Falling On Ice
Joseph Dean Ludwig
I just took my second fall with my bicycle on ice within
the last four months. Whereas the first was on an uphill
grade with minimal speed, the second was on a downhill
at about 20 MPH. The later has proved to be much more
painful. I'm amazed at how fast the bicycle slips out
from beneath me.
Now I don't live in an extremely cold area. What do you
folks who commute year round in colder areas do about
this problem? I don't want to stop commuting just because
it's below freezing temperature.
Maybe I need training wheels!!!
Joe Ludwig
Tektronix in Washington
Mr. Mancello
From: mancello (Mr. Mancello)
Message-Id: <8602220406.AA11271@nyu-acf4.arpa>
Received: by nyu-acf4.arpa; Fri, 21 Feb 86 23:06:29 est
To: josephl@tekigm2
Subject: Re: Falling On Ice
Newsgroups: net.bicycle
In-Reply-To: article <4...@tekigm2.UUCP> of 20-Feb-86 15:38 EST
/* acf4:net.bicycle / jos...@tekigm2.UUCP (Joseph Dean Ludwig) / 3:38 pm Feb 20, 1986 */
/* ---------- */
Maybe you should be iceskating to work rather than bicycling. I am assuming
that the roads are not pure ice but sprinkled with ice granules. If the
road were completely covered with a layer of ice, why would you want to
ride on it unless you have a death wish or just like to feel pain.
If you are determined to ride in such hazardous conditions, you should use
the widest tires possible for your bike, underinflate them for better traction,
use tires with knobby treads (like ATB's), and keep more of your weight over
the rear wheel. Stay low on your bike with your hands on the drops of the bars
(this will increase your stability).
Also, if you don't already do so, WEAR A HELMET! It just might save your life
someday.
-Dom Mancello
(cmcl2!acf4!mancello)
Dave Wagner
> the widest tires possible for your bike, underinflate them for better traction,
A popular misconception is that knobby tread gives you more traction on ice.
Doubtful - if the ice is a smooth layer, and not just broken up crusty stuff,
you want as much rubber in contact with it as possible. Treads are of
no use unless the surface on which you're riding is irregular enough to
afford something for them to grab onto. Have you ever seen tires for
motorcycle ice-racing? (which is, I'll admit, a crazy sport.)
Dave Wagner
University of Washington Comp Sci Department
wag...@washington.arpa
{ihnp4,decvax,ucbvax}!uw-beaver!wagner
Doug Mink
> I just took my second fall with my bicycle on ice within
> the last four months. Whereas the first was on an uphill
> grade with minimal speed, the second was on a downhill
>
> Now I don't live in an extremely cold area. What do you
> folks who commute year round in colder areas do about
> this problem? I don't want to stop commuting just because
> it's below freezing temperature.
prefectly smooth. We had an icestorm in Boston last week, so I got a
chance to practice my ice riding a bit. The most important thing to
remember is not to make any fast changes of direction; in this sense,
bicycling on ice is not much different than driving on ice. This also
means that you should take great pains not to do anything that will
cause the automobile drivers with whom you are sharing the road to have
to make any quick maneuvers.
Riding techniques on rough ice are not that much different from those
needed on loose gravel. The bicycle wheels can be pushed in random
directions unexpectedly; your job is to keep your direction of travel
constant and the wheels turning. If you go too slow, your lack of
momentum will allow the bike to be too easily diverted; if you go to
fast, the results of a slight slip can be disastrous. My recommendation
is to find a parking lot or alley with no traffic and awful conditions
and practice on it.
As for special equipment, I ride the same 15-year-old Raleigh Grand Prix
with 1 1/4 inch Specialized touring tires all year, though in bad winter
weather, I replace the toe-clipped pedals with ATB pedals and ride with
hiking boots for traction when I need more surface contact to stop. On
heavy snow, an ATB has an advantage, but the sport-touring frame's
maneuverability is useful in traffic conditions.
--
-Doug Mink
Marco Ariano
My suggestion is don't ride on ice. I quit after having two spills in a week.
If you insist though, (and you've *got* to try), I have a few other suggestions.
- Don't make any sudden movements at all. You've got to anticipate
things long before you're forced to deal with them. You've basically
got *no* lateral traction.
- Take corners *very wide*. They're the killers. Don't even *think* of
touching your brakes. Slow down before you need to. Spill #2 was on a
corner and I fortunately slid into to the other lane before the oncoming
car reached me.
- When there's a cold frost on the road be *extremely* careful of manhole
covers and lines painted/stuck on the surface. You won't believe how
fast your bike slides out from underneath you. Spill #1 was caused by a
manhole cover. Somehow I avoided head injuries on the curb (no helmet).
- Wear a helmet.
- The worst surfaces are ice sprinkled with fresh snow (sp #2) and
freezing rain. Deadly. Read a book.
