Author Topic: It's snowing!  (Read 633560 times)

Re: It's snowing!
« Reply #250 on: 20 December, 2009, 12:31:00 pm »
That seals it.  If you can ride on a frozen river I think studded tyres will see me OK for Essex.
Hardly seems worth the effort. By the time you've sourced and fitted them it'll all be salty rivers of slush.

Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Re: It's snowing!
« Reply #251 on: 20 December, 2009, 12:36:46 pm »
True but I will be better preapred when the snow and ice comes again. 

Just been doing a bit of web research, apparently Schwalbe Snow Stud (26x1.9") tyres can be left on for normal winter usage and then deflated when it's icy.  Worth a thought.

Re: It's snowing!
« Reply #252 on: 20 December, 2009, 12:41:44 pm »
.........only 14°, and I think it's quite warm, but everyone else doesn't.  ::-)  


How is it that I can picture you sitting there in your shorts, while all around you shiverrrrrrrr ?  :D

Re: It's snowing!
« Reply #253 on: 20 December, 2009, 12:57:15 pm »
.........only 14°, and I think it's quite warm, but everyone else doesn't.  ::-)  
How is it that I can picture you sitting there in your shorts, while all around you shiverrrrrrrr ?  :D
Because you're as scared as the rest of us!  :o

Re: It's snowing!
« Reply #254 on: 20 December, 2009, 12:58:06 pm »
Most discussions I've seen of Snow Tyres say that they'll be harder work to cycle on, even if the tyres aren't partially deflated, and you'll probably wear the studs down, or loose a few.  They'll also be noisy!

The studs are pretty hard, but you would be using them a lot, so eventually you use them up.  You may be better off getting a cheap pair of wheels, and fitting the tyres to them permanently.  Since you won't be doing as much mileage on those, the wheels themselves don't need to be able to be used for thousand upon thousands of miles, so a cheap and cheerful wheel is probably adequate.

They should also probably be kept somewhere dark, or covered, to minimise their exposure to UV during the sumer, when you won't be using them, and try and make them last for as many years as possible.
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

Re: It's snowing!
« Reply #255 on: 20 December, 2009, 01:05:26 pm »
That seals it.  If you can ride on a frozen river I think studded tyres will see me OK for Essex.

Yes, but they do fall off, several times in that video, and they're wearing padding.

I bet the guy in the Ice Yacht was a bit surprised when they went past!
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

Re: It's snowing!
« Reply #256 on: 20 December, 2009, 01:07:41 pm »
I've got a spare front wheel that I'm thinking of fitting a studded tyre to, then when required I can use it on the 'cross bike to get to work and stuff. Probably enough benefit of just having one on the front in SE England- I don't encounter much ice during the average winter.

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: It's snowing!
« Reply #257 on: 20 December, 2009, 01:17:13 pm »
There's a DIY method using small machine screws and nuts - probably M4 - on a standard tyre.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Re: It's snowing!
« Reply #258 on: 20 December, 2009, 03:53:03 pm »
I just can't be bothered to get studded tyres down here in Essex.  We pretty much seem to have three road conditions.
1) Gritted and wet - any bike will do.
2) Snowy - MTB is great, as is any bike with decent tread.
3) Snow packed down to ice.  Really slippery.  But it's only a few yards so might as well either risk it or walk past on the pavement.

I often resort to the windcheetah to avoid falling off on the ice, but to be honest on a 9 mile commute home I'm on ice for 0.25 miles.  Just not worth the effort of doing anything special.

Re: It's snowing!
« Reply #259 on: 20 December, 2009, 03:55:34 pm »
  Just not worth the effort of doing anything special.

Same here. A few days off the bike is OK. It's not Minnesota.

Chris S

Re: It's snowing!
« Reply #260 on: 20 December, 2009, 04:07:36 pm »
  Just not worth the effort of doing anything special.

Same here. A few days off the bike is OK. It's not Minnesota.

Well of course, as others reminded me upthread, if the Atlantic THC is compromised by the effects of GW, then it will get like Minnesota here ;).

Current medium range forecast suggests the cold is here to stay for a while. This would mean for me, probably ten days or more of snow covered/compact snow/icy lanes; which would make it worth having a set of studded tyres I could just swap to on one of the bikes for that time. The initial investment in money and time needs to be taken out of the equation really - once you've got them, you'll use them.

Re: It's snowing!
« Reply #261 on: 20 December, 2009, 04:17:38 pm »
...The initial investment in money and time needs to be taken out of the equation really - once you've got them, you'll use them.

As and when we do start getting the cold winters, that's when I intend to reconsider and get them.

If I buy them now then yes I will use them 'in case of ice' and I'll wear them out so that on the worst days when I ride 15 miles on wet tarmac and half a mile on compressed snow they won't work on that ice.


Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Re: It's snowing!
« Reply #262 on: 20 December, 2009, 04:24:06 pm »
The only studded tyres available in the UK seem to be Schwalbe Snow Studs and a pair of them will be about £60.  There's no point getting them now as may the time they arrive this lot of ice will have melted (probably).

I might see whether Santa delivers some Wiggle vouchers and then buy a pair as insurance.  Today has been very frustrating, the weather has been glorious but I couldn't get out cos of the ice.  It would have been a different story if I had studded tyres.

Re: It's snowing!
« Reply #263 on: 20 December, 2009, 04:38:26 pm »
You don't need a stud.

