Are you going to ride in snow?

No. I live on a hill with a winding road, and when it snows, I walk. Moreover, should I take a chance on wiping out and having to go to the hospital in a pandemic? A day's bike ride is not worth losing many weeks of rides. Of course I don't live in a place that gets snow very often, so it is not a dilemma for me.
 
Summon up your best Bing Crosby voice and sing this to the White Christmas tune:

🎵 I’m dreaming of a white bike ride
Just like a sleigh ride through the snow
Where the berms and turns glisten
And Drafters christen
A set of fat tracks in the snow

I’m dreaming of a white bike ride
With every trainer ride inside
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your fat tire rides be white

Copied from here


Snowing here in PA... get your motor runnin'
 
Long ago, I learned the hard way what road treatments can do to bikes, so I steer clear of pavement for most of the Winter here in New England.

I'm fortunate, however, to have 3k+ acres of state land with endless miles of various types of trails as my "backyard." When the snow's 4 inches or deeper, snowmobiles are allowed on many trails here, and they pack it down nicely. I like to thank them for the "grooming," despite their nasty noise and smell (though e-snowmobiles seem to be catching on). And in the right conditions, singletrack trails can turn into virtual luges, as shown in the pic below.

My first couple years of eMTBing, I rode snow exclusively on fat tires, but have since discovered that Schwalbe Ice Spikers and other "normal" width studded tires are perfectly adequate for packed snow and ice, so now my fat bike is relegated to sand and powdery snow.
1607967628024.png
 
Interesting. Using studs, but not riding the fat tires in snow. I've never ridden a fat tire, but thought that would be just the thing for snow and ice.
 
Art Deco said:
Interesting. Using studs, but not riding the fat tires in snow. I've never ridden a fat tire, but thought that would be just the thing for snow and ice.
Click to expand...
IMO, fat tires are best for unpacked snow (but not too deep and definitely not on ice), while studded MTB-width tires work great on packed snow. A lot can depend on ambient temperature, sun exposure, etc.

Pretty much any width studded tires will work on ice, but fat studded tires tend to cost twice what "normal" width studded tires do, and I very much prefer the handling and maneuverability I get with the latter.
 
Snow flurries just started here in central Pennsylvania. But coming down hard and sticking (mid 20s F). We are supposed to get buried, upto 12 inches. We haven't seen 12 inches in one snowfall here in many, many years...
 
Art Deco said:
Snow flurries just started here in central Pennsylvania. But coming down hard and sticking (mid 20s F). We are supposed to get buried, upto 12 inches. We haven't seen 12 inches in one snowfall here in many, many years...
Click to expand...
Flurries here too in northeastern PA. Scranton and points northeast are in the bullseye of the storm with 20+ inches predicted. We haven't seen snow like this since the blizzard of 93. If I do take any bike pics, all you'll see is the seat & handlebars!
 
Not going out in it. I don't need my fitst attempt at riding in snow to be a record blizzard ... but hey, it's mid December and I haven't even needed a coat yet this year.
 
We got a couple inches the other day for a base, and it started snowing here around 10:45 am today. Depending on who you hear it could be 14 to 20 inches by Thursday morning. I'm expecting 12"+. Its piling up fast. Nor'easter's tend to hit us hard. The last big one we had 2015 or 16 was 39". Somewhere on the forum there are posts about that one. Maryland members were hit hard on that one too. That was the biggest one day snow storm I can remember. We have nothing on Erie PA or Buffalo NY.
 
Studded tires seemed a good idea. But riding on icy streets is more of an adventure than I want. Tires are retired long before they’re worn out. No only rude on dry snow and ice free streets. No off-road snow riding. I despise the geometry of my fatty.
 
Thomas Jaszewski said:
Studded tires seemed a good idea. But riding on icy streets is more of an adventure than I want. Tires are retired long before they’re worn out. No only rude on dry snow and ice free streets. No off-road snow riding. I despise the geometry of my fatty.
Click to expand...
That surprised me when @LimboJim said he didn't like his fat tire with studs as well as a conventional bike with studs. I noticed that only the Canadians were using studs earlier, which honestly Is a relief. I don't want to push it enough to need studs, snowmobile clothes, and etc. Just more junk to fill up my basement the rest of the year.
 
Stefan Mikes said:
Waiting For The Snow...

View attachment 74355
Schwalbe Marathon Plus Winter 29x2"
Click to expand...
They look good! The Nokians I had the past few years had a much more aggressive tread, maybe too aggressive and loud. I wish I could hope for snow for you😖, but I just can't do that to anyone. My deal with Ma Nature every year is that I'll accept snow on Christmas day only, but it must melt off of hard surfaces by the end of Dec 26. She never holds up her end of the bargain.

They are calling for thunder snow here this evening, with 1 to 3 inches an hour at times.

I have a field out back I've enjoyed riding the powder. I'll probably be childish enough to be out there later today:p
 
My daughter's place (Ithica NY) has 15 acres and gets insane amounts of snow for my grandsons to explore. I have a quarter acre lot and can't go more than a quarter mile without being on a highway or busy street.
I'm just watching a car going sideways down the hill now. He made it.👍
 
J.R. said:
They look good! The Nokians I had the past few years had a much more aggressive tread, maybe too aggressive and loud. I wish I could hope for snow for you😖, but I just can't do that to anyone. My deal with Ma Nature every year is that I'll accept snow on Christmas day only, but it must melt off of hard surfaces by the end of Dec 26. She never holds up her end of the bargain.

They are calling for thunder snow here this evening, with 1 to 3 inches an hour at times.

I have a field out back I've enjoyed riding the powder. I'll probably be childish enough to be out there later today:p
Click to expand...
Childish is good at Christmas time. Being grownup all the time is really rough on your mental health. Take a extra lap for me...
 
Knowing my luck, Mazovia won't get any snow by April or May (it might snow in May; it used to happen in the past). I don't dream to get any snowing. I just want to be prepared to make my promise "riding all year round" happen :)
 
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