Caher wrote:
> Hi all,
> Those of you brave people cycling to work at the moment are there any
> extra pieces of advice (I might have to as the town is now under siege
> from road works) i.e. black ice and sub zero temperatures?
Avoid the former and dress appropriately for the latter.
Seriously - be aware of the places that black ice might form (dips in
the road, bridges, shady bits) and try to ride so you're not having to
brake sharply or turn. Keep your speed down. Ride (if you're not
already) in the tyre tracks of vehicles; they tend to clear out the ice,
if it's fairly light (conversely they tend to pack deeper snow into icy
ridges, so I actively avoid them when there's fresh snow on clean
ground). It's one of the few times when I consider wearing a helmet, as
very low speed falls are almost within the design envelope of the
damn things. Be aware of back wheel skids, be prepared to release the
back brake immediately it starts to slide out, and be aware of front
wheel skids. Don't carry your laptop in your backpack.
Be careful
of fast descents; aside from the ice problem, a shivering rider can set
up or aggravate shimmy. Beware of gritters; aside from having an eyeful
of grit, the loose stuff can be treacherous on corners. Be extra
careful of drivers who can't be arsed to clean and/or demist their
windows thoroughly.
Clothing-wise a hat and gloves, obviously, and a scarf - I've got a
"scrim" scarf from an ex-Army shop that's brilliant at keeping my neck
and jaw warm as well as mopping up sweat and was a couple of quid.
Long johns and a thermal layer are also v. useful, particularly if you
don't get very warm by cycling. If your bike's kept outside, a plastic
bag over the saddle will stop frost forming on the saddle with the
resultant chilly ****. I find gloves are the most important thing -
fingers get really, really cold when they're just sitting there gripping
(with, therefore, reduced circulation).
R.