November 23rd – it’s been a while coming this year, but a hard frost took me by surprise. On the roads and towpaths, ice lurked, waiting to snach my wheels from under me.
I let a little air out of the tyres, and took it steady. I pondered whether it was time to fit the studded winter tyres gain…
April 21st – Another bitingly cold morning, but in Mill Green, the early sunlight – obscured the day before – caught the light, rising mist and rendered it precious.
It made up for the frozen fingers. Second day running I’ve awoken to ice on the grass. Cast n’er a clout…
January 20th – I’ve been hoping for a decent fall of snow – not just to try my tyres out properly, but just for the novelty of it. Sadly, it seems I’m not in luck just yet.
As I left work, it was snowing quite well; the rate ebbed and flowed during the ride, and conditions got steadily harsher as I neared the high ground on my way back to Brownhills.
On the canal, I realised the snow was settling well – not only on the path, but on the ice surface of the frozen water.
Sadly, by the time I got in, the snow had eased off, and didn’t amount to anything much that evening.
Oh well, better luck next time.
January 20th – Another gorgeous but brittle cold morning commute. The ice and a very, very light dusting of snow were evident on the canal as I cycled up to Bentley Bridge, but the canal itself looked superb in the hazy sun.
Further on, the mystic curved bridge at Victoria Park looked stunning, too. In recent winters, we haven’t had many days like this. This year is really making up for the deficit.
January 19th – A cold commute on a sunny morning, and lots of little delights; the mist off the canal, wildlife and plumes of steam and smoke drifting in mercifully still air. On Green Lane, Walsall Wood, road spray from the pooling water there had coated the adjacent hawthorn hedge and encased it in ice.
Beautiful and haunting.
January 14th – A cold day with a punishing headwind. Following brief snow the night before, there was an icy covering when I battled to work. I saw the Kingfisher on the canal again – but my ice tyres were so noisy that all I saw was the cobalt blue flash of the bird flying away.
The tyres did make short work of the conditions, though, and the twin spires of Wednesbury looked beautiful from James Bridge Aqueduct.
January 5th – A fiddly maintenance job this evening. Studded ice tyres currently fitted to my bike have small, very hard carbide studs in them to grip black ice. They sit in pockets in the tyre tread, and on the back in particular, if you skid on tarmac or brake very hard, they rip out.
Once I’ve lost ten or so, I delve into the spares box and whip out a small bag containing replacement studs, supplied by Schwalbe, the tyre manufacturer.
By deflating the tyre and pinching the cavity, with pliers one can pop fresh studs in, using a drop of washing up liquid as a lubricant. Fiddly at first, once you’ve got the hang, it’s easy to do.
It may sound overzealous, but for the want of a couple of studs, you could slide. A stitch in time, and all that…
December 29th – The return was no less magical, but very challenging. I was mentally and physically exhausted when I got home. I’ve never seen black ice this bad, and by the time night fell, it was very challenging riding indeed on all but the main routes. It was good though, to see the sunset reflected in the snowy pink-white landscape, and my old muse Rugeley Power Station was clearly at full tilt.
The mist rolling off the Trent at Wolseley Bridge was enchanting, too, but I saw too many cars slid off the lanes around Longdon to feel comfortable on the roads, despite the ice tyres.
I was glad to get home, but glad to have seen this, to have experienced it and to feel that pain in my forehead and the icy grip on my chest.
It’s not often one feels so connected to the environment.
December 29th – It was a cold, hard, clear day again, and nothing for it but to get my ice chops back in shape up on Cannock Chase. I threw there bike over Rainbow Hill, through Birches Valley, up Penkridge Bank, down Abraham’s Valley, back up it, over Pepper Slade, down the Sherbrooke Valley, and over Haywood Warren back to Seven Springs. I returned via Rugeley and Longdon Edge.
The forest was gorgeous in the winter sunlight, but it was brittle cold and the black ice was thick on the trails. Challenging, but very cold on the feet and face.
A great day.
December 28th – The winter boots are on. These Schwalbe Marathon Plus Winter are on their third season now. A 38mm 700c tyre with grippy central rubber tread, flanked by twin rows of proud, carbide studs, they grip well on black ice and make short work of snow. They’re not infallible but give me confidence when cornering and feel sure-footed and secure when the chips are down.
They are, however, noisy in use and not terribly fast; but they’re home for the next few weeks at least.
If you’re out on the roads over the cold spell, here are my tips for safe cycling, even if you don’t have winter tyres…
Take it easy, folks.
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