Winter e-biking advices

[RandallS]

Hi Randall. I scored mine on Pinkbike for around $200/pr. Size is 29 x 2.25.

Just came across these ones if he's still has the bug.

Schwalbe Ice Spiker Pro For Sale

Schwalbe Ice Spiker Pro For sale on Pinkbike buysell

www.pinkbike.com

Thanks

 

[RandallS]

Thanks

$179 each. Ouch.
Get 2 for $5 less c/w delivery and all duties etc... from Chain Reaction.

I am becoming pretty disenchanted with a lot of retailers lately.
Even Amazon has some pretty wacked pricing on some stuff - I'm seeing some bike stuff @ 4 or 5 times what they should be.

Signs of the times I guess.

 

[mclewis1]

$179 each. Ouch.
Get 2 for $5 less c/w delivery and all duties etc... from Chain Reaction.

I am becoming pretty disenchanted with a lot of retailers lately.
Even Amazon has some pretty wacked pricing on some stuff - I'm seeing some bike stuff @ 4 or 5 times what they should be.

Signs of the times I guess.

Agreed, We're all seeing nasty examples. On the other hand I just completed a sweet road/gravel bike build (using a Surly CrossCheck) with a kit from Grin Technologies that I got 15% off of (a labour day discount). That took care of the GST ... sigh.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

$179 each. Ouch.

That's a highway robbery. Such a tyre costs the equivalent of 82 or 95 CAD each in Poland, depending on whether it is the tubed or tubeless version.

 

[Prairie Dog]

$179 each. Ouch.
Get 2 for $5 less c/w delivery and all duties etc... from Chain Reaction.

I am becoming pretty disenchanted with a lot of retailers lately.
Even Amazon has some pretty wacked pricing on some stuff - I'm seeing some bike stuff @ 4 or 5 times what they should be.

Signs of the times I guess.

Oops, my bad. Sorry Randall, I thought the ad was for a pair.

 

[RandallS]

Oops, my bad. Sorry Randall, I thought the ad was for a pair.

No need to apologize - when I first looked I thought it was too.
Reminds me of when I was shopping for mine - my LBS had some as well, and they were even more expensive than that.

I really, really try to support local, but sometimes they need to support local shoppers a bit better too. It's not easy - I know. But on some products they can't be for some reason or another. To be honest, I don't know how some of bike shops can stay open as they often have nothing to sell. No bikes, no parts and without parts it's becoming harder and harder to get repairs done. I had a leaking right brake lever (probably from a sudden impact...yes - those happen and it was a doozie) and I couldn't find one anywhere other than eBay. But it was one of those ones where I might not see the part for 2 months. I went on Pinkbike (checked here first) and found a new set of Deore brakes locally for about half the price I was seeing at some retailers (who didn't have stock anyways).

So I now have upgraded brakes and a spare front setup. When the other lever arrives from Shimano (they are warrantying it), I'll have a full back-up. And now I also have the tools and materials to do my own bleeds (other than my own body that is). I re-used the existing internally routed hose for the rear for now and had to bleed the rear. I intend to install a new internally routed dropper post soon, and only want to drop the motor once to route any new hoses and cables. YouTube can help with most anything!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I intend to install a new internally routed dropper post soon, and only want to drop the motor once to route any new hoses and cables.

"Don't try it at home".
(You have been warned)

 

[RandallS]

"Don't try it at home".
(You have been warned)

Already helped my brother on his Giant Talon.
Easy - IF AND ONLY IF, you have the proper length cables...

 

[hoboin]

This is my first winter commuting via bike and the cold weather is starting to set in. So far it's been fun battling the elements and trying to figure out how to be comfortable. I prefer cold weather over hot weather, as with the cold weather you can plan and dress appropriately. So far, my biggest issue is cold to the face which i have never had to deal with. I used to be an outdoor military event photographer by trade and had to shoot in all kinds of conditions, and i had to get the shots without any retakes, so i feel like bike commuting preparedness is very similar. But the wind while going over 20mph i have never had to deal with. I ordered a few Balaclavas which will come today and i can't wait to test them. Cold feet has not been an issue yet, but i bought some merino wool socks also. Lastly i am using 2 pairs of gloves, a cheap 7-eleven type knit gloves that allow for phone touch screen use, along with my summer gloves that have the finger tips cut off. It's working for now but i feel like i need to upgrade my gloves for sure. Anyone have any semi cheap amazon glove suggestions?

