I have done my fair share of cycling in the snow and snow storms where I couldn’t see further than 50 metres ahead. Quite often I had to stop to remove the snow out of the wheels and away from the brakes. The most “fun” to ride on is when there is one layer of snow that have plenty of tracks from people moving about on bicycles or foot. Which slightly thaws doing the day only to freeze during the night while getting a new dusting of snow.

The main trick to cycling in the snow is pretty much the same when it comes to “normal” cycling.

1/ Don’t brake when you turn, do that before. And don’t slam on your brakes you will only skid.
2/ Cycle at a speed where you have control of your bicycle. Don’t cycle above your skills.
3/ Keep the momentum, not racing, but keep the bicycle going.
4/ Look ahead and around you, so you know what is going around you so that you can plan your route.
5/ If your bicycle is drifting/sliding the wrong way let it do so, don’t fight it, you will get where you want to go soon enough.
6/ Cycle in a lower gear than normally, you will have better control of your bicycle
7/ Have lower pressure in your tyres or even fit wider tyres.

These are only some pointers but above all – take easy and take care. And you will arrive at your destination with a smile on your face and before people in cars or on public transport. Today I took extra time to go 9 and a bit miles but because of the gridlock I made good time.

Oh I forgot one extra point, be prepared to get hit by a snow ball at any time. For some reason cyclist in the snow is a prime target for anyone carrying a snow ball. They must think that we are nuts and therefore needs snow ball in our back.

The Surly is just a dream to ride, because you don’t have to worry about your balance the LHT does that for you. Or all that other work you have to do on other bicycles, it does the riding for you. All you need to think about what tune you want to whistle and where you are going. As I have said before the LHT is like “riding a sofa with four wheels” but in the snow it is “with four wheel drive”.

Though if you cycle in an area where they salt the roads, it is a good idea to give your bicycle a quick wash after your ride.

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This is a picture of our trip to Wales this coming weekend.

2 passengers, via Birmingham to Wales with 2 bicycles on public transport and back.

Great value for these ticket Euston to Machynlleth and back for 56 GBP for two people with bicycles and 28 tickets.

The return leg is 19 GBP for two, goes via Shrewsbury, but tickets from Shrewsbury were 112 GB, eh?

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Yeah it was a pain for me to ride to work today. I really do hope that this is the last ever tube strike, because I can’t handle this.

I’m mean it took me 10 min less to commute the 7 or so miles to work today, it is just not on ;)

Traffic was at a stand still and I just zoomed past, didn’t have to slow down for other traffic and plenty of the roads were empty.

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Had to take the tube today at rush hour, quelle horreur.
It was not helped with the amount of junk flying around in the air either. I don’t suffer from hay fever, but when the threes and other green stuff makes love, even I suffer.

Oh well still managed to get to Kings X nice and early. Because we took off with plenty time to spare just to be safe. And for once the tube was running with a good service, as the tannoy kept telling us.

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The longer I’m away from it the more I hate it. Riding a bike in London is just much better, short cuts off the busy roads, seeing spring springing, wind in your hair(ok not that one for me but you get the drift) and meeting other people, whom aren’t p’ed off either, with a smile on their face, it must be the spring sun and riding a bicycle. And to top it off I always know how long a journey will take me, I don’t have to rely on the public transport.

The Tube: I had to take it today, for the first time since November. The smell was horrid, the heat, the crampness and not a smiling face in sight. And to think I used to pay(ok a lot cheaper back then) for this and do it 2 times a day.

Buses: hmm well when they arrive they will probably just get stuck in traffic around the corner. The last time I took a bus, I had to walk for 10 min, then stand around for another 10-15min, in the cold before I decided to walk back home and jump on the bike.

Because in that time I was allowing for myself to get to the bus, waiting for it and its journey to my destination was double the time I needed to go from a to b and back again. Just because you can’t rely on the bus to be on time and the journey time is a bit of a lottery too.

Trains: on the other hand and the reason for today’s trip on the tube, is much better. The last few times I have used them, they have been on time and plenty of space. Ok not really for my legs but my face is not in someone armpit. The normal rant about train food and prices still stand, but that can be beaten with a little planning ahead. But don’t get me started on the amount of paper work (tickets) you need when you bring a bike with you.

Well that is my 2 cents, and I will be on my bike again tomorrow with a smile on my face and wind in my … oh well … you know know what I mean.

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