CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting

"Severe weather warning"

(7379 posts)

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  1. fimm
    Member

    :-)
    The day I did it we had wall-to-wall sunshine. It was a very fine day out.

    It also remains the hardest thing I've done. When I left Braemar I was convinced I had 80km to go, so when I got to the turning where Kirriemuir is signposted at 21 (I think) miles, I was a bit confused. It turned out that it was the previous leg that was 80km, Braemar to Kirriemuir is 60km or so.

    To return to the topic of the thread, Mr fimm has just informed me in much delight that there is an Amber weather warning for Edinburgh for today.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  2. SRD
    Moderator

    Edinburgh's just been added to the amber weather alert for heavy snow.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  3. Frenchy
    Member

    Edinburgh's just been added to the amber weather alert for heavy snow.

    Horse bolted, surely? Or is there even more to come?

    Posted 3 years ago #

  4. chdot
    Admin

    “Or is there even more to come?”

    Some.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  5. chdot
    Admin

    https://www.weatherandradar.co.uk/

    (Pink is snow)

    Posted 3 years ago #

  6. Frenchy
    Member

    Forecast says -3C tonight and -7C overnight Wednesday/Thursday.

    Going to be skitey in the mornings.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  7. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Better fix my Yaktrax. Found one in the street outside the house and hung it in the hedge for the owner to retrieve it.

    Realised it was mine after four days.

    They are great when they work but they are fragile.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  8. Rosie
    Member

    Nice soft snow I can walk in instead of the ice-over-tarmac that keeps me under house arrest.

    Someone lent me some spiky overshoe things but said I shouldn't wear them on tarmac, which rather took away the point of them. I'm not planning on mountaineering, just getting to the park and shops.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  9. ejstubbs
    Member

    @Rosie: Were they these things: https://kahtoola.com/product/microspikes/? If so I'd agree that they're not really suitable for tarmac, or paving stones. A lot of people use them for walking or running lower-altitude off-road tracks and paths when it's snowy or icy; I know some fell runners carry them in case things get more treacherous underfoot than they are willing to risk. (I also know one or two climbers who carry them instead of proper crampons, but we don't talk about them...)

    Kahtoola also do these: https://kahtoola.com/product/exospikes-footwear-traction/ and these: https://kahtoola.com/product/nanospikes/, the latter in particular being better suited to walking around town.

    Unsurprisingly, trying to find anyone who has any of these things in stock at the moment is a bit of a challenge.

    I have a pair of something similar to the nanospikes - though with slightly fewer spikes - made by Petzl. I thought at first that the rubber 'harness' that fits over your shoes would be rather vulnerable but after more than ten winters it appears to be made of military-grade nuclear-strike-proof rubber - but the tungsten carbide spikes are wearing a bit low.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  10. Rosie
    Member

    @ejstubbs - exactly that. The friend who lent them does a lot of hill-walking.

    Those other ones look the ticket. The problem is our erratic winters - last winter there were about 2 spits of snow, and so by the time I got those the snow will probably disappear and I won't use them for years. However they could be useful on mud as well - which is the post-thaw experience on Corstorphine Hill.

    Anyway it explains why I see joggers happily tearing past me on the pavement while walkers are teetering and using sticks.

    I gritted and salted the pavement. Discovery - the wire patio brush is good for shifting stuck on snow.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  11. wingpig
    Member

    "I have a pair of something similar to the nanospikes - though with slightly fewer spikes - made by Petzl. I thought at first that the rubber 'harness' that fits over your shoes would be rather vulnerable but after more than ten winters it appears to be made of military-grade nuclear-strike-proof rubber - but the tungsten carbide spikes are wearing a bit low."

    I have a set of those. The rear under-strap section of one foot gave up today, on roughly their eighth mile of being walked in.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  12. SRD
    Moderator

    we have two different kinds of the nano-spike style, both from lidl. holding up well.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  13. ejstubbs
    Member

    There are cheap versions of the tungsten carbide-spiked affairs available on Amazon et al. However, brief inspection suggests that the spikes under the heel sit rather far forward - meaning there's no spikage immediately under a normal heel strike contact point. Which is a recipe for ungainly skidding IMO, unless one resorts to forefoot-biased tottering.

    (I've discovered that Needlesports are offering the Kahtoola nanospikes for £36 post free just now. Of course, ordering them now will mean that this will be the last snow we'll see this year!)

    Posted 3 years ago #

  14. SRD
    Moderator

    The lidl ones I have (under a tenner) look roughly like these.

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Portable-Anti-Slip-Gripper-Traction-Strolling/dp/B01MYNIP4G/ref=sr_1_21

    work fine.

    Mr SRD's are slightly different (think he lost the first pair).

    Posted 3 years ago #

  15. Rosie
    Member

    @SRD - thanks for that - those look feasible and if I only wear them half a dozen times I won't feel out of pocket.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  16. steveo
    Member

    Only thing to watch with microspikes is ceramic tiles.

    I used to wear mine to work but had to take them off before I went into the office. I think the metal is harder than the tarmac so you get some grip but on ceramics they are treacherous.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  17. Dave
    Member

    I got some wading studs (just short coach screws really) and fixed a few of them into my old running shoes. You need to be careful that you have thick enough soles and sometimes you lose one, but it's a decent option. You don't need to baby sit them or do anything special when you go in or out, and they've been fine on some ultra icy stretches in the pentlands.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  18. gembo
    Member

    Shoveled the snow off the car yesterday. Thought would be easier thanremoving frozen snow. It has returned to the same level.

    Spotted fellow heading into town 0745 on his bike. Tricky.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  19. crowriver
    Member

    Very heavy snow in Abbeyhill through the night. It was lovely until folk started driving over it.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  20. Rosie
    Member

    Nice fluffy snow and a walk in Roseburn Park. One chap on studded tyres making good progress.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  21. chdot
    Admin

    Snow pretty much over.

    *Forecast* to be warm next week!

    Posted 3 years ago #

  22. ejstubbs
    Member

    @gembo: Shoveled the snow off the car yesterday. Thought would be easier thanremoving frozen snow. It has returned to the same level.

    Same thing here. Slept in this morning (?due to lack of road noise from rat-runners?) but will be heading out soon armed with soft-bristle brush, snow shovel and rock salt. (Have to keep the car available at short-ish notice due to possibility of needing to provide rapid response to an elderly relative on Lanark Road.)

    Posted 3 years ago #

  23. SRD
    Moderator

    both met app and bbc weather saying we have one more 'heavy snow' forecast.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  24. chdot
    Admin

    When?

    Posted 3 years ago #

  25. SRD
    Moderator

    between 11 and 12. didn't seem to happen!

    Posted 3 years ago #

  26. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Some lovely polystyrene bead snow on Craigmillar Hill. (Is there a word for that?) Tonight's sledging should be fun.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  27. bill
    Member

    Is there a word for that?

    @IWARTS yes, graupel

    Posted 3 years ago #

  28. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    The gas has just gone off in our house.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  29. crowriver
    Member

    Was up the Crags earlier. Deep drifts of snow, knees almost disappeared in places.

    Quite a few folk out having fun, but not too busy thankfully. Split into levels: lower very active with kids sledging. Middle had a few older children being taught to ski. Upper reaches quite quiet except for a small contingent of snowboarders, mostly young adults. Powdery stuff perfect for all these activities.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  30. chdot
    Admin

    “between 11 and 12. didn't seem to happen!“

    Now?

    Posted 3 years ago #

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