having the flu (not recommended) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=2#post-93174 Mon, 03 Dec 2012 13:23:22 +0000 chdot 93174@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"it's just extra fun overtaking people climbing up into town"</p> <p>I especially like cycling up the top end of Dundas Street/Q. St. Gardens - on ordinary tyres -after a bit of snow when motor vehicles can't manage! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=2#post-93171 Mon, 03 Dec 2012 13:16:58 +0000 Dave 93171@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>My viewpoint is that spikies are not just a benefit the few times it snows, they are giving me peace of mind on every morning that the temp is hovering near zero and there is a risk of ice. In that sense, I reap the benefit of them almost all the way through the winter. </em></p> <p>+1 from me too. However good you are at handling a bike (and I think I'm reasonably good) it's hard to see more grip as a disadvantage. Could hardly walk out of the estate on Sat to the corner shop, never mind ride.</p> <p>Also, it's all well and good riding gingerly until someone *else* does something for which a light feathering of the back brake just won't do.</p> <p>Funnily enough the main thing I thought would annoy me (that they are a bit slower) doesn't at all - it's just extra fun overtaking people climbing up into town... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=9046&page=2#post-93170 Mon, 03 Dec 2012 13:14:56 +0000 fimm 93170@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>WRT winter tyres on cars - in some places in Europe (e.g. Austria) they are compulsory during the winter months. They have a lot more snow than we do, of course.</p> <p>I saw some photos of winter cycling in Copenhagen (I think) where of course they just get on with it... but then I think they tend to have more snow and less ice if that makes sense and proper snow is more grippy than ice or the wet slush we often get here... </p>