Falkirk Council seem to be using Zambonis on the footpaths instead of mini tractors as they've polished the paths to perfection. HWMBO reported skating down the brae towards a moderately busy road with not a tree in reach to cling on to. Mind you, previously they didn't even bother to clear this route to school so I suppose the fact they've done it means they know it's there. Maybe try to persuade them to use grit along with the zamboni next time.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh
Snow(?)
(369 posts)-
Posted 12 years ago #
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@Arellcat, that is an excellent idea. I'll try to do the same (the Brompton seems particularly prone to getting covered in slush, compared to the full-sized bike next to it in the racks (the rider of which is much more hard-core than I am)).
Posted 12 years ago # -
Meant to say that an elderly chap on an electric bicycle coasted up the Pleasence hill, as I was sitting stationary, while a couple of regular cyclists were walking up with their bikes. Perhaps the extra weight, behind the downtube, helped with traction.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Cycled from the Ingleston P&R this morning into Lothian rd. A8 section was fine due to lots of traffic making the road wet rather than slushy and then moving along the cycle lanes in the bus treads worked as well. Certainly worked better than it did for all the cars I coasted past. Delighted I decided to cycle rather than wimp out and get the bus, of course, I do have to make the return journey!
Posted 12 years ago # -
"
The Highway Code (@HighwayCodeGB)
11/03/2013 09:52
Drive extremely carefully when roads are icy. Accelerate and brake very gently. #HighwayCode rule 231"
"enyaw (@outingthem)
11/03/2013 09:55
@HighwayCodeGB I'd rather wheel spin, and skid sideways ta, so much more fun"
Posted 12 years ago # -
@fimm/Arelicat: Don't do it at the bike racks! The water might turn to ice! (I'm sure you've thought of this, but thought I'd say just in case :)
Posted 12 years ago # -
Dave - I probably benefitted from your public-spirited snow ploughing this morning. Just wanted to say thanks.
Posted 12 years ago # -
And once again by 'commuters' they mean 'drivers' as there's nothing in there about people walking, cycling or bussing.
Posted 12 years ago # -
"I probably benefitted from your public-spirited snow ploughing this morning. Just wanted to say thanks. "
\o/ Glad to be of service!
At least initially I was able to plough while riding at normal speed. You can cover quite a lot of ground before heading into work.
I do wonder if a small fleet of bike-powered ploughs might be quite a nice public relations exercise, suitably branded.
The problem is getting enough snow to fall to perfect the design...
Posted 12 years ago # -
"And once again by 'commuters' they mean 'drivers' as there's nothing in there about people walking, cycling or bussing."
Which reminded me that I set this up ages ago
Commuting WITHOUT a car (Flickr Group)
Hardly ever looked at it, now got 685 members worldwide!
And some nice pix.
Posted 12 years ago # -
And once again by 'commuters' they mean 'drivers' as there's nothing in there about people walking, cycling or bussing.
Well actually they do mention pedestrians in the first line which is very unusual so I guess only bus/train users and cyclists don't count.
Typical comment here:
Traffic was also slow on the M8. Motorists complained two snow ploughs clearing the carriageway were causing more delays by slowing traffic down.
Morons.
Posted 12 years ago # -
This bike never fails. by rudyluciani, on Flickr All Rights ReservedPosted 12 years ago # -
"Well actually they do mention pedestrians in the first line..."
Oops! So they do!
Posted 12 years ago # -
Ah, hubris!
Just getting near home, smug in the stability of the old SMGT, when I kicked to start leaving the Dalry colonies, and my back wheel spun, and the bike went sideways - whereupon I was smug about the other advantage of my 'bent - less distance to fall :)
Posted 12 years ago # -
That's the hybrid got its winter wheelset with spiky tyres back on. Only been back to 'summer' tyres for just over a week!
The snow may be melting now, but -3C tonight so expect ice tomorrow...
Posted 12 years ago # -
While this morning's ride was wonderful, this evening's ride home along "quiet family route 6" was a bit traumatic. Freshly falling snow is one thing. Thick sheets of ice is quite another. I had the spiky winter tyres on but something about the way I was slipping around made me think that they're more suited to delicate thin frosty ice rather than walloping great sheets of rutted teflon.
Ironic really because just before that I'd been speeding along Middle Meadow Walk thinking "wheee, a wide cycle path that's totally free of snow and ice, now I can pretend I live in a top European cycling city!"
When you're going to have family cycle routes it might be an idea to keep them cyclable when the weather turns wintery. Cycling is not just for sunny Sundays.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Posted 12 years ago #
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Kojaks were fine here. I aimed for the deeper snow rather than the compressed bits.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Spiked tyre is back on the front of winter blue floofy.
Posted 12 years ago # -
I can smugly report that it isn't snowing in Barbados. The closest we have at the moment is the froth on the top of my pina colada. :-)
Posted 12 years ago # -
I worked from home today, but had to go up MMW to post office. The clear bits were great. Trying to mount and dismount at side of road felt near impossible!
I walked up to Bicycleworks for some replacement brake pads for the spikebike to find that the lovely soft snow had turned into a 3/4" sheet of compacted ice. Found a grit bin about 1/2 mile away and salvaged the dregs out the bottom. I was amused by the doctor / dentist surgery who had cleared a little bit of path down to SMW which was a sheet of ice. Nice gesture, but futile if council don't clear that bit too.
Just spent 90 minutes chipping away and gritting as much as I could. People were sliding all around me as I worked.
If it looks like ice, it probably is!
I have also prepared my escape route for the morning.
Posted 12 years ago # -
From this morning:
http://mccraw.co.uk/bicycle-snow-ploughing/
I was very impressed with the state of NEPN, although it wasn't clear of snow (unlike the pics above of MMW, albiet after the morning rush).
Posted 12 years ago # -
I took a different route home today, winding my way through Craiglockhart to the old City Hospital, to Greenbank, and onwards. I think everyone who tried driving their car this morning had gone home at lunchtime because the roads were really quiet! Only the main roads were treated, so I had a lovely time on compressed snow and proto-ice, my Ice Spiker and Marathon Winter thrumming along at all of 7-8mph (plus it was uphill most of the way), and I encountered about four cars once I'd left the Lanark Road for dust.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Dear god, one week off spikes, return from london tonight to grapple for 45 mins refitting spikes - this ice better stay for a few days.
Worst thing is adjusting these mini vees.
Now bed and dream of snow
Posted 12 years ago # -
Nelly, you do realise that the unfitting and refitting of spikes is easily ameliorated through the application of (n+1)? :>
Posted 12 years ago # -
Arellcat, good point, indeed I have self sanctioned the requirement for a new mtb to play up the pentlands with the son only last week. Its more that I really like the genesis as my day to day bike. In fact, although I am adding bikes, I might also get rid of a couple....do i need a road bike and two single speeds, would i prefer a tourer? Decisions decisions!
Posted 12 years ago # -
@Arelicat, I find a spare wheelset (in my case 2nd hand) more cost effective.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Yeah crow, would make more sense for me too. Might think about it in summer.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Came off on the ice on Valleyfield Street on my way to the Commie this evening. I'd already walked up Gilmore Park and along Lower Gilmore Place (I should really have realised that those roads were likely to be bad and gone round by Viewforth). I don't usually wear a helmet on the Brompton these days, but had put it on this evening precisely because of the risk of a low-speed fall, and I am glad I was wearing it.
How do they manage in Copenhagen? I've seen photos of everyone cycling in the snow and I don't think they go in for spiked tyres and so forth... do they just have a Different Kind Of Snow?
Posted 12 years ago #
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