Are you going to ride in snow?

[Latitude]

Got a 35 km ride in today… complete with a hard crash on ice in my nearby provincial park. I’ll be taking it easy tonight! Glad I avoided any injuries, but there will be bruises I am sure.

 

[Art Deco]

Got a 35 km ride in today… complete with a hard crash on ice in my nearby provincial park. I’ll be taking it easy tonight! Glad I avoided any injuries, but there will be bruises I am sure.

We aren't kids any more even if our bikes make us feel like we are. Heal quick.

 

[PowerflyLee formerly known as CheetahLee]

Denver is supposed to get two feet tonight and tomorrow! They get all the good snow Looks like we're done for this season. I can't believe the clocks move up this weekend already. It seems like it just changed.

 

[Dallant]

Got a 35 km ride in today… complete with a hard crash on ice in my nearby provincial park. I’ll be taking it easy tonight! Glad I avoided any injuries, but there will be bruises I am sure.

This is why I’m just not gonna do it! Hope you get better soon!

 

[Sierratim]

Meanwhile Winter's back in Poland. More in Norway.

Snowed here the last 2 days as well. No, I didn't ride the ebike!

 

[RandallS]

Most of our snow is gone and our temps will be low teens (Celsius) into next week. But we'll get more snow yet...

 

[Art Deco]

Snowed here the last 2 days as well. No, I didn't ride the ebike!

Been buried in snow for the last month here ...it's finally gone from the roads and sunny yards. Trails are muck, only riding residential streets.

 

[Prairie Dog]

MUPs are mainly bare here but as long as there's still snow on the the forested trails, I'll still be riding on studs.

 

[RandallS]

I've decided to use my super powers for evil - I took the Ice Spikers off, and put on the Johnny Watts.
Expect some snow even though the forecast is for nice weather.

So, why would I do that you ask?

A buddy has been bugging me to go for a ride and "beverages" and he uses my old bike when we go.
It has road tires and is crap in snow, so I decided to set my bike up for similar and see how it goes weather wise.

Plus, I REALLY wanted to practice changing tires and fixing tubes as I screwed up the rear tube when changing out the tire !
All good - haven't had to fix a flat in a long time. I think I may have to join the tubeless crowd soon - as I see a few tire changes in the next 6 weeks.

So @Prairie Dog - if we're Ice riding, I need a days notice!

 

[mclewis1]

Your a crazier ... er braver man than I.
I'm leaving the studded tires on until I'm sure I won't need them (at the expense of some additional stud wear). I keep looking at all the bare pavement on the bike paths and thinking how much faster, quieter, smoother, and more efficient my rides would/will be. Then I think about swapping my studded tires back on at the last minute after those late season storms and I change my mind.

My studded 45nrth Kahvas actually aren't bad (a little heavy and a bit lifeless) and while I do have the original WTB Riddler knobbies that came with the bike (Surly Bridge Club now with a Grin geared hub motor package) they just aren't different enough to warrant swapping them out. The big change only occurs when I'm sure there's no more snow/ice and a set of smooth Donnelly Stradas go on (which absolutely transforms the bike).

 

[RandallS]

Your a crazier ... er braver man than I.
I'm leaving the studded tires on until I'm sure I won't need them (at the expense of some additional stud wear). I keep looking at all the bare pavement on the bike paths and thinking how much faster, quieter, smoother, and more efficient my rides would/will be. Then I think about swapping my studded tires back on at the last minute after those late season storms and I change my mind.

My studded 45nrth Kahvas actually aren't bad (a little heavy and a bit lifeless) and while I do have the original WTB Riddler knobbies that came with the bike (Surly Bridge Club now with a Grin geared hub motor package) they just aren't different enough to warrant swapping them out. The big change only occurs when I'm sure there's no more snow/ice and a set of smooth Donnelly Stradas go on (which absolutely transforms the bike).

I timed myself - 35 minutes to do the front and 25 minutes to do the rear.
Then another hour to take the rear off, fix the tube, and put it back together - not bad for someone who hasn't done that in many years.

If I can do a swap in 60 minutes or faster (I do expect to get better at it), I can pick the tires for the occasion.
I do expect to use the Johnny Watts as my "all rounder" tire and my Maxxis Forekasters for more serious MTB stuff (if required).
The Ice Spikers will be hardcore winter of course.

I don't know how familiar you are with the weather here, but if I left the studded tires on because it might snow - they'd never be removed!
Been in Calgary since 1992 and have had snow in every single month! And I've also sat on my deck in a t-shirt and shorts on Christmas day...

 

[Prairie Dog]

I've decided to use my super powers for evil - I took the Ice Spikers off, and put on the Johnny Watts.
Expect some snow even though the forecast is for nice weather.

So @Prairie Dog - if we're Ice riding, I need a days notice!
View attachment 81557View attachment 81558

It all depends on how much thawing occurs over the weekend. Next week isn’t looking too promising either but if I ride the trails early in the morning, I should be okay. Just hate riding to the site on studs over bare pavement so I’ll try and stick to the forested pathways where there’s a chance of more snow/ice. I’m not liking my odds though.

The end of March is still a couple of weeks away but I couldn’t help but notice that my neighbor was already performing his vehicle tire changeover in the driveway today and he usually doesn’t get around to doing it until the first week of April.

 

[RandallS]

Your a crazier ... er braver man than I.
I'm leaving the studded tires on until I'm sure I won't need them (at the expense of some additional stud wear). I keep looking at all the bare pavement on the bike paths and thinking how much faster, quieter, smoother, and more efficient my rides would/will be. Then I think about swapping my studded tires back on at the last minute after those late season storms and I change my mind.

