Lightly Packed Snow -- Techniques?

First episode of *real* snow commute this week. We got somewhere around 4-6 inches. As I rode into work in the morning I started to develp the cyclist's definition of "types of snow", figuring that we could easily trump the Native Alaskan number of terms.

Some of the snow I encountered was easy -- fresh up to several inches just disappeared beneath my aggressive tread; hard packed or icy patches were laughed at by my studs; even the 6-8" bumps of fresh plow trails at intersections were but a whimper, but extended sections of losely packed snow of only an inch or two? Arggghhh....

So, to all the snow riders, commuters, mountain bikers, cyclocross, etc riders out there, do you have any techniques for handling loosely packed snow -- like the pearly, marble spray from the plow, the kind that sends your handle bars shimmering, and screams to your bike, "you're going down...NOW!"

Reading this old, saved thread ( http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=30289 ) sort of represents what I was finding...don't tense up; don't try to correct the steer (well, unless you're headed for that car lane); keep pedaling, but....this isn't necessarily a short distance; it can easily go on for a block or more.

Clearly I need to work on my bike handling skills, but....oh wise sages of TE....can you help shorten the learning curve by providing suggestions?!?!?

Loosely packed snow stinks. It packs in the treads and you might as well be snowmobiling. By keeping my weight well back over the rear wheel, mashing instead of spinning, and correcting any skids by lightly twitching the handlebars I can usually stay upright, but the problem is that every skid slows you down. Once you've lost momentum you end up standing still. My best tip is go find someplace the snowplow has been instead :p

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Originally Posted by lph

My best tip is go find someplace the snowplow has been instead :p

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Ha! :p Yeah, that's pretty much what I was doing when I could. Thankfully, I was riding into work at 5:30AM so traffic was light. That and the only car I really impeded when I couldn't manuever back out of the driving lane was a cop!

But, you're supporting my thesis that mashing is better than spinning. Normally I spin, but I was finding that low gears were working better.

Thanks!

Have been cycling 4-5 times per wk. for nearly last 2 wks. which is a miracle in our area of Canada. HOwever there is snow in the forecast for next few days. :rolleyes:

My coping tactics with snow/ice:
*tire pressure around 45 psi or so. Not 70-80 psi. So you stay more upright
*cycle if possible during times /areas where there are less cars. On the road, the trickest part is avoiding the verges where there is ice/slush
*agree with Thorn: Do not tense up when seeing /going over a patch of ice.
*go slower to avoid sudden braking or turning wheel
*go only on roads, paths that you know well, especially in the dark with lights!
*I seldom ride much on snowy paths and roads. If there's a light snowfall dusting, sure.


My partner bought studded bike tires 3 wks. ago and he's been trying them out. It does give him more confidence to go over bumpy, choppy icy road areas, whereas sometimes I get off and walk with bike.

I've fallen twice on black ice in past years, so I've become a little more hesitant.

We found a bike path section, clear. Calgary does make an effort to clear its major bike paths. However not bike lanes. The dry prairie air also helps suck up the melting ice and slush areas compared to ie. Toronto.

Seriously, though, be careful with falling snow. I will ride through just about any weather in winter, but have learned to be very careful when wet snow is falling. As long as the tires cut through the snow to road, packed snow or ice underneath, you're pretty much fine. But once the snow piles up to the point where you no longer have contact with a firm surface underneath, you lose a lot of control. And if this happens at the same time that you're getting wet, car drivers have low visibility and are skidding off the road, you really don't want to be there.

Short stretches of loose snow are annoying but liveable, sit well back, focus on your balance and push hard on every stroke that "takes". And enjoy the wide-eyed looks from the pedestrians who can barely stay on their feet :cool:

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Originally Posted by lph

But once the snow piles up to the point where you no longer have contact with a firm surface underneath, you lose a lot of control. And if this happens at the same time that you're getting wet, car drivers have low visibility and are skidding off the road, you really don't want to be there.

Short stretches of loose snow are annoying but liveable, sit well back, focus on your balance and push hard on every stroke that "takes". And enjoy the wide-eyed looks from the pedestrians who can barely stay on their feet :cool:

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Sigh, snow has come back here.
And in a few days they are predicting a very cold low of -30 degrees C!! :( (or -22 degrees F)
Seriously, besides lph, am I the only one that's the furthest North in TE forums here?

Shootingstar, that's a great picture, the road has stuff on it but the bike path is perfectly clear!

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Originally Posted by shootingstar

Seriously, besides lph, am I the only one that's the furthest North in TE forums here?

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Duck on Wheels is further North than me. But if it's snowfall you're thinking of latitude doesn't play that big a role. I know many of you get plenty of snow, maybe you're just all out skiing instead :)

lph: Beginning to feel like your baboon.....today it will be -29 degrees C with wind chill factor to really feel like -43 degrees C (-45 degrees F).

No, am not cycling. But there are cyclists braving this. I just saw one park in our shared bike cage --which is outdoors. Just to get the lock on bike with bare hands, in such cold temp. turns me off.

Snow is packed down but slippery cold with cars creeping along.

It'll be like this for next few days. :rolleyes: