This morning's commute and other commuting stories

You might have more fun on the MTB if you've been rocking gator shells for a while #yolo

For ice nothing will feel as safe as studded tyres. Soft (i.e. low pressure) knobblies are next best but will still feel skittish if they hit a big patch of ice.

For compacted snow studded tyres still best, big knobblies will be good too as they get a chance to bite in.

For uncompacted snow big knobblies are best, studded tyres don't give much more grip than normal "city" tyres as there's nothing for the studs to grip into.

Never really had any problems with my marathons tbh (non studded). Of course studs would help, but I don’t fancy splashing the cash for a few days of snow and ice each year.

I bought my studded tyres in the summer for half price when somewhere was looking to offload winter stock. Didn't need them the following winter but glad there were there lurking in the bike shed.

Biggest faff was getting a cheap spare set of wheels for them.

Might be the worst tyre snow or not. I fucking hate hardshells in the wet even.

I've cleverly avoided all of the horrible, icy commutes by getting an unpleasant chest infection and having to stay at home. Pretty smart.

You’re Leeds based right? Chest infections are absolutely rife round here at the moment, everyone seems to have one (myself, Mrs and Mini Nef included).

Not any more! Moved down to the big smoke a couple of years ago. I know a few people down here sporting them as well though. Must just be the time of year. I definitely don't have the immune system I did pre-covid though.

I definitely don't have the immune system I did pre-covid though.

Ooft, tell me about it. Never had colds at all before Covid. What a nuisance they are!

Conti Gatorskin hard shells are for people that hate grip (and riding bikes generally) at anytime of the year..

I remember a Great Escape audax a few years ago where a whole platoon of couriers hit the deck on a damp corner as they were all riding gatorskins. Truly terrible tyres.

I remember I rode them for years as they were the puncture proof and skid resistant tyre of choice (or just that’s what people said you should put on your sweet fixeh).

Blew my mind when I first rode proper tyres. GP4000s felt so much nicer, and then a set of GP 4 seasons in the winter which blew my mind with their grip.

Not that I can talk much now, riding the joyless wonder that is the Schwalbe Marathon.

Still no snow here on todays commute, just -3. Chilly!

Always cook my lunch before I leave on a morning.
Its never been cold by the time I arrive. Today I even got the bus.

Also, dont you think its light early?
Didnt see the moon till very late last night and its like weve lost a week, its nearly at half aleady and was full over the weekend.
Crazy.
10° next tuesday apparantly.

Yeah my boss is all snivelly and touchy.
Few friends not been too well either.
Mates got the 'vid
(Edit; sorry, Im leeds too. Just interjecting due to locality)

Nasty ones going around here atm, some take three weeks to clear.

Hope it's leaves you sooner than that :)

Thanks! The doctor reckons the antibiotics should start to do their job within about 48 hours. Fingers crossed I can get back to freezing my tits off and shitting my pants on the ungritted sections of the Waterlink Way soon.

Plenty of snow up in Aberdeen today, pleasantly surprised that my not really suited to commuting commuter handled it well. Sks mudguards arrived on Monday, pretty impressed with them! Less impressed with helping drivers make it up a steep hill after being sat hammering off the rev limiter spinning on the spot. "Put it in second and try that" appeared to be a revelation

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The doctor reckons the antibiotics should start to do their job within about 48 hours. Fingers crossed I can get back to shitting my pants

You should ask the doctor about that while you're at it

Love the setup.

There's no known cure. It's just something I've had to learn to live with.

Dickhead BMW driver thought it was fun to purposely spin his rear tyres on the ice outside daughters' school with kids everywhere on their way in - looked like he might lose whatever small semblance of control he had more than once. Didn't like the vast majority of the parents around at the time questioning the size of his appendage and his parentage. Some people are fucking cretins. I hope his car rolls slowly into a ditch on the way to wherever he is going.

Oh and around the corner, local postie's van is still there wrapped around its tree from the other day as a warning to him too (postie ok, thankfully).

Ouch, is postie a madlad driver or the usual "lol no need to grit these roads..." glad they are OK.

Dunno. At a guess, the latter. Never really noticed his driving, which probably means it's usually ok. Tree isn't doing so well though.

I slipped on ice last night (walking) and dislocated and fractured my ankle.

I've got a photo of anyone wants to see my ankle looking like a knee....

Bugger, nearly went over a couple of times myself yesterday. Hope it's not too painful.

Oh fuck mate! Heal fast. This ice is miserable.