Tag: black ice

365daysofbiking Ladies, please:

October 8th – This is a post that will hopefully confine us to a mild winter.

After suffering a spill in November last year on ice while riding summer tyres, I’m taking no chances this year and have the ice studs on now as we’ve already had a couple of heavy frosts, and I’m, getting too old for the falling off lark.

My rubber of choice for the cold months is Schwalbe Active Winter 30mm which has a good tread and several hundred tungsten carbide studs that bite into black ice and keep me upright.

They are a little noisy, and although not slow, not the nippiest tyres in the world.

Now I’ve fitted them, expect it to be warm throughout the winter…

November 11th – I noted that I was using Specialised Armadillo tyres earlier in the week, and mused if they’d be any good on ice. This morning gave me my answer – they’re crap.

Dashing to work just as the sun rose in the first hard ground frost of the season, I rounded a bend in Darlaston, forgetting I was on an untreated backroad. There was black ice lying in wait.

I went one way, the bike went the other. I came off at about 18mph.

Save for bruised legs and a sore elbow, I’m fine apart from the damaged pride, but I’m going to have to get the studded tyres on as soon as possible. If only to forestall snow…