Today I took my bicycle out to on the icy streets of Chicago. With several inches of snow and some frozen rain over the last few days I was concerned of that I was running the risk of sliding all over the place and wiping out, but it turned out to be not much of an adventure at all.
Perhaps because of the lack of snow-related excitement, my mind got to wandering, and I thought about whether one could put “snow chains” on bike tires, to improve a bike’s wintertime traction.
After thinking about it for a bit I decided that the idea was unfeasible, and unlikely to work well, but I did think it could be a great opportunity to sell these chains online and scam overzealous bikers who thought they’d really help. When I got home I looked up “snow chains for bikes” online and lo-and-behold several companies already sell the product. If we’re to believe the testimonials, they work pretty well too!
So much for my brilliant scam idea.
I am curious how the devices handle spots where the ice has melted. Do the metal spikes get smashed or dulled by riding on concrete? Do they make a terrible sound if you try riding on anything but snow or mud?
