BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

Yikes! I was waiting for a post like this. I was debating on trying out the winter studs, but after seeing a neighbor slide down Monastery and almost make it to the top of Welsh mid-air, I decided to wait for a snow day...

Once I saw the carnage on WPXI at around 08:00, I just made another pot of coffee and decided to stay inside...

lets hope portland doesn't see this thread.

How does a cyclist limit the possibilities of crashing from ice or slippery/wet conditions. I have slicks on my road bike. Should i switch to a semi slick? Or does riding skill and style also have a lot to do with it, for example method of going around corners.

There's a bit of skill to it, but when the world is ice-coated like that you need studded tires. A pair costs about $100 so you need to decide whether that's worth it to you for the few days like this.

Some of you rode in that?!? Heavy. Can anyone comment on how their studs did?

Studs or not, seeing a car on its roof one block from your house is all the information you need to decide to stay home. And that's all that Portland needs to know.

I think we may be nearly missing the key point of this. helen s kicks ass! The entire region was, by news accounts, paralyzed, and she biked to work.

hs, what was your commute route?

yes, agreed that helen s is kick ass, but my neighbor made the front page this morning. Clicky

Dang, that's not how you want to get in the papers.

Left home from near Forbes and Murray around 7:50- no ice, seemed like a normal day until Murdoch, when there were cars parked in odd places at the entrance to Schenley. Stopped near putting green, but another cyclist went by, so started riding down into the golf course- quickly moved onto the grass until it got steep, walked down to Frew. Rode Frew to the road by the "pringles" building- walked down until by the new Gates bldg, then rode through facilites area (greatly impressing the guys standing outside there) and under the parking garage. Had to slide on my butt to make the steep left onto the road going down to Panther hollow. Rode the right curb which was for some reason dry (sloped so rain ran off before freezing?) down to intersection, where a police cruiser was stopping people from trying to go up the hill to south Oaklnad.

Rode onto grass across from panther hollow, walked a little until first gate, then rode gravel next to trail down and past to near Big Jim's. Walked up and over tracks to jail trail, rode gravel to end and into town. Blvd of the allies was not ice until the last block, so I walked a bit into park, rode across grass and up to where pedestrian bridge became airborn. This part was really much icier than anything I had seen all day so far- had one hand on the rail and the other on my bike. going down I did not even have to move my feet- just slid all the way down by pulling lightly with my rail hand. Walked most of the rest of the way to the where I work on the North Side. Had pretty much decided that if it did not thaw, I would spend the night rather than repeat that in reverse going home.

It was a very focusing experience- I was very glad to make it without falling. I had a cyclocross nubby 32mm on the fron and a very worn 28 on the rear. I am not sure studs would have made much difference in places with water on ice, but have never used them so am not really sure.

Very impressive. If it were within my authority I would grant you BikePgh Superhero status. At least for this week.

How does a cyclist limit the possibilities of crashing from ice or slippery/wet conditions.

Stay home.

(he says, hoping there's no ice on the hill on the way home tonight..)

Tough question. I've had a lot of success with crashing on dry pavement on sunny beautiful days, so I'm not one to answer that one. Somehow I've never been able to dial back my inner child enought to avoid it. All things considered, I'd rather crash in the winter when I have on 2 layers of tights, 3 layers of jackets, and cartoon gloves, etc.

A few years ago I fell 5 or 6 times during my commute, but in 8 inches of snow it was actually kinda fun. Lotsa of clothes (as stated above) and a softened landing surface.

How does a cyclist limit the possibilities of crashing from ice or slippery/wet conditions.

- Many years of mountain biking in the rain and muck have really helped me be able to react quickly when I start to lose control. Knowing how to dump a bike without dumping yourself helps too, although clearly you can't do it at higher speeds.

Braking technique is extremely important as well. Gently apply brakes, slow before you turn instead of during the turn, blahblahblah.

In the winter I ride a MTB because I am way more comfortable on one and I am really good at crashing them compared to road bikes.

I seem to be ok riding in the snow which I think has to do with mountain biking. Ice you can't really help.

I just keep the bike upright in turns and keep the front wheel straight going over cross walk paint.

Do you suppose if someone rented the Schenley oval ice rink they would let us take bikes out on the ice for "scientific experimentation"? Cocktails would be a required part of the methodology.

maybe, I know a certain rink gaurd who owes me a favor

Do you suppose if someone rented the Schenley oval ice rink they would let us take bikes out on the ice for "scientific experimentation"?

I can't decide if that's a great or terrible idea. I want to come and watch, at least, either way.

Ice biking tends to bring out the creative types.

See the Human Powered Ice Vehicle 2002 World Championships, ferinstance.

I can't imagine going 32mph on ice. Give me 5 years and some brain damage, and I might be willing.

You can make studded tires with a bunch sheet metal screws, preferably rounded tops, one of those thorn blocker things for each tire, and a lot of wrist strength and patience. Oh yeah... and duct tape also comes in real handy to line the inside of the tire and hold the thorn blocking strip in place.

If you use screws that are too long you get some really wicked looking tires that make spark showers on the road when you lock the wheels.

Ideally the point of the screws should be slightly visible or just barely poking out of the knobs of the tire you screw them into. However, the "Hellraiser" look is really cool for showing off to your friends.

It takes some experimentation and I personally am not motivated to go outside in the frigid cold anymore, but I had some good times back in the day on home made studded tires.