Winter Biking Advice From A Minnesotan

[Kayakguy]

How Hotties work, May get to hot at higher ambient temperatures. Do not put directly on skin.

IRON POWDER
Oxygen in the air reacts with this powder to yield iron oxide—rust—and heat. These hotties can reach up to 163 degrees Fahrenheit; military-grade warmers (for heating MREs) can get to upwards of 200 degrees. Manufacturers produce iron powder by either crushing iron or spraying a molten stream with water. Fun fact: We eat about 2 million pounds of iron powder each year in our favorite (fortified) breakfast cereals. Yum!

MICROPOROUS POUCH


Open the plastic packaging and air seeps in through the fabric pouch, setting off the chemistry that heats things up. More pores mean more air, so the pouch for toe warmers has more holes than the one for hands (since, you know, tight stinky snow boots have less circulation).

ACTIVATED CHARCOAL

This porous material holds the water necessary for the oxidizing reaction to occur. It's also thermally conductive, so it helps spread heat evenly. To make it, heat charcoal in the presence of an oxidizer. It expands to create millions of tiny pores between its carbon atoms, increasing the surface area to as much as 2,000 square meters per gram. A pound of activated charcoal has the same surface area as six football fields—that's a lot of crannies for storing water.


SODIUM CHLORIDE

Like in your kitchen, salt amplifies things. As a de-icer in snowy cities, salt can cause car underbellies to corrode. Here too NaCl (with an assist from H2O) is a handy catalyst that kicks the rust reaction into gear.

VERMICULITE

With a name derived from the Latin word vermiculus, little worm, this hydrated magnesium aluminum silicate expands when heated and looks like, well, worms. The result is a light, highly absorbent, chemically inert, odorless, and fire-resistant supermaterial. It's a great insulator, both here and in some building materials. Along with the activated charcoal, it helps diffuse the iron powder so the filings don't burn too quickly (and sear your skin). Herpetologists use this stuff to keep incubating reptile eggs cozy—your warm-blooded hands should be no problem.

I doubt whether I've eaten 2 million pounds of anything in my lifetime, let alone in a year.

 

[tomjasz]

I doubt whether I've eaten 2 million pounds of anything in my lifetime, let alone in a year.

Um, I think it’s a population total.

 

[Nomad]

As somebody who rides all winter dress in layers and avoid thick puffy ones

 

[California Flash]

As somebody who rides all winter dress in layers and avoid thick puffy ones

Merino wool is your winter friend for base layers and socks. Polyester and cotton are no-no's.

 

[Nomad]

Merino wool is your winter friend for base layers and socks. Polyester and cotton are no-no's.

little known fact wool is good all year round and there is a lot of wool that doesn't itch especially blends

 

[fooferdoggie]

Merino wool is your winter friend for base layers and socks. Polyester and cotton are no-no's.

I don't agree. I use a polycotton sweat shirts all the time on my commutes. they work great. or smartwool socks. I use a poly base later nice and thin that's great for heat regulation I don't overheat inside with it either

 

[California Flash]

I don't agree. I use a polycotton sweat shirts all the time on my commutes. they work great. or smartwool socks. I use a poly base later nice and thin that's great for heat regulation I don't overheat inside with it either

I am happy those work for you so well. I tried cotton and poly early in my cycling career about 15 years ago and froze during winter when they became saturated with perspiration. The problem went away when I switched to merino wool (iBex) and Smartwool socks.

 

[fooferdoggie]

I am happy those work for you so well. I tried cotton and poly early in my cycling career about 15 years ago and froze during winter when they became saturated with perspiration. The problem went away when I switched to merino wool (iBex) and Smartwool socks.

unless your working as had in a e bike its not as bad. I dont sweat that much unless its really hot so maybe thats it. olast year I ahd to unzip my showerspass jacket most days. now i have a good goretx jacket so it should breathe better.

 

[tomjasz]

Much depends on how or why one is riding. I worked outdoors my entire life, from frigid Minnesnowta winters to the crazy hot Mojave desert. The new poly materials are great until you are static. Merino wool is also antibacterial. My Darn Tough merino socks stay respectably decent smelling for 3-4 days. My Thorlo hiking socks, synthetics, smell to high heaven after 12 hours.

Merino wool base layers and a mix of synthetic and wool additional layers work for me. However, I ALWAYS HAVE a quality goose down over "sweater" for when I'm static. I keep it in a waterproof bag. Anyone who's ever gotten wet in freezing weather has absolute knowledge of how useless many synthetics are.

