recovering from black ice fall

[jimcav]

so almost a year to the day I hit black ice again on my morning commute yesterday (last year it was the day after thanksgiving). bike is fine--took it all on my left side--had time to feel it going and consiously remind myself not to put my hand out to try to brace my fall.
it was just wet on the street at my house--and i did some descents prior to falling where i was fine, but i guess there are true microclimates here, because about 5 miles west it was icy--and 3 miles further west even on a busy highway the shoulder had that thin snowflake-like ice sheen.


anyway, does anyone have a link to a studded tire in 700x25. all i can find so far are bigger. I figure i have enough sets of wheels one could sit with studded tires for those rare mornings where there will be ice.

BTW, if yor ribs wake you up at night after a fall, i highly recommend motrin and flexeril.

Jim

[mschol17]

Unfortunately, I think the smallest studded tire is the new Schwalbe 32c that Peter White sells...

Get well soon.

[Dave]

I've crashed twice this year on mountain descents - both due to wet and/or sandy roads. In the winter, black ice is a possibility on canyon roads that have areas where no direct sun shines for several months. I call these the "ice box zones", where the temperature drops 10-15 degrees for a fraction of a mile. I'm staying off of those unless it's totally dry. I've ruined two helmets, two pairs of shorts,two jerseys and scuffed two pairs of ergo levers. My saddle is scuffed on both sides now, but it's been down three times. I've got a nagging shoulder pain from the last wreck, that seems to be getting worse, a month after the crash.

[Blue Jays]

Best wishes to all for a complete, speedy, and painless recovery. Sorry to hear about the crashes. :(

My opinion is that the "in-between" times of the year seem to be the worst for black ice. Once we're firmly established in the cold weather and the thawing/melting cycles don't occur so much, it seems much less prevalent.

Another thing to bear in mind is the last thing one wants to wear is polarized sunglass lenses. Polarization cuts glare by inducing a shift, which is precisely what one needs to identify ice on a wintry street. This is the same reason that sunglasses used for skiing are not polarized...because a skier wants to be able to see changes in snow texture and some of that comes from identifying ice via shiny glare. Stick with a vermillion, copper, dark yellow, or similar hue in non-polarized format to retain this capability. Good luck this winter!

[JohnS]

...why I put my bike away for the winter.

[thwart]

Sorry to hear about it, Jim. Hope your recovery is as fast as you ride. ;)

This has been my year to get up close and personal (two separate incidents) with TegaDerm, which is truly a god-send for bad road rash.

Along that line... when you think "great---that tire went on really easy...", remember it'll try to roll over that rim just as easily on a corner if you flat. And bare rim edges just have about as much grip on asphalt as race tires have on black ice. Been there, done that...

So you can swear all you want at those too-big Campy rims---but they're that way for a reason.

[jimcav]

Along that line... when you think "great---that tire went on really easy...", remember it'll try to roll over that rim just as easily on a corner if you flat. And bare rim edges just have about as much grip on asphalt as race tires have on black ice. Been there, done that...

So you can swear all you want at those too-big Campy rims---but they're that way for a reason.

I decided i am into bikes enough that i can try tubulars. Not sure if i will start in january or wait for spring. I really like the ride on my set of hyperons, but had a few rides on my topolino v39 (zipp rim i am told) and it was better. So i am going to start with tufo tape, then learn to glue. eventually will do a wheelbuilding class at a local shop--that is the only thing i can't do at all (well, have not rebuilt my set of ergo levers either--but i think i could)

i was lucky--the patch i hit was big--i slid smoothly--almost no damage to my clothing--one 2 inch gash in my elbow from impact, that was it..oh and my ribs feel like something big stomped on me.

[onekgguy]

...why I put my bike away for the winter.

John,

You're missing some good riding during the winter. Once you get beyond the side-streets in your neighborhood and find the open highway you'll find the roads dry and clear. I was of your opinion just a few years ago and then I began to venture out some in the dead of winter. I couldn't believe what I'd been missing...a lot of decent riding. Even after a large snowfall the shoulders of the main roads would be fine for biking within a day or two. I live in Minnesota where we get our share of the white stuff.

I'm moderating my position somewhat though in that I'm going to be doing some indoor riding for the first time in a few years this year. Maybe my age is catching up with me.

Kevin g

[Blue Jays]

Nothing wrong with wider tires coupled with fenders, either. In fact, that extra pedaling resistance could be the surprise weapon to return in the springtime like being shot out of a cannon!

:beer:

[Bruce K]

I thought Maxxis had some at the Cross Nats in Providence last year.

You might try their web site as I seem to remember them being quite inexpensive.

BK

[Fixed]

bro hope you feel well today ..tubs might be better cos of lower presure

bro you got a mt bike or cross rig to ride are they better ?
cheers :beer:

[jimcav]

and a mtb bike, but i dearly love riding my road bike to work. decades ago i ran year round and remember when i wore my cross country spikes (running shoes with studs) on winter runs.
In DC i used the spicer on crappy days--there were more crappy days there, more wet days here. but here the ice is a rare thing--although i am painfully learing hard to predict based on the morning temp and my street not being icy.

i'll research maxxis. i don't care if they are $100 a tire. if i can still ride my preferred ride, and not be in pain for days etc it is worth it.

jim

[Ozz]

I went down about 5 years ago on some ice...cold sunny morning...most the frost had melted....except for a patch in the shadow of a tree....I was going around a corner when I hit it. I went down so fast I didn't have time to think about putting out my hand...just down and then slid on my back (still clipped in) all the way across the street. Luckily it was a quiet neighborhood street and there was not traffic.

Other than some scuffed up bar-tape and a hole in my tights and shorts, I came out in pretty good shape.

Lucky. :beer:

[SWorks4me]

no help on a product...but have been there, done that.