Originally Posted by
gecho
Ponded water that freezes is super hard studs will scratch it but not get much grip. I encounter that mostly when riding on a creek and going under a bridge that keeps the ice clear of snow. Also a big problem in the spring during the nightly re-freezes.
Freezing rain is similar in its hardness to pond ice. Maybe its not so much the hardness as the uniformity. Other types of ice have a jagged texture where grip can be found.
With either of those types of ice you have to be super careful with any kind of side sloping on the road / path. Gravity pulls you to the low side, trying to steer against the pull will make the front tire slip out. Sometimes I'll just let it carry me off into the grass. Many times that isn't an option because the low side has curb, railing or pile of snow so I just come to a stop before trying to get out of the hole.
I like breaking frozen puddles, but you need be be careful doing that. If the ice is really thin it just shatters. But at a certain thickness you just carve a channel the same width as your wheel. Its like riding in a really narrow rut and the wheel will fight any attempt to steer which can throw off your balance. Not much of a problem on a short puddle, but beyond about a bicycle length you could get into trouble.
One of my fav kinds of ice is refrozen slush, grippy and makes a nice popping noise.
this thread is fun to read. I'm in Canada and have skated, skied, biked, driven and even motorcycled in the snow and ice, so its neat to read of the observations written here about the varying surfaces of ice, snow , whatever that we encounter on two wheels.
Ice really does have so many different textures doesnt it?, and now that Ive been using studded tires for winter commuting, its less mental work of having to be ultra observant of what the surface is and going with experience what traction you are going to have for a given tire situation.
I like to see the comment about off camber situations and ice, and just letting the bike go with the camber sometimes , ie not leaning, and just let yourself go until you get to snow or textured ice or whatever where you can get some grip. You learn that downhill and cross coiuntry skiing, there are times you just dont fight it and go until you come to a different surface, no point in putting in turning input or leaning, just like with skiis, cuz you'll be on your arse fast.
what ive found interesting is that with friends I ride with, some have no instincts for this stuff, and its hard sometimes to explain to someone stuff who didnt goof around on bikes as a kid where you learn all about crashing and sliding out, and this stuff stays with you--well, I guess some people just dont have the aptitude and never learn, but those of us who loved doing it as kids or as adults, it certainly makes like easier on two wheels for sussing out traction and instinctively knowing body language to use for given situations.