john peck
Well-Known Member
Now if you only had sleigh bells for the bike.
Are you going to ride in snow?
- Thread starter Art Deco
- Start date
RandallS
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Canada
- City
- Calgary
40cm of snow yesterday, and now +5C with a forecast of +7C tomorrow and +4C for Christmas day.
I'm fine riding on hard packed, but not 10+ cm (4") of slush mixed with salt and other crap...
Instead, I had the bike inside today and cleaned it all up and did some tweaking of the cockpit after diagnosing my duff dropper.
I put my WTB Koda saddle on my Suntour NCX seat stem just in case I figure out a route that would be doable (i.e. slushless).
I may have to get some Wet chain lube as all I have is a dry formula, as I rarely ride in the wet.
I'm fine riding on hard packed, but not 10+ cm (4") of slush mixed with salt and other crap...
Instead, I had the bike inside today and cleaned it all up and did some tweaking of the cockpit after diagnosing my duff dropper.
I put my WTB Koda saddle on my Suntour NCX seat stem just in case I figure out a route that would be doable (i.e. slushless).
I may have to get some Wet chain lube as all I have is a dry formula, as I rarely ride in the wet.
john peck
Well-Known Member
Reminds me, I need to paraffin my chain, tweek drlr, & true r, wheel a tad. Road´s grimy this time of year.
Prairie Dog
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Canada
- City
- Red Deer
I'll say. On a few days I wish that I had more than one bell on my bike. It's a popular destination for bird lovers who come with their bags filled with all sorts of seeds for the Aves. On that morning I was fortunate to encounter only one couple walking the trail and I subsequently edited them from the footage.Now if you only had sleigh bells for the bike.
Prairie Dog
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Canada
- City
- Red Deer
I can imagine what kind of chaos ensued during that morning commute along the road ways. You're right about cycling in super sloppy conditions though. Nothing worse in my opinion. Do you have fenders for your bike?
Cleaning my drivetrain is exactly what I did today in addition to replacing a few carbide studs in the tires. Hope to be out riding tomorrow early in enough in morning before any serious melting takes place.
I likely start waxing my chains in the spring/summer but for the time being I still have enough wet lube to see me though the remainder of the winter season.
RandallS
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Canada
- City
- Calgary
Just the little one on the front so I don't get stuff flying up by my face.
Stefan Mikes
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, Poland
Guys! A revelation!
Yes, it was as many as 9 C (48 F) today. Not overly warm, right. It was pouring. I had to make my 42 km ride rather fast and I wanted it to be rather short. So I rode my Vado in 100% Turbo mode. And I was pedalling hard.
Battery (no extra cover) reached +26 C (79 F), and the motor went in the "yellow zone" with +50 C (122 F). Do we always need the neoprene battery cover?
Yes, it was as many as 9 C (48 F) today. Not overly warm, right. It was pouring. I had to make my 42 km ride rather fast and I wanted it to be rather short. So I rode my Vado in 100% Turbo mode. And I was pedalling hard.
Battery (no extra cover) reached +26 C (79 F), and the motor went in the "yellow zone" with +50 C (122 F). Do we always need the neoprene battery cover?
RandallS
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Canada
- City
- Calgary
I'm not sure it's necessary, as i don't typically need the range when cycling at the temperatures where it should help. But the ripped wetsuit wasn't doing anything anyways, and I DID keep it around as a "I might be able to use this someday" thing, it does give a sort of satisfaction in the recycling effort. As I've the bike indoors right now, I think I'll work on fitment and attachment while the slush outside melts.Like the battery blanket, keeps it warm & comfy. Mine is easily chilled & gets sniffles, but I´m knitting it a nice cardigan sweater
Hi
Went for a ride the 25th . What a learning experience. We had around 12 cm (5") snow fall in Hamilton, Ontario
I went out before the snowplows did the clean up. What a mess !!!! The streets were slushy, icy, snowy. Common sense made me ride in the pure untouched snow. There the bike was lets call it "manageable".
Going through the front of driveways was not fun. Trying to ride on the car tracks is insane, is like a valley of icy and too steer out, wow !!!, challenge. I was riding very slow like less than 10 kmh .Now once I was on top of grass (obviously covered by snow) things were different. The fat tires did the job. You can feel the grabbing and at the same time the sliding, beautiful. Just too cold
I will go again Happy holidays everyone
Went for a ride the 25th . What a learning experience. We had around 12 cm (5") snow fall in Hamilton, Ontario
I went out before the snowplows did the clean up. What a mess !!!! The streets were slushy, icy, snowy. Common sense made me ride in the pure untouched snow. There the bike was lets call it "manageable".
Going through the front of driveways was not fun. Trying to ride on the car tracks is insane, is like a valley of icy and too steer out, wow !!!, challenge. I was riding very slow like less than 10 kmh .Now once I was on top of grass (obviously covered by snow) things were different. The fat tires did the job. You can feel the grabbing and at the same time the sliding, beautiful. Just too cold
I will go again Happy holidays everyone
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Latitude
Well-Known Member
I went out for a ride on Boxing Day and limited it to 5 km after one fall. I have snow tires on, but icy ruts defeat anything! I love my new eWool vest though. It was expensive, but oh, so comfortable!
Latitude
Well-Known Member
Was able to get two larger Marathon GT 365 tires this week, that I couldn’t buy before winter. 55-622 (28x 2.15) to replace my 47-622 (28x 1.75). They are much bigger overall, with beefier tread as everything is scaled up. They are as large as my bike will accommodate (and the largest available in this tire). I am finding them really nice to ride on; easier over bumps and more sure-footed in snow.
FlatSix911
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Silicon Valley
Sounds like a good solution... any photos?
Latitude
Well-Known Member
Photos...
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FlatSix911
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Silicon Valley
Thanks... that is a monster winter tire!
Latitude
Well-Known Member
FlatSix911, it is pretty big but well short of fat tires. I have found going up some hills with a couple of inches of snow over fallen leaves that the narrower tires lost grip... I think these will likely do better. Schwalbe positions these as “the only tires you will need year round”, and I am starting to think they might be right for me. They roll very smoothly and quietly on pavement and have much better trail grip than the Bontrager commuter tires that came with my bike. The softer winter rubber will likely wear a bit faster, but I think they’re pretty reasonably priced. So far, very impressed.
Edit: These tires are pretty close to my fenders. In fact, the rear tire was making a bit of rasping noise from snow and sand on the streets. There are wires under the rear fender for my tail light, and I initially thought they might be the culprit, but the close contact was where the fender was attached under the rear rack. I removed a 3/16” spacer between the rack and fender, allowing the fender to be raised at that point, and everything runs perfectly now.
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FlatSix911
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Silicon Valley
A beautiful winter ride photo! It's not my bike... I came across this photo on Reddit.
Prairie Dog
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Canada
- City
- Red Deer
Very nice. That photo certainly provides the inspiration needed to go on a winter night ride especially while the conditions are still relatively mild here.A beautiful winter ride photo! It's not my bike... I came across this photo on Reddit.
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