spokewrench
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
My Radrunner ( 20 x 3.3” semi knobby) was a big disappointment on snow and ice. It wanted to float on a loose surface. It wouldn’t even steer until I reduced pressure from the mandated 30 psi to 10. At that point, rolling resistance was horrific.
This is my third winter with my Abound (20 x 2.4” street tread) and its first big winter storm. I tried it on 4 inches of sleet pellets with the standard 50 psi. Up and down a 4% grade, u-turns, pedaling, throttle, and braking. No skidding and surprisingly little rolling resistance. A couple of hours later, the sleet had a layer of ice almost thick enough to support my weight. Pedaling without the motor, resistance was higher, but slipping still wasn’t a problem.
Go figure! Maybe the rubber in Schwalbe Pickups has a higher coefficient of friction on ice than some compounds. Besides the tires, the difference I see is a longer wheelbase, 50 vs 45”.
Two days after the storm, streets were clean and dry. Three days after the storm I was on the sidewalk along the highway. The road is narrow and curvy, so I like to stay out of the way of traffic. I encountered a hundred-yard stretch of bumpy, rutted ice where slush thrown from a plow had solidified.
Wearing sneakers, I dismounted. With some ice, it’s safer to be on a bicycle than on foot. After a few steps, I decided this was such a case. I relied on the throttle so I could keep most of my weight on a pedal at 6 o’clock, for stability. It amazed me that I didn’t slip at all.
This is my third winter with my Abound (20 x 2.4” street tread) and its first big winter storm. I tried it on 4 inches of sleet pellets with the standard 50 psi. Up and down a 4% grade, u-turns, pedaling, throttle, and braking. No skidding and surprisingly little rolling resistance. A couple of hours later, the sleet had a layer of ice almost thick enough to support my weight. Pedaling without the motor, resistance was higher, but slipping still wasn’t a problem.
Go figure! Maybe the rubber in Schwalbe Pickups has a higher coefficient of friction on ice than some compounds. Besides the tires, the difference I see is a longer wheelbase, 50 vs 45”.
Two days after the storm, streets were clean and dry. Three days after the storm I was on the sidewalk along the highway. The road is narrow and curvy, so I like to stay out of the way of traffic. I encountered a hundred-yard stretch of bumpy, rutted ice where slush thrown from a plow had solidified.
Wearing sneakers, I dismounted. With some ice, it’s safer to be on a bicycle than on foot. After a few steps, I decided this was such a case. I relied on the throttle so I could keep most of my weight on a pedal at 6 o’clock, for stability. It amazed me that I didn’t slip at all.
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