Tag: snow

January 30th – A long day. Out early, the commute was odd. I wrapped up for very cold, a thin layer of snow still on the ground here. But as I got to Rushall, the air felt warmer and there was less and less snow. In Walsall, hardly any sign at all. I was sweating. I guess I rode over a weather front. It’s not every day you do that.

On the way back that evening, it was chilly in Walsall and warmer as I got closer to home. The snow had melted during the day, and the sky was clear. With a little moonlight and long exposure, Clayhanger Bridge looked fine in the night.

Strange weather, lately.

January 29th – I rode home in a heavy, but short snow shower, which left a light dusting of snow. Heading towards Clayhanger, I stopped on the bridge. I love the interaction between the streetlight and snow, and how the vehicle tracks define the landscape.

Wonderful. I hope we have more snow – I love it. Such an adventure!

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 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.

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…

  • Stick to main routes where possible. Avoid backlanes and canal towpaths.
  • Ride on the road, out of the gutter where standing water freezes.
  • Take it steady, and ease off on the speed – particularly downhill.
  • Use your momentum and judge it – avoid braking where possible.
  • Turn gently without braking.
  • Use your back brake rather than your front, and pulse it don’t clamp it on. Just light touches.
  • Move with the bike. Go with it if it slides, don’t fight it.
  • If you lose the back, you can pull out of it with care. Lose the front and you’re gone. Bear that in mind in a slide.
  • Give other roadusers more space, and consider the consequences if they slide. 
  • Let a little air out of your tyres to increase contact area.

Take it easy, folks.

December 27th – Another foul day. Overcast, misty and cold, it came on to rain in the afternoon, with the lying, dirty snow still stubbornly refusing to shift.

I went out – togged up for it this time – to Chasewater to see just how good the ice tyres were. A blast down the bog boardwalk proved them grippy, as did the surefooted handling on wet mud, slush and ice.

Rolling resistance is high though, and they’re very, very noisy.

A decent ride though, in very poor conditions.

Boxing Day – Sometimes, you do something on impulse that seems a good idea, and it’s terrible. This was just such an occasion.

Snow was forecast. I enjoy snow; I love to be out in it, especially when it’s actually snowing; it saturates my senses and I feel connected to the world; I love the way it plays with the light, and the memory of place.

The snow came late afternoon, so I threw the studded snow tyres on the bike and went for it. The snow was very wet, but beautiful. The bike cam died due to not being charged. The mud on the canal was something else. Snow got on the camera lens and I had no dry cleaning materials to hand. 

Then the snow turned to heavy rain. I had no aquapac for my electronic stuff.

I got soaked. Really wet. The rain was searching, and entered every not-quite shut zip and pocket flap. I felt cold, wet and down.

It had bean beautiful I was glad to catch it. I spun over to Chasewater, and was planning to loop over around Hammerwich. But the rain was just too horrid.

On my way back, I took the line of the old railway along the bypass at Chasetown, to the rear of Anglesey Basin, and saw the deer footprints in the fresh snow. I forgot being wet and cold and followed them – the animals had come up off the bypass, and headed over the scrub to the copse at the back of the cottages, presumably laying low for shelter. Bless them.

That perked me up, but oh boy, this was a horrid ride.

November 24th – A gorgeous, frosty winter morning. I had a call locally before riding on to work, so when I passed through Walsall on the canal, the autumnal colours that were still hanging on looked gorgeous.

I’d love more days like these. Refreshing, beautiful, quiet – in recent years, there haven’t been enough. I’d also like some decent snow this year.

I hope the weather gods are kind to me…

February 19th – Meanwhile, at the other end in Telford, another sign of spring: daffodils are growing well on the verges and along the cycleways. I love to see them, and last year they seemed so late. I notice crocuses out, too. I’m a bit concerned, really; the heavy snows of last winter returned in late March. Although it’s wonderful to see such early signs of spring, I hope they’re not wiped out by a return to winter… but this is churlish. The weather is such an improvement, as is the cycling. 

Hopefully, the weather will open out a bit now.