Mark J. wrote:
:On 1/7/2018 11:35 AM, wrote:
: On Sunday, January 7, 2018 at 12:28:40 AM UTC-6, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
: Just wondering if when it's known that there can be black ice on the roads if anyone here wears a helmet or other protection (such as elbow pads) that they'd not normally wear when the roads are clear. Do you?
:
: Cheers
:
: If there is a chance of black ice, or any ice or slick condition, I use carbide studded tires on my bike. With studded tires, ice is irrelevant. Studded tires have perfect grip on ice or anything else. I use normal helmet and lots of winter cycling clothes when using studded tires. So I have two, three thicknesses of clothes to protect my body if I were to fall. But with studded tires, you can't fall.

:I agree that studs make ice (mostly) irrelevant. (See what others have
osted about uncontrolled larger vehicles in the vicinity.) But you
:/can/ fall with studs, I've done it, though I haven't on "just ice."
eep snow /over/ ice, that's another matter. This is a pretty rare
:condition around here.

:When the snow is so deep, though, the fall is more likely to cause
:embarrassment than injury.

:I swap in a studded front wheel when there's a chance of black ice on my
:commute. When ice/snow are more certain, stud both wheels.

:Amusing tale:

:Long ago I was commuting in Colorado year round. Made my first set of
:studded tires. Toodling to work on the studs, there was a stoplight
:where the crossroad was steeply crowned. My light turns green but
:there's a car creeping to a stop on the crossroad. I wait.

My first experience with studded tires: I was visting a frined in
Burlington VT. there had been an ice storm, everything was coated in
half an inch of ice. I was tasked with buying beer. I went to walk
the couple blocks to the store, uphill. I coulnd't, I just fell down
and down, and down. Friend told me "Take the bike". I protested I
coulnd't walk, how can I ride? He showed me the studs. I went for a
ride (and a bit of a joy ride, because No Traffic.) Got to the liquor
store, put my foot down, fell over.




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