Philbie Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 Tomorrow i have the opportunity of riding for the day around 500-550 round trip. My concern is that i need to leave at 7.00am and there has been a severe frost and ice warning for the whole area i'll be riding in. As normally a summer rider - I am worried about black ice - and ask what advice you might have. I can take the car - however I haven't ridden for a while and it would be a great trip on the bike. cheers Phil Link to comment
ShovelStrokeEd Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 Take the car. I had one experience with about 100 feet of black ice on the road and don't want to repeat it. Actually I did repeat it. I fell twice in that 100 feet. To be fair, it was on an uphill curve on a cobblestone road and it was 40 years ago on one of my Triumphs. Not the tires we have today. You can, if you are lucky, negotiate a short (10 feet) stretch of ice while straight up and down. Hit it while turning, bang. Brake or accelerate, bang. I live in Florida now, and don't have to deal with it. I have ridden in snow and that is not too bad until it gets more than 3" deep. I have ridden in hail and that is hairy but negotiable up to about 2". Ice? Next to impossible without studded tires. Link to comment
Joel Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 I agree with Ed. The problem with black ice is it's invisible, and by the time you're on it, it's too late to adjust. I commute by bike year round, except when there's snowpack or ice. During the coldest months, I prefer to wait until the sun has had a chance to warm the pavement a bit, even if the air temperature remains cold. Last December, I got bit by either black ice or a patch of black road snot. I was headed to the office on a gray day, earlier than usual. Rounding a corner at an intersection, I was down before I knew what was going on. Suddenly, I was laying on my side, watching my bike slide away from me toward oncoming traffic. I wasn't hurt, and the damage to my bike was negligible (the crash bar eventually dug in before it slid into the oncoming lane), but the situation certainly got my attention. I was lucky nobody was behind me or beside me at that moment. Link to comment
Gizmo Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 Yes as the others have said, take the car. It is just not worth it. Link to comment
BruceWA Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 Excellent advice! Take the cager and ride another day. Black ice and motorcycles are not a good mix! Link to comment
Rags Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 Your tires take a while to warm up also, so even icy crystals early in your ride deserve attention. Link to comment
JayW Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 Yes as the others have said, take the car. It is just not worth it. ...unless you can strap on those tire chains. Link to comment
Agent86 Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 I don't even like black ice in a car. Had some unpleasant surprises. Never want to experience that on a bike. Link to comment
PT Steve Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 The laws of physics prohibit riding on black ice for more than about 20 feet . It's a lot worse than snow. Link to comment
barncobob Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 ive fallen once in 35+ years. black ice on a curve high in the shaded part of mountain. cant see it and wham you're on your side and sliding towards the dropoff or car coming in other lane. Link to comment
grayghost Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 Take the car, I haven't yet gone down on black ice on a motorcycle but can remember going down enough as a kid on a bycycle. One second your up the next your on your a**. Wouldn't want to find out the hard way at road speed on a motorcycle. Wait till a warm day (we have a "January thaw" in the north) to ride. Link to comment
bvaughan Posted July 22, 2007 Share Posted July 22, 2007 or he could have taken his studded snows Link to comment
outpost22 Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 Black ice will usually have a "shiny" image on the pavement. Not a good thing. You can stick sheetmetal screws into knobby tires and they work for a while and become "studded tires". Better yet, just take the car Link to comment
Quinn Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 Better yet, just take the car Better yet, take someone else's car. Link to comment
jobrazy Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 Hey there, While I have not crashed on a motorcycle on black ice - This year I crashed an $11K bicycle (I race) in training (with winter high feedback $150 tires)on black ice in a turn. I still see the doc for the soft tissue damage on my hip 6 months later. Rule #1 - When you see it - you're on it. Rule #2 - When you're on it - you're screwed Rule #3 - Don't touch ANYTHING - neutral is best and let your momentum carry you through it. Result - if you make it, you're lucky - if not - you're like the rest of us. Take the car. Joel Link to comment
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