Slippery Roads and Cycling Techniques/Tires :)

[Danneaux]

Also the click-click-click of the studs will no doubt have hilarious effects, people thinking of stepping in front of me and changing their mind last minute

Jawine,

I think you should get a set of Ice Spikers like AndyBG's so you can scare pedestrians out of the way!  See:
http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=5269.msg27965#msg27965
If I saw that bearing down on me...I'd run! Yeaaaaahhhh!

All the best,

Dan. (Like squirrels, they are, pedestrians; always going this way and that and changing their minds at the last moment...)

[Cambirder]

Those organizers must pretty dim not even to give people a "Completion" certificate after such a slog. Bloody hell! To give them nothing for the effort is an insult. I doubt many would try a second time. Encouragement is the foundation of improvement.

A ride organiser does have a bit of discretion. If someone rolls in a few minutes over the time limit they will probably not be recorded as DNF, but on the other hand a control does have to close at some point as the controllers want to get home. Most beginners start with 100k rides and unless they have had severe mechanical problems they are unlikely to finish out of time.

Most audaxers are not put off by failures it just makes them more determined.

[jags]

Those organizers must pretty dim not even to give people a "Completion" certificate after such a slog. Bloody hell! To give them nothing for the effort is an insult. I doubt many would try a second time. Encouragement is the foundation of improvement.

A ride organiser does have a bit of discretion. If someone rolls in a few minutes over the time limit they will probably not be recorded as DNF, but on the other hand a control does have to close at some point as the controllers want to get home. Most beginners start with 100k rides and unless they have had severe mechanical problems they are unlikely to finish out of time.

Most audaxers are not put off by failures it just makes them more determined.
no i will take more convincing than that 

[Danneaux]

B-bu-but...I do my 300-400K/day rides just for the "fun" of it!

All the best,

Dan. (who wouldn't mind getting a medal for them, all the same...)

[brummie]

A Clip my colleague made a few days ago riding Schwalbe Winter Marathons the morning after rain fell on frozen ground:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihyyAlASyo0
 - Impressive tyres - I wouldn't be without mine.

[Danneaux]

Very impressive, Brummie. I see he's running a front disc as well; must help a bit through the puddles, having it up out of the splash zone. You folks must be having some real cold over there. Here, it is still oddly warm (and stormy). Currently as I type this at 14:42, it is 10.5°C. Doesn't feel like Winter! The December that wasn't...so far (at least in terms of our usual weather).

Best,

Dan.

[jags]

A Clip my colleague made a few days ago riding Schwalbe Winter Marathons the morning after rain fell on frozen ground:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihyyAlASyo0
 - Impressive tyres - I wouldn't be without mine.

yes i'm impressed brummie  but i'm still not buying the tires .
i'll be walking from now on.

[rualexander]

A cheaper version of the Marathon Winter is now available from the German sites for around 20 euros, it's exactly the same but minus the outer edge studs, which don't see much contact with the road/ice/snow anyway.
http://www.bike-discount.de/shop/k1040/a84964/winter-100-spikes-26-x-175-wire.html
Also 700c sizes http://www.bike-discount.de/shop/k1041/trekking-spike-tyres.html

[JWestland]

And the ice was back today, patches of ice on (ALWAYS OF ALL PLACES) the mixed pedestrian/cycling areas.

My fixie (Panaracer Pasela Tourguards) held it's stride, that's one advantage of fixed: Full speed control and always traction.

Just a small backwheel skid out of a corner. Not the scary ones like last Wednesday.
Crud tomorrow will be fun...I better go slow...

I am off to buy some Mr Spikeys as I nicknamed the winter tires.

That's an impressive Ice Vid and that bike does look like a Mad Max movie prop with the studs 

Jawine (who finds black a much more menacing colour than anything else...and likes how Dan finish his posts 

[brummie]

A cheaper version of the Marathon Winter is now available from the German sites for around 20 euros, it's exactly the same but minus the outer edge studs, which don't see much contact with the road/ice/snow anyway.
http://www.bike-discount.de/shop/k1040/a84964/winter-100-spikes-26-x-175-wire.html
Also 700c sizes http://www.bike-discount.de/shop/k1041/trekking-spike-tyres.html

I'm quite glad of the outer studs - especially where the road cambers  on the narrow country roads...

[rualexander]

I'm quite glad of the outer studs - especially where the road cambers  on the narrow country roads...

A camber is not going to be steep enough to bring the outer studs into play, they would only touch the road if cornering hard which isn't likely in icy conditions anyway, or if the tyres are run at very low pressure, which is an option of course.
I've had a Nokian Hakkapelitta 106 tyre on the front for the past 4 Scottish winters and they have no outer edge studs, and have gripped very well on all roads.
http://www.starbike.com/p/Nokian-Hakkapeliitta-W106-1030-en

[JWestland]

And now I already bought Marathon Winters 

Picture coming soon of XTC in its winter guise (dynohub, big lights, and Mr Spikey tires)

So ruealexander, you only use a grippy tire on the front? I was planned to use the MW for both rims.

[rualexander]

Jawine,
I have Schwalbe Snow Stud tyre on the rear wheel which is maybe better for good drive wheel grip in snow but only has studs on the outer edge. The idea is if icy to reduce the pressure to bring the studs into use. In reality, I just leave mine at a medium pressure and they are fine.

[JWestland]

Tx

That's what others here have said too, that 20psi is really overkill and they grip at 30 too.

More ice today and one of the local cyclist posted on Facebook he slid all the way down an incline in full view of everybody else. He was fine, but pride is of course severely hurt...

0 degrees celsius forecast tonight trip back will be fun, I think that 20 degree incline can wait for today, bit of cyclocross down the lawn is the plan