Studded tires are most effective on ice whereas slush simply gums up in the treads. Nevertheless, I was glad to have studs in case I came across any slick spots. The irony is that there is no way of knowing if the studs saved me from a fall. Only when I don't have the studs - and fall - does it confirm their value.
A strong westerly wind complicated my slushy commute into work. I crouched low on my aerobars, which helped me cut through the wind. When biking on wet roads or trails, there is some spray that comes up from both the front and bike tires. The rear tire spray creates an attractive black line up the biker's back side. The front tire spray can shoot a dirty stream of water into the biker's face. Mmm, lovely! However, fenders and racks work wonders to reduce tire spray. The back rack for the paniers prevents spray up my back, and the front fender (a small half fender that clips to the front fork) reduces the spray in my face. I was glad for both yesterday as I made my way through the slush on the trail.
The front fender doesn't really help with spray on shins and feet. For this I have tights and booties to keep me dry. Yesterday, the spray around the crank, chain ring, and rear cassette was particularly awful. The slush splashed onto these components and then clung to them, accumulating as I rode, just like snow and slush accumulate on a car mudflap and undercarriage. I stopped to photograph the sculptured slush building up along the underside of the bike. Notice how it encased the brake and gear cables. I wondered if I might have a problem should the break cable freeze to its casing. I tested the breaks periodically just to be sure they would work when I needed them.
Despite the difficult weather, I still arrived in Pullman in under an hour (door-to-door). I wiped the bike down with a rag so that it wouldn't drip all over my office. I changed into my work clothes, and within 15 minutes after arriving to my office, I was ready to conduct an interview. That wasn't too bad in my estimation.
