Prompted by the current cold snap I have fitted a pair of snow tyres. Although rare in the UK, these are commonplace in the snowier parts of Europe where people use their bikes for utility purposes like shopping and going to work.
Snow tyres are made of a rubber that includes sharp granules in the moulding to give snow and ice grip; heavy duty versions include varying numbers of metal studs. The widest choice is in 26'' MTB fittings, but winter tyres in 700c touring sizes can also be had. Touring staples such as Continental Top Contact and Schwalbe Marathon are made in Winter variants, for example.
If you want to buy a pair - or just to take a look at what's available - www.chainreactioncycles.com have some and www.bike-components.de have a wide range.
In use they're a bit clunky but they certainly work. You can ride a bicycle on surfaces where it would be difficult to walk in normal shoes. I rode the Wandle Trail yesterday, long sections of which were sheet ice, with no problem. Staying clear of cars, which may be less well equipped, is probably wise, though ...
Mark
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