It’s a tough time to be a cyclist at the moment. Every morning, we seem to be faced with either ice or snow. Since coming off early in the year, I’m reluctant to go out when I can see patches of ice still on the road.
I did manage to cycle into work last Friday and it was pretty tough on the ungritted roads. I really wish I had a mountain bike for days like this.
photo: manicstreetpreacher flikr
Also as a cyclist wearing a fluorescent jacket you made a pretty good target for snowballs. The first one you don’t mind, but, it seems every person of school age in Oxford had taken to throwing snowballs at cyclists, since they had been given the day off school. I guess, at least it’s not as bad as being shot at….
However, there always seems to be someone worse off than you. Aussie reader Gnoarme, left this comment from Cycling in Snow
Yes, I live in Melbourne and cycled home 20km (12.5 miles) in 45.1° heat last week. The worst thing is your water bottle warms up so half-way into the ride you’re drinking water at ambient temperature. I’ll tell you I got home and collapsed onto the floor, leaving a big puddle of sweat before hauling myself into the shower for a long, cold shower
At least in the UK, we have the option of going on a turbo trainer to avoid the ice. When it’s 45 degrees – what can you do? It’s a tough time to be living in Australia.
Yet, though we like to complain about the weather, when I have been able to go out, it is has often been very attractive with the countryside covered in a white layer of snow. But, I am looking forward to tempearatures being permanently above freezing!
It’s a tough time for cyclist. Never sit around with sweaty clothes on as your body will get cold, always shower and change as soon as you finish your training.
Hi Tejvan, I agree with you about Australia – give me the cold any day. In London the snow kept me off the bike for a week, but when you commute all year, a week’s rest means you can’t wait to get back out there. Just your luck to get an enforced break after your holiday.
Well the weather has been quite good here in Bristol today. I managed to get out on the bike for the first time in 2 weeks. Some ice is still around in the grass verges of the railway path and more shaded areas. Some of the surrounding fields between Bristol and Bath are flooded but the railway path itself is quite good. The sun is shining quite bright right now, I got quite a sweat on while out riding earlier.
Me too. It was fun for a while riding carefully in the snow (not when icy), but it’s soon got old, and I’m dying to be able to get back onto my road bike (using cyclocross) and have a normal cycle.
Steve