Also anyone experience very dry hands? I have hand eczema (untreated) and working on the bikes and riding them just tears up my hands. Lots of minor cuts and i have to wear latex gloves with cream to let them heal. Today i wore the latex gloves with cream, followed by my 2 other gloves and i had a bit of hand sweat but not too bad.

 

[Ebiker01]

Aerogel is a space age material. Much better then neoprene for a battery cover or for insulating anything.
Thinking about designing/ making custom battery covers made from aerogel/velcro+zipper closure. 100$/apiece with superior insulation vs neoprene.

Aerogel- the wonder material :

The Endeavour Glove

Keep the heat and dexterity even in the most extreme conditions.

www.orosapparel.com

Aerogel everything for a NE winter : Aerogel shoes/jackets/socks/gloves.
The material itself is very expensive but a very SMALL amount is needed.

Tundra Aerogel Sock | Outdoor Research


Thanks OR. Mail me the $1,000,000 check now !

 

[Chargeride]

Im only posting cos it looks like they all survived with bruises.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Which reminds me of my painful crash on black ice on the first of February 2021. It was my e-MTB (similar to your Levo). I instantly discovered what those spiked winter tyres were for

I Fell 😄 | Strava

View Stefan Mikeš Mikulski | EBR's ebikeride on February 1, 2021 | Strava

www.strava.com

 

[Chargeride]

They got it on film.

 

[harryS]

Quite the video.

 

[6zfshdb]

I have gone through the Forum and found several threads related to e-biking in wintertime. Those were mostly posted in brand specific groups. Perhaps we might do a little chat as general e-cyclists? What I found in past threads could be categorised as:

General winter cycling

• Clothing
• Tire choice
• See and be seen
• Corrosion (road salt)
• Winter cycling dangers (hypothermia; reduced visibility, pack snow, slush, ice, black ice, etc riding)

E-bike specific aspects

• Battery charging (above 0 C/32 F); e-bike storage
• Battery power loss during the frost
• Minimum riding temperature at which an e-bike would still work
• Frost issues (freezing of sensors)
• ... anything else?

As I can understand, there are several Canadian and North Americans as well as some Europeans who do winter riding. Share your experiences please.

As for myself, I used to do some commuter rides on classic bicycle during many winters, never too long or too far. I was using all-season cross tires, wore regular winter clothes, had lighting from dynamo and didn't care much for anything else. Now, there will be the first season for an e-bike for me.

I got me some decent winter cycling clothing first. Shoe warmers seem the most important for my poor toes. I intend to ride the cheaper of the two e-bikes I own as the post-winter maintenance would be cheaper. I bought Continental Top Contact Winter II tires as my LBS person told me studded tires were only good for ice but hopeless for tarmac. I keep bikes in a garage in which temperatures below 0 C/32 F may occur during heavy winters but intend to keep batteries at home whenever not in use. In addition to regular lighting, I bought a bright CatEye headlight. What have I forgotten?

An old thread but still appropriate this time of year here in the Northeastern US.

I don't do much Winter riding anymore, but I still enjoy watching the bike races on our frozen lakes. Mostly conventional bikes with studded tires, but there is talk about adding an e-bike class. Unfortunately, winters have been too mild lately to make ice thick enough. Still not mild enough to get me out on the trails yet, but with climate change, who knows?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

An old thread but still appropriate this time of year here in the Northeastern US.

I don't do much Winter riding anymore, but I still enjoy watching the bike races on our frozen lakes. Mostly conventional bikes with studded tires, but there is talk about adding an e-bike class. Unfortunately, winters have been too mild lately to make ice thick enough. Still not mild enough to get me out on the trails yet, but with climate change, who knows?

Today, it was the first time I chickened out because of the cold. It was -7 C all the day, and I was expected to join a 60 km ride along the Vistula in Warsaw. No way! The drop in the temperature was too sudden!

I had an infection for a month in November and promised my gf in London I would not risk my health before we meet on Jan 2nd.

 

[RunForTheHills]

Not really winter biking, because I am a fair weather cyclist, but I bought a Wahoo Kikr Treadmill earlier this year to replace my 20 year old treadmill that was on its last legs. It integrates with Zwift and Zwift can control the incline to simulate hills. But the best feature is the run free mode where it controls the speed by sensing if you move forward to speed up or back to slow down. I haven't gotten to use it as much as I would like to because of some health issues I am working through though. I used to have a bike trainer setup with Zwift also, but I don't have the space for it now with my home office.