Anyone traveling on snow and ice with the wheel, which come to meet the producers: More and more winter tires are sold for bicycles. Experts clarify whether this purchase is worthwhile and what is there to consider when snow still rides. Winter riding is cold and dangerous, driver always wear safety vest and warm clothing to keep safe.
- Maintenance
Cold, moisture and road salt to make the bicycle art to provide – and the model is still so robust. The bike expert Ulf Hoffmann from the Sifting Ware test recommends in the book “The Bicycle Book”, the Bowden cables to lubricate well with thin oil or Teflon grease so that brake circuit and not be stiff. Greased includes screws and levers as well as the bicycle lock, so they do not freeze up in frosty temperatures. Little help there, however, if the chain slips. This can happen quite quickly in slush when ice is between the cracks. Therefore, the General German Bicycle Club recommends that before each trip to check brakes and light, the wheel more often to clean – especially the chain, which must then be oiled again afterwards.
- Winter tires
An obligation for snow tires for bicycles, there is not, it means the ADFC. But more and more cyclists equip volunteer to: “The proportion of winter tires for cyclists has increased,” said the spokesman of the manufacturer Continental, Klaus Engelhard. Most of the commercial models have a special lug pattern that grips well in the snow, with ice and snow, but offers little friction. For driving on packed snow and ice advises retailers to tires with spikes – with small pins made of metal or carbide.
- Traffic Regulations
The risk of falling in winter trips by bike is particularly high. But damages to fallen cyclists only be expected if the municipality has neglected its winter service, cited the legal expert of the ADFC, Roland chicken, from a judgment. Bike paths need only be cleared or sprinkled if they are considered important traffic. Or it is a dangerous section of road, slow experience has shown that the cyclist, dodge or change its direction of travel. For road mouths of law expert warns chicken Caution: Do not fall automatically into this category. A judgment of the Federal Administrative Court states also: If a bike path not scattered or free of ice and snow, the road, however, already, the cyclists must also street dodge.
- Clothing
The optimal outerwear for cyclists who are traveling even at freezing temperatures, should be loud ADFC “be thin and breathable, windproof and water-repellent”. Ulf Hoffmann, the onion principle advises: “. If possible, draw several layers one above the other,” He keeps fleece clothing for the best solution. In addition, there are shorts that will protect against the legs and shins by water- and windproof material from cooling down.
Be seen mainly: When choosing the clothes the rule applies. “Therefore necessarily reflective clothing or a reflective vest attract” advises Hoffmann. “The gloves should be provided with reflectors.” So in the dark hands are better perceived before turning. Thus, the head stays warm and dry, advises Hoffmann on the helmet or seal open face with tape.
- Light
At present, the sun rises shortly after 8am on and about 17 pm under. People who drive to commute to work by bicycle; it therefore should do well lit. The Hoffmann Foundation holds a hub dynamo for the first choice: No loading, no battery change.
Dynamo headlamps are commonly referred to as reliability, low maintenance, and as always ready for use. Even if the cyclist must stop at a traffic light, the lamp remains lit thanks light function. The Sifting Ware test recommends paying attention to additional functions: To offer some lamps, a special daytime running lights or a USB port, can be supplied with power via the while driving Smartphone or Navies.
The advantage of the battery and battery headlamps is that they offer strong light in the state permanently evenly. However, the batteries must be recharged periodically – either via a USB port or power plug. Nevertheless Hoffmann recommended using battery-powered LED lights with reflective material next to the Dynamo: “They provide an extra margin of safety.”