First proper test of ice spikes this morning. I didn't fall off - that proves they definitely work.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Commuting
"Severe weather warning"
(7379 posts)-
Posted 9 years ago #
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@amir I tried out my spikes going downhill/clockwise on the Holyrood Park cycle path from Pollock to the Scotsman on the 11thish of December, when there was re-frozen slush all over it. Very effective - didn't try anything daft but normal accelerating/braking/turning did not beget any slithering.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Spiky tyres are secure on a very icy slope, like say at the descent to the airport roundabout. +1 for the winter overshoes too.
Though I'd consider the Kirkliston to Newbridge Railway line too muddy to be useful just now.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Whether by luck or not I thought the commute from Fife was fine today...only one pant-filling moment at Silverknowes taking a corner too quick.
very cold toes though...to the point of pain. Will need to find that thread on 'cold toes' to see if i'm better getting overshoes or a full goretex-type shoe.
Posted 9 years ago # -
@Beano: warm toes, or enough money left to be able to eat. Pick one.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I took the spiky tyred bike today. I didn't plan to, but the torpedo suffered a power failure caused by a broken connector that I'll have to try to fix tonight.
It'd better jolly well snow this afternoon.
Posted 9 years ago # -
@darkerside. I'm guessing overshoes = warm toes and winter shoes = warm toes but one costs significantly more than the other!
I don't mind spending that little bit more if i'm going to get 4-5 years out them.
Posted 9 years ago # -
@Beano - think we have a similar commute from Dunfermline to City, was planning to ride this morning but remembered I have a 'thing' on this evening in Edinburgh. On your dilemma of cold feet, last two/three winters I've used overshoes combined with waterproof socks but I have to confess I'm thinking about going for proper winter shoes. I use Endura overshoes and have two pairs (for alternate days) but both are wrecked after one winter so it could be a false economy for me.
Posted 9 years ago # -
You can buy little neoprene rubber toe-covers, might last a bit longer than overshoes which get worn wherever the foot touches the ground and also tend to wear on the crank and rub on the shoe around the heel where the foot bends.
Posted 9 years ago # -
The Met Office have upgraded the alert for snow to amber, covering the Lothians and particularly at rush hour this evening and tomorrow morning.
Posted 9 years ago # -
@Arellcat - the torpedo suffered a power failure caused by a broken connector that I'll have to try to fix tonight.
I'm sorry for your joint/ligament/tendon injury, but I doubt your ability to heal overnight...
;-)
Robert
Posted 9 years ago # -
Overshoes are warmish, but wear painfully fast as kaputnik says.
Proper winter boots are, by all accounts, properly toasty, but can be eye-wateringly expensive.
The smart monkey would realise that they'd have been better off stumping off the cash for the boots in the first place rather than buying new overshoes every autumn. I am not that smart monkey...
Posted 9 years ago # -
@Darkerside: I think you may be a smarter monkey than you give yourself credit for. Winter boots have a finite life too: my calculations showed me that I'd be better (from a cost perspective) buying several pairs of overshoes rather than winter boots.
I've got a lot of wear out of Endura Luminite 2 overshoes: these are now well into their second winter and, while they are starting to fall apart, I think they will last perfectly well to the end of this year. I wear them every day at this time of year.
Posted 9 years ago # -
@Darkerside - that makes two of us. Grimace when I think how much I've spent on overshoes (in fairness, still handy for warmer rainy rides)
Posted 9 years ago # -
Overshoes can be bought quite cheaply. Planet X has them for £12 atm. They wear less if you take them off if you're walking.
I do like toe covers when it's not raining. My current pair are dhb from Wiggle and have kevlar on the bottoms and seem to be wearing better than the last pair.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Does anyone do a wellington boot with cleats?
Given some neater fit, extra flexibility around the ankle and some stiffening of the sole, it could make a fabulous winter cycling shoe when worn with thick wooly socks. Keeps your ankles and lower legs clean and dry, keeps out all water and mud and very useful for having to get off and push over mud, snow or fallen trees. No need for fancy goretex, just old fashint rubber.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Aldi do overshoes for £7.99 and Decathlon around a tenner.
My current ones are Altura Night Vision for ~25 and they got a emergency braking test last night at the Tesco Roundabout in Dalmeny That's probably a couple of months wear on them already :-(
Posted 9 years ago # -
@kaputnik
if it wisnae fur yer wellies where wid ye be?
Posted 9 years ago # -
"Does anyone do a wellington boot with cleats?"
Does anyone offer custom nitrile-dipping on shoes which weren't manufactured with a nice high rand?
Posted 9 years ago # -
My Shimano MW02 winter boots are now on their ninth winter* and are still going. I won’t say they’re going strong, because they’re held together with bits of tape and have what I consider to be quite cool modifications using bits of old inner tube. Others might say it looks daft, but it keeps the water out.
Pretty good value, IME.
(*They’ve done a fair bit of the springs, summers and autumns, too.)
Posted 9 years ago # -
For really mucky/cold stuff, I reckon you're better off with big platform pedals, walking boots, and possibly some powergrip straps if you want retention.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/powergrips/pedal-straps-ec005334
Slightly higher wear on the walking boots, but mine seem tough as, well, old boots...
Posted 9 years ago # -
Quite a bit more snow near Gilmerton than down by KB. The main road is okay but pavements and other roads are covered. KB temp is -0.2
Posted 9 years ago # -
Some snow on way home, but did not stick on the road
Posted 9 years ago # -
Back on the subject of toes, I just go Sealskinz from approx November until March - they are supertoasty and who cares if the commuting shoes get wet or snowy as long as you have toasty tootsies??
Posted 9 years ago # -
re sealskinz they have a great sale on their outlet website. 2011 and 2012 models of some socks, gloves and hats are all available for £12. Some reduced from as much as £60.
Only caveat is that the sizes left for socks and gloves are for those who are very big or very small...
Posted 9 years ago # -
I have sealskinz and indeed Aldi cheaper version. The issue which is to be avoided is water getting inside them as it cannot get out. Apart from that very good.
Posted 9 years ago # -
A crunchy coating on the roads around the Gyle where the day's efforts had begin to stick and freeze. Spikes tomorrow for sure.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Took the spikeless after walking up and down my street a bit. It's been the iciest bit of my commute thus far, so when it was fine, I reckoned I could do my knees a favour and leave wintersaurus at home.
Back wheel misbehaved quite alarmingly by the Asda at Straiton, but I stayed upright. Other than that, commute in this morning was fine.
This afternoon I went the majorest roadest route as well; more snow than I was expecting on Frogston etc, and the wee road from Bilston to Roslin was packed snow across the whole width, so I took it steady and slow in the tyre tracks.
I only had one other car behind me at that point, and they waited for a good place to overtake anyway, so all good.
The roadworks along Bilston-Straiton caused even more delay than usual, but the snow in the bike lane was fluffy enough that I never felt any squirreling as I slowly filtered past everything.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Only an inch or so of snow on top of ice at my place, a nasty gusting wind however that felt like it might scoop my front end away on the fast clear road!
Stay safe out there chaps and chapesses :-)Posted 9 years ago # -
Blanket of snow here in the hills above South west edinburgh but the roads are clear. Itis very cold though. May go with galoshes
Posted 9 years ago #
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