Marco Ariano
but hey, sometimes you just gotta say 'What the ...'
road when
keith
There was a short downhill before the driveway to the dorm. Unfortunately,
there was a patch of ice in the driveway. I was quite amazed to find
myself without a bicycle under me. The result: seven stitches in my chin.
Since then, when the temperature gets below freezing, I'm just REAL careful.
I go slow on corners, watch out for shady spots, etc. With the patchy ice
conditions that we get around here it's the best thing I can recommend.
Keith M. Taylor
HP Portable Computer Division
Corvallis, Oregon
jefu
>> If you are determined to ride in such hazardous conditions, you should use
>> the widest tires possible for your bike, underinflate them for better traction,
>> use tires with knobby treads (like ATB's)....
>
>A popular misconception is that knobby tread gives you more traction on ice.
>Doubtful - if the ice is a smooth layer, and not just broken up crusty stuff,
>you want as much rubber in contact with it as possible. Treads are of
>no use unless the surface on which you're riding is irregular enough to
>afford something for them to grab onto. Have you ever seen tires for
>motorcycle ice-racing? (which is, I'll admit, a crazy sport.)
I have an ATB which i attempt to use in the winter, and seeing as how the
local climate tends toward chilly in that season, there is a lot of ice
and snow around. The knobby tires by themselves are not much help. This
is true even for irregular ice most of the time (though certainly smooth
ice is much worse). Local bike shops suggest wood screws driven through
the tires (from the inside ! :-), but i havent tried this yet.
My general inclination is to suggest avoiding roads when there is likely
to be ice on them. Not only is it difficult to control a bike well on
ice, but it is also difficult to control a car well, and the way most
drivers tend to treat bikes makes it doubly hazardous. I wish i could
say otherwise.
--
O -- jefu
tell me all about -- UUCP: {rochester,edison}!steinmetz!putnam
Anna Livia! I want to hear all.... -- ARPA: putnam@GE-CRD
George Robbins
> I go slow on corners, watch out for shady spots, etc. With the patchy ice
> conditions that we get around here it's the best thing I can recommend.
> Keith M. Taylor HP Portable Computer Division Corvallis, Oregon
Actually riding on ice can be a lot of fun if you are prepared and can find a
route minimally frequented by automobiles.
The biggest trick is to learn how to maintain a very neutral pedaling/riding
attitude and be prepared to fall gracefully. You only have so much traction
on ice and any unbalance, thrusting, leaning or careless braking will deposit
you on the ground.
* Avoid Cars
* Practice Riding Style
* Wear a Helmet (do as I say...)
* Practice falling (relax, don't get tangled)
* Wear Padded, tough Clothing and gloves
* Pick you route (all ice is ok, patches suck)
* Avoid Cars
* Avoid Cars
Of course I also prefer riding at night...
--
George Robbins - now working with, uucp: {ihnp4|seismo|caip}!cbm!grr
but no way officially representing arpa: cbm!g...@seismo.css.GOV
Commodore, Engineering Department fone: 215-431-9255 (only by moonlite)
jefu
>Actually riding on ice can be a lot of fun if you are prepared and can find a
>route minimally frequented by automobiles.
Yup. I decided that i was going to officially (personally) decide spring
was here when i could bike the bike path from Albany to Troy (NY). So
spring was here on saturday (despite the 18 degree (F) temperature).
However, it was all snow and ice with a few places where the sun actually
got to the dirt and made mud. It would have been _possible_ on a road
bike, but was work even on my ATB. I only fell twice. In one place there
was about a hundred yards of sheer ice, flat on both sides and with a
kind of small glacier in the middle. Getting across that without falling
was a minor triumph.
>The biggest trick is to learn how to maintain a very neutral pedaling/riding
>attitude and be prepared to fall gracefully. You only have so much traction
>on ice and any unbalance, thrusting, leaning or careless braking will deposit
>you on the ground.
Which translates to : keep your wheels going in the same direction at about
the same speed (remember Newtons law), dont pedal energetically (too much
weight shifting), turn _very_ carefully, and _RELAX_, you probably cant
do anything anyway.
>* Avoid Cars
>* Practice Riding Style
>* Wear a Helmet (do as I say...)
>* Practice falling (relax, don't get tangled)
>* Wear Padded, tough Clothing and gloves
>* Pick you route (all ice is ok, patches suck)
>* Avoid Cars
>* Avoid Cars
You forgot :
*Avoid Trucks
*Avoid Cars
G.R.Tomasevich
obvious problem is glass being concealed in the sand. I wax my chains;
if you use oil, then clean the chain and gears often to prevent grinding
things up.
--
George Tomasevich, ihnp4!twitch!grt
AT&T Bell Laboratories, Holmdel, NJ