The Ice Spiker are back for 2017

The temperatures here in the South East of England have again dipped below zero, and I decided the time had come to prepare my commuter for the imminent snow.

I dug out my old set of Schwalbe Ice Spiker from the shed, and fitted them just before the the first commute to work of the year 2017.

The first time I used the Ice Spiker was in 2010.

Since then, I have only used them a handful of times in 2012 before investing in a set of Schwalbe Marathon Winter tyres for my folding bike, which I reviewed.
As the winters are getting colder again, I suspect we might see snow this year.
It normally snows around February in the South East of England, but a few days ago the ground was so slippery I could not ride down my driveway without sliding on black ice.

Fortunately I remembered to set the tyre pressure correctly and these tyres only add about 5 minutes to my 20 minute commute, which I personally think is perfectly acceptable.

Time to fit winter tyres, again...

I had winter tyres (Schwalbe Marathon Winter) fitted for most of December 2011 and it didn't snow. It was icy at times, certainly cold enough to justify having winter tyres fitted, but I had yet to experience the beauty and joy of riding on snow covered roads this winter.

20 inch Schwalbe Marathon Winter studded tyres review

I recently fitted a pair of Schwalbe Marathon Winter tyres to my folding bike, in size 20x1.6

These tyres are suitable for use in icy/snowy conditions and generally when the temperatures drop below 3C.

Schwalbe Ice Spiker review

I recently reported my first impressions riding the Schwalbe Ice Spiker on dry tarmac.

Now I can finally report about their performance on ice and snow covered roads and paths.

Schwalbe Ice Spiker preview

NOTE: There is an up to date review of these tyres.

Over the last few days, the UK has experienced colder than average temperatures.

This is apparently due to a stream of cold air from Scandinavia which is going to persist for a few more days, possibly weeks.

It has already brought snow to several parts of Scotland and Northern England. It is expected to bring snow down South too.

In preparation for the possibility of snow and ice on the road, I decided to invest in a set of studded tyres.

Sportful winter cycling gear review

Sportful is an Italian make, and I have been purchasing their items ever since I found them to be the most comfortable and best value for money.

Exposure Lights Strada review

I recently purchased the 2010 Exposure Lights Strada.

I was originally going to wait for the 2011 mk2 model version of this light, but the light was not going to be available until November.

Being commuting daily (and nightly!) I needed a light sooner.

I managed to get hold of the mk1 Strada for £180, which was a fair price.

The light arrived with all the accessories, including the remote switch, same as the mk2 model.

The only difference is that for 2011, Exposure have included their USB-compatible mains charger, which can be purchased separately anyway.

The mk1 model emits 480 lumens at full beam, compared to the 600 lumens of the mk2.

They both have similar road-oriented optics, which spread the light horizontally over the whole lane rather than in a torch-like spot.

And that's where I can recommend this light over any of the competition at this price point.

Sustrans National Route 4: Maidenhead: daily maintenance...

On a cold, icy morning...

I rode my bicycle to work!

Shopping at Morrisons

Today I went shopping for food at Morrisons, using my trusty commuter equipped with pannier rack.

Let it snow in Wokingham!

Well, it was more like the whole of Berkshire, but it made my bicycle journey back from work rather interesting.