On the commute today

[Lotum]

Ever tried using a Camelback hydration pack strapped to your back?

I've tried both Camelback and Ergon products. While the bulk of the drink will stay in liquid form in the pack, if worn under one's clothes, a relatively long piece of narrow uninsulated tube (with only a small volume of liquid inside) is left exposed to the cold, and, as pointed out by Feanor, will freeze quickly. A layer of ice/frost develops inside the tube restricting the liquid flow until after a while the flow stops completely. Once it's frozen, no amount of squeezing the hose or sucking or blowing will help.

The ball valve in the Ergon mouthpiece is particularly prone to freezing quickly (within minutes), but the angled Camelback mouthpiece isn't much better. I'm vaguely aware that insulated tubes are available for some new Camelback models, but I haven't tried those. However, I doubt that the insulation is thick enough for 'extreme' conditions.

The best compromise I've found is to use a number of flat 0.3-litre plastic bottles hidden under my clothes. Admittedly, I then have to stop to drink.

[MattH]

I was surprised not to get frozen bottles on my ride back from North Wales last weekend - for the last three years I've had that, including last year when I was trying an insulated bottle (which also froze on my aborted AUK AGM run that year).

I've been tempted to try a camelbak under my clothes, but that would be with the tube under the clothes too - so having to stop to drink but using body heat to stop the tube and valve freezing. I'm not convinced that the insulated tube kits you can get would really keep them ice free in very cold weather.
 Plan B this year for my Welsh trip was a decent steel vacuum flask on a bike buddy, but as the forecast was relatively mild I stuck with one YACF bottle and my insulated one for ease of drinking.

[Lotum]

I was surprised that I was apparently the only one in the office wearing what I'd consider sensible walking boots and thick socks to the office - everyone else seemed to be slithering around outside in normal office style leather shoes 

Not all Finns are terribly smart. In fact, some of them can be positively stupid. 

[rogerzilla]

Lotum, I'm impressed you can still bend enough to straddle the bike after putting on all those clothes.

Have you considered neoprene overshoes (bootees)?  They pretty much solve the cold (and wet) feet problem when worn over MTB (non-perforated) cycling shoes and thick socks.

[teethgrinder]

I'm not sure I'd call the Camelback idea a defeat yet.
How about running the tube down one of your sleeves and having the nozzle at the cuff of your glove?
I've never tried a Camelback in the cold. I can manage 30miles without a drink. Then I stop in a warm cafe for a hot drink.
I think I'd rather have a thermos flask with tea or coffee if I'm going to have to stop for a drink anyway.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

The Iditabikers seem to cope with Camelbacks under their clothes.

[PaulF]

I've got a Cameback that I use for skiing, it's got a neoprene sleeve on the tube to stop the drink from freezing

[Lotum]

Lotum, I'm impressed you can still bend enough to straddle the bike after putting on all those clothes.

Have you considered neoprene overshoes (bootees)?  They pretty much solve the cold (and wet) feet problem when worn over MTB (non-perforated) cycling shoes and thick socks.

All those layers are thin and fit me rather snugly. Wearing them doesn't really affect my mobility at all (but then, I may not be terribly flexible to start with). The only limitation is that wearing multiple mittens makes my hands clumsy (another good reason to have D/T shifters).

IMHO, neoprene overshoes are a definite no-no in subzero weather. They make one's feet sweat, offering no way for the sweat to escape, and you absolutely want to avoid that. Even at -5°C. Under summer conditions it is possible to have wet-but-warm feet, under 'arctic' winter conditions it is not.

[GruB]

Twas a long commute home.  Mrs G got worried as I'd left at 2215 and was still not home by midnight, then 0030, finally rolling in at 0100.  Doh. 
Met the snow plough coming out of Marlborough.  The roads were bad.  I was going to wait for him to go ahead but he was having trouble freeing the guide wheels so suggested I press on.  I got to the top of the hill okay and then pressed on.  The road got worse and worse, the slowest part of my journey.  The snow plough caught me up 2 miles later but turned around a short time later and went back the other way. 

[Notsototalnewbie]

Pootled slowly, avoiding the slush at the sides of the road. Slight heart-in-mouth moment when I hit a slippery slushy patch while filtering, but the fat tyres, long wheelbase and general ponderousness of the Dutch bike meant nothing much happened.

[GruB]

Coming home between 2300 and 0030 was well icy on any untreated roads.  Surprised me a bit.  Unclipped the right foot quite a lot and crawled under brakes down many hills, but luckily no issues and no offs.  I had a close call when I was daydreaming but no actual off.
Fixed was great fun and excellent when I'm tired as the momentum helps to keep going however I must get some mudguards for the MTB then I wouldn't have to risk it.

