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.
The danger was not out on a bike but at home on foot. My garage opens north, where there’s a long shadow in winter. The ice layer hadn’t melted. Sooner or later I’d fall. The solution was easy. Shovel a little sand and gravel from my tub and spread it with a broom. That stuff washes onto streets from driveways. With a small shovel and a tub on a bike, it’s readily avaliable at low points on streets. When I wasn't underway, 60 pounds of gravel on the 32” rack of my Radrunner was clumsy. My Abound rack is only 24” high. That’s much better.
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.
The danger was not out on a bike but at home on foot. My garage opens north, where there’s a long shadow in winter. The ice layer hadn’t melted. Sooner or later I’d fall. The solution was easy. Shovel a little sand and gravel from my tub and spread it with a broom. That stuff washes onto streets from driveways. With a small shovel and a tub on a bike, it’s readily avaliable at low points on streets. When I wasn't underway, 60 pounds of gravel on the 32” rack of my Radrunner was clumsy. My Abound rack is only 24” high. That’s much better.
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