Need some spiked tires
Wintry weather again. Sleet mainly. They are calling for Freezing rain later. Sleet actually is ok to mtn. bike in. Traction isn't too bad. Figured I'd just tool around the neighborhood to spin the legs.
25-30degrees. Not too bad. I'm not worried being cold except my feet. Mtn biking is so much slower than road riding so wind chill isn't an issue. And you tend to work pretty hard climbing so if anything I tend to get overheated in the core.
My wife was saying to be really careful and that I was crazy.
Headed out the door
There is a new road that loops around back of the development. It is pretty steep, and wasn't plowed, covered in sleet. Figured it would be ok if I went slow. Crawling down it, being all cool with my elbows out chest/chin low positioning. Hit the rear brake lightly it slides out, hit the front it slides, fishtailing and then the front slides out completely hit the deck and slide for like 5', and I was literally only going 5mph or less.
Get up or I should say try to get it. This road is in the shade all the time, and doesn't get salted or plowed. Under this new sleet wasn't pavement or snow, but a sheet of solid ice. I couldn't even walk back up on the road, I had to slide over to the shoulder and then walk up to a level spot again.
No way I was going to go home a minute into the ride and tell my wife I stacked it. I bypassed this particular stretch and just looped around a couple times. Hard work to get anywhere in snow. Pretty toasty except for the feet.
I need to get some spiked tires or chains or make my own with sheet metal screws if this stuff continues.
Now I'm inside the rest of the day just eating.
posted by Ashwin Amanna @ 2:20 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Yeah but I only rode for 45minutes. You ride for 4 hrs and 45minutes or more!
I'd say try and avoid the front brake, every time I've gone down in snow it's because I've spaced out and tried to use the front brake too hard. My technique is to put as much weight as possible over the rear so it gets more grip and use the rear brake only, I only feather with the front if I use it at all.
Snow tyres are definitely a worthwhile investment if you're going to do a lot of riding in snow. Otherwise you're probably better off being really careful and using knobbies. I also know a couple of riders locally who swear by using 700 wheels with really narrow (23 or 25) tyres, as that apparently cuts straight through the snow to the road underneath.
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