"Algimantas" (algimantas)
02/01/2016 at 09:20 • Filed to: None
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"Algimantas" (algimantas)
02/01/2016 at 09:20 • Filed to: None | 3
| 13 |
The last week I started riding to university and back because it was generally dry, even though cold, but it saves me around 20 minutes of commute. I didn’t really pay any attention to the forecast, so I was quite surprised when I saw a bunch of snow coming down this afternoon. It meant I had to cycle back home in ~2 inches of powder on thin 23 mm road tires, which wasn’t really that bad as long as I didn’t touch brakes. My point is, I really don’t know what those east coast people are crying about. Here’s a picture of my bike after the commute (didn’t notice the finger when I was taking it):
Scary__goongala!
> Algimantas
02/01/2016 at 09:28 |
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I saw a video once where this guy put zip ties around his bike tires and it gave him better grip in the snow. Curious how it feels to ride like that.
Aaron M - MasoFiST
> Algimantas
02/01/2016 at 09:32 |
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I ride less in the snow more because the plows pile all that crap up in the bike lanes, and taking the lane is dicey in some areas. That all said, I’m planning to be back on my bike on Wednesday after a minor hiatus.
McMike
> Algimantas
02/01/2016 at 09:35 |
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That happened to some guy in the DC area last month. We were surprised with a squall that destroyed the PM commute.
On my way to work the next morning (slippery as shit, BTW) I saw that someone gave up trying to get their motorcycle home the night before.
Glad he came back and got it that day, because 24 hours later, we started getting the first of got 25" of snow the day after.
Surprise weather happens all the time, but surprise snow for two wheelers is the worst.
My point is, I really don’t know what those east coast people are crying about.
I haven’t heard of any local students on bicycles crying about the snow we got, but I’m sure that much snow probably made it really inconvenient for them. What have you heard?
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McMike
> Scary__goongala!
02/01/2016 at 09:38 |
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I’m sure zip ties would help with the starting and stopping, but most of my falls in the snow have been because of lateral grip.
Nothing puts you on the ground faster than a bike on ice/snow. One second you’re sitting on top of it, the next second, the bike is 10 feet away and you’re laying on the ground where it once was.
It’s like someone pulled it out from underneath you like a tablecloth trick.
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Algimantas
> McMike
02/01/2016 at 09:45 |
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Yea, I don’t know how many of you have experienced understeer on two wheels, but it’s scary as shit. Oversteer is nowhere near as bad, but I’ve crashed due to my front wheel slipping out from under myself, and you just go face down to the ground. If you’re quick, you can just jump off the bike though. If your rear wheel slips out, you just lowside and it’s nowhere near as bad.
TheRealBicycleBuck
> Algimantas
02/01/2016 at 09:46 |
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I had something similar happen. I saw that it was about to rain and I didn’t have my rain gear with me, so I left early to try to beat the storm. I was stuck with my normal commuting clothes - mountain bike cycling shorts and a short sleeve jersey.
It was raining on me within the first mile. No big deal, it was just a cold rain. I’d been through worse! I should have turned back and called for a ride.
By the end of the second mile, it turned to freezing rain. By the end of the third mile, it was sleet.
By the time I turned onto the highway (rural two-lane highway), the slush being kicked up by the cars was coating everything from my top bar down. My bike was covered in a sheet of ice.
After I got home I had trouble unclipping my left cleat because it was frozen to the pedal. All of my exposed bits - face, ears, arms and legs - were numb from the cold and being pelting by ice. Everything else was just in pain from being too cold.
Now I always carry a rain jacket in my Camelback whether it’s expected to rain or shine.
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Algimantas
> McMike
02/01/2016 at 09:48 |
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BTW, I had a crash in December when it was +4 degrees and raining all day, and when I leave, I go down this inclined sidewalk where I really pedal hard to gain speed and then jump off the curb into this parking lot. Turns out that time it was a skating rink and not a parking lot, since it was raining and freezing all day, and the sidewalk was protected by trees so it had way too much grip. I figured out it was black ice in the parking lot when I landed and my bike ended up all the way across the parking lot. It’s weird trying to stop yourself from skidding across the lot with your hands, but they don’t really help.
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Algimantas
> Aaron M - MasoFiST
02/01/2016 at 09:53 |
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Yea, I know. All the salts will ruin your bike too. I’m just happy that Norwegian drivers are really forgiving, so if you take up the whole lane just because there’s a bunch of ice blocks in the bike lane, they don’t try to kill you. But when it’s weather like this, I just cycle on the sidewalk, since it’s barely above walking speed anyway, even though technically illegal, but nobody really cares.
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Algimantas
> McMike
02/01/2016 at 09:55 |
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Haven’t heard any cyclists crying, but obviously there was a bunch of drivers not being able to handle a single snowstorm in Washington DC. I get that they live in a different climate though.
However over here in Norway the number of cyclists has dropped dramatically, as it always does, except for a handful of the hardcore ones.
A month ago it was raining and freezing all night, so absolutely everything was covered in an inch of snow. I saw people taking kids to school on bikes that day, even though it took me almost twice the time to walk to university, and I’m pretty good at walking on ice. Norwegians are really something.
PotbellyJoe and 42 others
> Algimantas
02/01/2016 at 10:35 |
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This was halfway through the storm. My town received another 14 inches after this picture was taken.
I lived.
For comparison’s sake, here are the same snowbanks the next day with my 5 year-old helping to shovel.
I love to ride in the snow. It’s great fun.
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Algimantas
> PotbellyJoe and 42 others
02/01/2016 at 10:46 |
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Haha, wow, I don’t think I’ve ever seen snowbanks that high in my life. Childhoods must be so much fun in a place like this.
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PotbellyJoe and 42 others
> Algimantas
02/01/2016 at 10:51 |
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I piled the snow from my 45'x12' driveway on one side of the yard and made an ~8' tall snowboard run for my boys. Dug down to just inches from the grass on one end, so they can get a decent run and then have something to stop them before the cement. They’ve been going crazy on it.
Charlie Zulu
> McMike
02/02/2016 at 17:51 |
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The flowers are still standing!!