Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by joe stein on October 27, 2009 at 12:57am

i love to ride in the fall, but it takes a little extra caution to avoid "being" the fall.

wet leaves are as slick as snot, and wet lane stripes are hidden below wet leaves. let a little pressure out of those tires, and slow down.

Permalink Reply by Gin on October 27, 2009 at 2:16am

There are very few days where it is too dangerous to ride. You just need to learn to anticipate the dangers, which you are well on your way to doing.

Manhole covers, RR tracks, construction plates, wet leaves, are very slick when wet. If you must ride over them, try not to hit them at an angle. Same thing with slick streets--it's not the time for making sharp, leaning turns. When it is snowy, take the main streets like Western, which get cleared fast. If you are on a side street, follow the tire treads in the snow and keep your weight on your back tire.

When in doubt, walk your bike through a rough spot. It's better than not riding at all.

Also, I suggest goggles for helping see in snow and avoiding wind burn of the eye.

Gin

Permalink Reply by Brian Thomas on October 27, 2009 at 11:07am

I called it quits last January after the wind caught my front wheel and turned it sideways on me while I was trying to adjust my bag at Damen and Fulton Market on a patch of snowy bike lane.

With a broken clavicle, that was the worst fall I took last winter, but I definitely took plenty of other more minor diggers earlier in the season. I think any time there is a combination of snow/ice and strong wind, it might be a rare occasion to hang up the steed for the day.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on October 28, 2009 at 1:16pm

Gin's tips are smart ones. At this point in the season, with so many wet leaves on streets and paths, I'd emphasize DON'T lean into turns if there are any wet leaves in your path. Take your turn wider and/or stay upright through the turn, or you will probably go down. If I corner this way, I don't have to make the speed compromise of reducing tire pressure for slick conditions.

Gin said:

There are very few days where it is too dangerous to ride. You just need to learn to anticipate the dangers, which you are well on your way to doing.

Manhole covers, RR tracks, construction plates, wet leaves, are very slick when wet. If you must ride over them, try not to hit them at an angle. Same thing with slick streets--it's not the time for making sharp, leaning turns. When it is snowy, take the main streets like Western, which get cleared fast. If you are on a side street, follow the tire treads in the snow and keep your weight on your back tire.

When in doubt, walk your bike through a rough spot. It's better than not riding at all.

Also, I suggest goggles for helping see in snow and avoiding wind burn of the eye.

Gin

Permalink Reply by Dean Radcliffe on November 1, 2009 at 5:56pm

Good points all - goggles, judicious walking... Ill also add I got a 10w halogen headlamp - the inaugural ride showed i could keep a car at bay at 20m !! but yes, i'll have to be careful about staying upright in any event. I don't trust Western AT ALL - I think thats suicide even if its cleared.. Sensible expectations and prudence should get us pretty far- thanks for the good input..

Permalink Reply by Chad McQueen on November 2, 2009 at 1:15pm

my rule is standing snow over 3 inches or poor visibility ie cars cant see me. frigid cold out well at least its dry outside, studded tires anyone.

Permalink Reply by Norm Hansen on November 2, 2009 at 4:50pm

Well some of you might be city dwellers, but out in the far northwest suburbs things tend to Ice up faster.

I ride a Fixed Bianchi San Jose mostly in the winter months. I leave work in Palatine and can feel it getting colder as I ride home to Lake Zurich/Hawthorn Woods. Twice I have riden home safely until I hit some Black ice just as I get north of route 12 in Lake Zurich. Once everything was good until all of a sudden, I hit ice and I go one way Left across the road and my bike goes right toward the side of the street. The only thing I could think of is as the car is coming at me I scream "Man Down". I was laughingall the way home after that.

One night it was Raining then just 1/2 a mile north of Rt. 12 it started freezing. I slid right through a 4 way stop intersection. The only draw back is it was wet I my ass started to freeze as I finished riding home.

I rode home one night as we just got 6" of snow and it was still snowing. That night I was riding my Surly 1X1 Rat Ride. That was the night a plane drove off the runway at Midway into a street.

I will ride till 8 degrees after that it's just that much fun My nightly comute is 12-17 miles depending on weather and how I'm feeling that night.

Permalink Reply by Gina Black on December 2, 2009 at 4:31am

I agree that slowing down is probably the safest thing to do if it's absolutely necessary to ride in the shit. I was walking dogs in the Loop for a living last winter and had to get to the pups no matter what- I wore a hot as hell pink jacket to try to remain visible, goggles and rode VERY slow and careful when it was really coming down. Didn't have a spill until spring when it was warm and dry out. Now drinking and riding....

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on December 7, 2009 at 3:49am

Something so basic I learned last year (my first winter riding) was if you feel yourself slidding and you are going slow enough, just put your foot down (if you can). It saved me a couple of times.

Permalink Reply by spacemodular on December 8, 2009 at 5:52am

Ice Storm on a national holiday... The city doesn't really want to pay overtime, so the streets are very very crappy.

I have only fallen a few times in the past 5 years and it was always when I applied my front brake. I don't use my front brake when the streets are wet and deflat my tires to the minimum pressure as stated on the sidewall for better traction. My ride is a mountain mixte (step through) frame with 1.95 Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires, set up for Cargo. I like the step through best in the winter, since the stand over is never an issue for putting my feet down instantly. I also ride slower and will take the sidewalk in extreme cases.

Permalink Reply by jen on December 8, 2009 at 5:26pm

for me there are 3 days a year I don't ride
1. black wednesday
2. new years eve
3. super bowl sunday

Permalink Reply by BalloonBiker on December 9, 2009 at 4:15am

For me the worst is when it rains, then freezes, then snows. I thought that was going to be the case today, so I took the train. It's kind of looking like that isn't panning out. At least it was sufficiently windy to make riding a little unpleasant.

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next ›
• Page