Throttle riding in sub-freezing weather needs snowmobile-level winter clothing. My Goosedown GoreTex expedition parka is a must.

 

[tomjasz]

I don't agree. I use a polycotton sweat shirts all the time on my commutes. they work great. or smartwool socks. I use a poly base later nice and thin that's great for heat regulation I don't overheat inside with it either

All useless information until we start talking temperatures. Get sweaty in synthetic base layers, and for whatever reason become static and I guarantee that in freezing temperatures you'll think again.

 

[fooferdoggie]

All useless information until we start talking temperatures. Get sweaty in synthetic base layers, and for whatever reason become static and I guarantee that in freezing temperatures you'll think again.

wore it down to 28 as low as it got. remember I ride every day. I can wear that combo in my woodworking shop and keep warm but not overheat. overheating comes from hard work. I doubt most of us are working as hard in winter. it would go lower too as long as I had warm pants. it works from 45 degrees to 28 so far with more low end room if needed.

 

[Kayakguy]

Merino wool has the added benefit of being odorless. Won't stink up like poly, and keeps you warm even when damp. I wear it year round under my Gore-tex drysuit when kayaking.

 

[RandallS]

Another piece of winter gear for my MTB, already had one on the front.
I may add some plastic a bit lower too, to protect the area around the chainstay linkeages.
I've an old mouse pad that would work and I can probably just rivet it onto the fender.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

View attachment 138589

That's a sad and sorry excuse for a fender. I honestly don't even consider it a "fender" unless it has a place to put a mud flap on it. Preferably the mud flap should be included.

Invest in some decent ones, I just put these on my R&M:

Portland Design Works Full Metal Fenders - 650 Beast 55 mm | REI Co-op

Made of anodized aluminum and designed to fit bicycles with 650b wheels, the 55 mm wide Full Metal 650 Beast fenders from Portland Design Works work hard to keep you dry on your 2-wheeled adventures.

www.rei.com

 

[RandallS]

That's a sad and sorry excuse for a fender. I honestly don't even consider it a "fender" unless it has a place to put a mud flap on it. Preferably the mud flap should be included.

Invest in some decent ones, I just put these on my R&M:

Portland Design Works Full Metal Fenders - 650 Beast 55 mm | REI Co-op

Made of anodized aluminum and designed to fit bicycles with 650b wheels, the 55 mm wide Full Metal 650 Beast fenders from Portland Design Works work hard to keep you dry on your 2-wheeled adventures.

www.rei.com

On a full suspension MTB with a dropper seat post ....nope.
Poor choice of words on my behalf when I referred to it as a fender - it's not, it's a mud/splash guard,

 

[fooferdoggie]

Merino wool has the added benefit of being odorless. Won't stink up like poly, and keeps you warm even when damp. I wear it year round under my Gore-tex drysuit when kayaking.

I change every day so don’t know about the stink. It’s too expensive to use 7 days a week.

 

[tomjasz]

That's a sad and sorry excuse for a fender.

Snow rides can quickly pack up a fender and be a total PIA. I remove my usual fenders for winter riding and use “sorry excuse” for snow and ice.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

Snow rides can quickly pack up a fender and be a total PIA. I remove my usual fenders for winter riding and use “sorry excuse” for snow and ice.

Pro tip: pull of your wheels and clean the innards of your fenders. When they are dry spray the innards with silicone lubricant. This will keep dirty snow and ice from accumulating on the fender.

On a fat tire bike configured for winter I eschew fenders. Good fenders can't be beat for sloppy mud and slush and wet roads.

 

[alloo]

I buy most of my gear from Thrift stores. People in Norway don't use studded or fat tires during the winter. Riding in winter is about being prepared and having multiple routes and knowing snow/ice melting rate on different routes. Commuting is always an experiment you always learn.

 

[tomjasz]

People in Norway don't use studded

Wow, sorry you're just wrong. That's an outrageous statement.

Like Albuquerque, NM has 4-5 months of snow? Or Kumanawannalaya HI? Dipping into the Maui Maui?

SuomiTyres studs will keep you going.​

We know both winter and cycling very well. We’re the only manufacturer of studded bicycle tyres in Scandinavia. May your family jewels never crash-land on the tube, and your riding lines always remain smooth."

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