My studded 45nrth Kahvas actually aren't bad (a little heavy and a bit lifeless) and while I do have the original WTB Riddler knobbies that came with the bike (Surly Bridge Club now with a Grin geared hub motor package) they just aren't different enough to warrant swapping them out. The big change only occurs when I'm sure there's no more snow/ice and a set of smooth Donnelly Stradas go on (which absolutely transforms the bike).

Topping up.
If you are a commuter, I'd be doing the same and leaving them on.

I'm retired so this is purely recreational, so if it dumps some snow, I either wait a few days, or change 'em back. March is usually our snowiest month, but based on the current forecast, we're likely going be snow free shortly.
Here I go tempting fate again...

 

[Prairie Dog]

I'm really tempted to change back over to the stock Maxxis tires but I know for a fact that even with a couple of weeks of warmer temps there will still be some hard snow and even patches of ice remaining on the single tracks especially in areas that are heavily treed. I'm not sure if it's worth the risk.

 

[RandallS]

The places I normally ride don't have the same density of trees and will likely be snow free within a few days if the forecast is correct.
It's supposed to be 14 today, and at 0915, my window thermometer (I've a a little micro-climate in the patio area) says we're nearly there already.

I'll be going out in a couple of hours and hope to be wowed by the quietness and smoothness of the Johnny Watts.
I may or may not venture up the hill - we'll see. I have about an hour and a half remaining on my Audiobook so that will be the minimum for today.

I'm getting more comfortable working on my bike and if I need the Spikers (Ice) - or the Forekasters (mud), I'll just swap 'em out and get on with it...

 

[Prairie Dog]

The places I normally ride don't have the same density of trees and will likely be snow free within a few days if the forecast is correct.
It's supposed to be 14 today, and at 0915, my window thermometer (I've a a little micro-climate in the patio area) says we're nearly there already.

I'll be going out in a couple of hours and hope to be wowed by the quietness and smoothness of the Johnny Watts.
I may or may not venture up the hill - we'll see. I have about an hour and a half remaining on my Audiobook so that will be the minimum for today.

I'm getting more comfortable working on my bike and if I need the Spikers (Ice) - or the Forekasters (mud), I'll just swap 'em out and get on with it...

Looking forward to your trip report and hearing how the JWs ride. I'll likely head out to the trails tomorrow morning as we don't expect anything higher than +3 C by late afternoon. Who knows, if I get too squirmy in the saddle hearing the studs scrap against the bare pavement on the way there, I may even do a premature tire swap. I’m really just itching to ride some dirt trails asap!

If the Trans Canada Trail is free of snow, I could potentially ride the road bike to Lacombe and back.

 

[Art Deco]

Looking forward to your trip report and hearing how the JWs ride. I'll likely head out to the trails tomorrow morning as we don't expect anything higher than +3 C by late afternoon. Who knows, if I get too squirmy in the saddle hearing the studs scrap against the bare pavement on the way there, I may even do a premature tire swap. I’m really just itching to ride some dirt trails asap!

If the Trans Canada Trail is free of snow, I could potentially ride the road bike to Lacombe and back.

Since you guys know tires ... if I stay off the icey stuff next winter, will offroad/knobby tires do ok in 4 or 5 inches of snow? They don't seem to clear trails around here in winter.
Edit a Como with 650b maybe two and a quarter inch wide.

 

[RandallS]

Since you guys know tires ... if I stay off the icey stuff next winter, will offroad/knobby tires do ok in 4 or 5 inches of snow? They don't seem to clear trails around here in winter.
Edit a Como with 650b maybe two and a quarter inch wide.

My opinion, based on real world results, is not likely. I was in conditions like that when my front end washed out and I screwed up my shoulder. That was on 2.6" knobbies.
We typically have dry'ish snow here that remains somewhat powdery, but I suspect your area will generally have a higher moisture content, will pack down, and be icy.

But, I'd hope that more people from the eastern part of the continent will pipe in, but one person comes to mind who lives in southern Ontario and rides in the winter without studs (I believe).
@Latitude Any thoughts or experiences you can share for @Art Deco ?

 

[Art Deco]

My opinion, based on real world results, is not likely. I was in conditions like that when my front end washed out and I screwed up my shoulder. That was on 2.6" knobbies.
We typically have dry'ish snow here that remains somewhat powdery, but I suspect your area will generally have a higher moisture content, will pack down, and be icy.

But, I'd hope that more people from the eastern part of the continent will pipe in, but one person comes to mind who lives in southern Ontario and rides in the winter without studs (I believe).
@Latitude Any thoughts or experiences you can share for @Art Deco ?

Thanks @RandallS . Yeah, I've been following @Latitude`s adventures since he's not running studs and rides in the wet. I am used to wet slushy stuff on street tires, but haven't ridden in anything deeper than an inch or so.

 

[Prairie Dog]

Since you guys know tires ... if I stay off the icey stuff next winter, will offroad/knobby tires do ok in 4 or 5 inches of snow? They don't seem to clear trails around here in winter.
Edit a Como with 650b maybe two and a quarter inch wide.

@Latitude rides on A/S Marathon GTs during the winter and I believe, at one point, he decided to park his bike. I can't comment on what conditions others are riding on during the winter but I would certainly err on the side of caution and install A/S tires as a minimum requirement. Sometimes it's hard to avoid ice especially if its there is snow covering it. Even tires with about half the number of studs as most other winter tires such as the Schwalbe Winter K-Guard would provide peace of mind when encountering small patches of ice and won’t break the bank either.