Cycling in Snow: Safety & Tips

Hamburg expert

Reduce tire pressure, spikes: tips for cycling in snow

It remains cold and slippery on Hamburg’s streets. An expert reveals what cyclists need to pay attention to now. Some tips are surprising.

Whether it’s snow, slippery or ice: “Cycling is always a good idea,” says Dirk Lau, spokesman for the General German Bicycle Club. However, if you don’t want to slip or even risk an accident, you should keep a few things in mind. Lau told the t-online Hamburg editorial team what cyclists should pay attention to in winter weather.

Obvious advice includes: Don’t drive too fast on slippery and snow-covered roads, and don’t make sudden steering movements. According to Lau, cyclists should expect slippery passages, especially in curves.

“Frozen ruts in particular represent a often underestimated risk of losing control of the vehicle,” explains Lau. It can also help to reduce the tire pressure in order to increase the contact area. This means the tire can sink into the snow better and there is less risk of slipping.

Lau also recommends that owners of single-track cargo bikes with loading areas add some weight to the front to increase the contact pressure of the front wheel.

Spiked covers or snow chains can also be helpful – it is sufficient if only the front wheel is equipped. “Slipping the front wheel on slippery roads almost always means a fall. A two-wheeler with a locked rear wheel, on the other hand, can be caught with sufficient driving experience,” explains the Hamburg resident.

Lau also points out that many cycle paths in Hamburg are currently not cleared or are insufficiently cleared. Because of this, cyclists are sometimes forced to move onto the road. “This is of course not a good idea for children or inexperienced cyclists because car traffic in Hamburg is still far too aggressive,” admits Lau.