You need an extra wheel.  I have no very little* trouble on ice on the windcheetah  ;D






*I've had to amend that statement now, I rolled it last winter after one too energetic power slide  :-[

Re: It's snowing!
« Reply #264 on: 20 December, 2009, 05:33:35 pm »
It's a bit late now to buy studded tyres, but what I keep on intending to do, is import some Nokian A10 in 700x32, from someone like Peter White Cycles.  They look to be a good tyre for commuting on, although the Marathon Winters also get a good writeup.  I'd need to put them on the Kaffenback, which is buggered with unrelated Freehub issues, which I don't currently have the time to deal with, and I should also probably get a second set of wheels to put them on, which I would need to build up.

Something to do in the summer.
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

simonp

Re: It's snowing!
« Reply #265 on: 20 December, 2009, 07:09:22 pm »
Well the last time I wanted to use the studded tyres, I tried riding on the road which was nearly ice free.  I gave up very quickly as it was a mixture of sections completely clear of ice and then you'd suddenly hit a patch which was hard compacted refrozen dirty slush.  It's dark so you can't see it coming.

Add to that cars doing 50mph, and there's a parallel cycle path which without studded tyres would be unusable, but is perfectly ridable (I did it tonight whilst towing a loaded trailer) and the advantage of studded tyres is clear, since I have the option of riding on the path rather than pushing the bike home for 5 miles.

Rig of Jarkness

  • An Englishman abroad
Re: It's snowing!
« Reply #266 on: 20 December, 2009, 07:26:59 pm »
I love this.  :thumbsup:   Beeb News for everywhere else in the UK would doubtless be illustrating this story with pictures of snow-bound traffic jams.  BBC News - Scotland braced for further snow
Aero but not dynamic

Re: It's snowing!
« Reply #267 on: 20 December, 2009, 07:29:43 pm »
I love this.  :thumbsup:   Beeb News for everywhere else in the UK would doubtless be illustrating this story with pictures of snow-bound traffic jams.  BBC News - Scotland braced for further snow

I had to do a double-take.  :o ;D

I thought it was the Andrex puppy and it had ran out of toilet roll.
Quote from: Marbeaux
Have given this a great deal of thought and decided not to contribute to any further Threads for the time being.
POTD. (decade) :thumbsup:

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: It's snowing!
« Reply #268 on: 20 December, 2009, 07:31:10 pm »
Studded tyres and mudguards aren't really compatible; I have pretty big clearance but not for a 1.9" tyre with studs on top.

I don't know whether to drive in this week or risk it.  There are patches of black ice all over the village because the wind on Thursday didn't quite dry out the roads completely.  We also had ice pellets last night which have turned to sheet ice where cars have run over them.  99.9% of my route is salted though, because the bus uses it - it's literally just our 150' cul-de-sac that isn't.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Re: It's snowing!
« Reply #269 on: 20 December, 2009, 07:33:06 pm »
I love this.  :thumbsup:   Beeb News for everywhere else in the UK would doubtless be illustrating this story with pictures of snow-bound traffic jams.  BBC News - Scotland braced for further snow

au contraire

BBC News - Met Office warns of further snow in Northern Ireland

simonp

Re: It's snowing!
« Reply #270 on: 20 December, 2009, 07:37:41 pm »
Studded tyres and mudguards aren't really compatible; I have pretty big clearance but not for a 1.9" tyre with studs on top.

I don't know whether to drive in this week or risk it.  There are patches of black ice all over the village because the wind on Thursday didn't quite dry out the roads completely.  We also had ice pellets last night which have turned to sheet ice where cars have run over them.  99.9% of my route is salted though, because the bus uses it - it's literally just our 150' cul-de-sac that isn't.

I've managed to make it work on my Galaxy with some fettling.  My rear mudguard has also now got cable ties holding the stays to the guard as the rivets have finally corroded away after 11 years.

I did think about removing the guards but I don't want to get covered in crap so I bodged it last night once I discovered the problem.


Chris S

Re: It's snowing!
« Reply #271 on: 20 December, 2009, 07:41:51 pm »
I've managed to make it work on my Galaxy with some fettling.  My rear mudguard has also now got cable ties holding the stays to the guard as the rivets have finally corroded away after 11 years.

I predict a riot problem. When you ride it on snow, the gap betwixt tyre and guard will rapidly fill with snow/slush/ice filings and make irritating noises, and impair your progress.

I'm with RZ - you don't want guards.

simonp

Re: It's snowing!
« Reply #272 on: 20 December, 2009, 07:54:04 pm »
I've managed to make it work on my Galaxy with some fettling.  My rear mudguard has also now got cable ties holding the stays to the guard as the rivets have finally corroded away after 11 years.

I predict a riot problem. When you ride it on snow, the gap betwixt tyre and guard will rapidly fill with snow/slush/ice filings and make irritating noises, and impair your progress.

I'm with RZ - you don't want guards.

I've been out riding in mixed conditions today (including snow) and didn't find that it got clogged up.

Re: It's snowing!
« Reply #273 on: 20 December, 2009, 07:54:14 pm »
I rode the MTB with 2.1" knobblies & no guards to work in the snow in Feb. The front wheel spray meant it was like someone continually pouring iced water down my overshoes. Later, when the snow turned to slush, the first quarter mile was enough to get the iced water feeling but from the back too. :hand:

Re: It's snowing!
« Reply #274 on: 20 December, 2009, 08:04:15 pm »
I predict a riot problem. When you ride it on snow, the gap betwixt tyre and guard will rapidly fill with snow/slush/ice filings and make irritating noises, and impair your progress.

...but not a problem with ice, which is the scenario where it would be useful for me at the moment.
Actually, it is rocket science.