[clarion]

I rode on on the Winters this morning.  Felt really heavy.  In fact, I could have done almost all the ride on normal tyres without any worries, but it was fun to get over the ice/snow/slush out of our road, across Mitcham Common and in the car park at work.  I was surprised that I managed an average of nearly 22kph.

[Hot Flatus]

No ice on roads, but very slippery for anyone following me. Heavily productive expectoration after last week's cold.

[corshamjim]

I discovered this morning that no the rear rack alone isn't enough to stop me from getting mud up my back so yes I do need to put the rear mudguard back on.

[simonp]

Took an entirely main road route into work, therefore avoiding the unmelted snow all over the cycle paths and back streets. Fastest commute of the year to date.

[Ray 6701]

Wasn't going to ride in today but the lady I get a lift in from is pulling a sickie so has no choice in the end.  The roads were ok if a little wet, if i'd known they were all clear of snow I'd have road in to begin with.  I wouldn't have been over an hour late for work either

Main roads back tonight as I reckon the lanes will still be pretty bad.

[Paul]

Swapped the slicks for knobbles on the mtb last night, and fitted lights.

I was so disappointed by the lack of proper/any snow on the roads that I got off the A52 at the Wyvern and followed the riverside path into Derby for the last miles or so.

Snow, and lots of it: loose, virginal, crunchy stuff; soft, slippy-sloppy stuff; hard, white, skiddy/bumpy stuff - Woohoo!

[alexb]

As usual, none of the cycle paths across the commons were gritted, so although the Marathon Winters are pretty grippy, a crowned road surface covered ins lippery, rutted slush is still a pretty challenging surface to ride on!

Award for moton muppetry must go to the nice lady in the BMW who executed a lovely, slow motion overtake on albert Bridge giving me loads of room and then carried out a lovely pull in, back into the traffic queue, by which time I'd pulled out behind her, so that as she pulled in, I overtook her (and the rest of the queue) to end up at the head of the lights.  Honestly, some people see a bike and automatically overtake!!

[Moultonaught]

My first new commute into the 'other' office that I'll be working in some of the week. A massive 1.25 miles to the station, ridden in 'civvies'.

Eventually the commute will include 4 miles at the other end of the train journey, but before I can do that I have to retrieve the Bromptom from the darkest recesses of FiL's barn in deepest darkest rural Kent, (which is not near home)

Nice to ride this morning even if it was only a short ride.

[clarion]

Don't have to be home early tonight, so where should I go to get some (relatively traffic-free) ice riding between Elephant & Castle & Sutton?

[Butterfly]

Don't have to be home early tonight, so where should I go to get some (relatively traffic-free) ice riding between Elephant & Castle & Sutton?

There's not much left round Brixton; even the park which was lethal this morning is completely clear on the paths this afternoon. You could try the Wandle trail?

[PaulF]

Don't have to be home early tonight, so where should I go to get some (relatively traffic-free) ice riding between Elephant & Castle & Sutton?

There's not much left round Brixton; even the park which was lethal this morning is completely clear on the paths this afternoon. You could try the Wandle trail?

Think that'll be thawed too - I'm about half a mile away as the crow flies from the Wimbledon/Earlsfield bit and the pavements at least are dry

[Gandalf]

Don't have to be home early tonight, so where should I go to get some (relatively traffic-free) ice riding between Elephant & Castle & Sutton?

There's not much left round Brixton; even the park which was lethal this morning is completely clear on the paths this afternoon. You could try the Wandle trail?

I guess it really depends to what extent not having to be home early applies. 

I've heard it said that the Wandle Trail s actually a Stygian wormhole to another dimension, from which there is no return.

[Chris S]

Pseudo-commuted early today as I'd forgotten the battery light for the SNO bike, so would be riding with "be seen" lights only.

There has been a slow thaw today, which has meant swapping snow and slush for large slushy puddles. As soon as twilight started approaching, this lot started to sparkle alarmingly. The Marathon Winters just kept rolling along - but there was no doubt I was riding on ice - a couple of over-confident moves made the back wheel step out a little. Studded tyres are not a panacea.

Almost came off on a bend when the front wheel bogged down into some soft slushy hardpack. This is my weakness. I have no off-road skills to speak of, so panic and go rigid when a wheel decides to do its own thing. I know I should relax and just "go with it", but that's easier said than done!

I suspect the tyres will really earn their keep in the morning when all that water will be solid ice.

Oh - and I was introduced to the rather alarming situation where you know the road is glassy ice, but clearly the motons around either don't know, or don't care - and continue to drive fast and close  .

[rogerzilla]

I walked the last ten yards to the bike shed, and I'm glad I did.  It was hard to stay upright on foot and two maintenance men were frantically trying to clear the ice.  Must have been a frost pocket, because it was fine at home.