RIDING IN THE SNOW

[ds06nomad]

Once. And hopefully never again. As the snow on the road melts, the dampness brings up the oils on the road and there is also "black ice" to watch for. This is a patch of ice over the road's surface that you can not always see because it's basically a "sheet" of ice matching the color of the roadway. Traction is like riding on an ice rink that has just been Zambonied, ie, ZERO.

The only time I've been "down" (and it was on my former bike, thankfully) was at 3mph on a "seemingly clear" road with snow on the sides. The bike's front tire simply slid away. I actually was able to remain standing on my 2 feet. The bike slid away from me to the right; I went left on my feet.

Also VERY difficult to lift a bike with no foot traction should you go down (but not out). This is why I recommend NOT riding on snow... or even right after snowfall when the ice is just beginning to melt. VERY dangerous, even at "walking" speed.

Ride safe,
Daryl