Winter Sucks

[tomjasz]

Was a decade and 100 pounds or so ago on my 26" non-electric cruiser. First set were from the LBS I no longer trust for... much of anything, forget the brand. Schwab or something? I remember joking "is this a law firm or something I stick in my ear?"

I thought it was just that brand, so I got some Kenda with a goofy name (looking up online... Klondike maybe?) that I think are still somewhere in a box in my garage since they were just as unrideable in anything short of actual snowfall.

I tried both for about 3 weeks each, and I found them utterly unsafe to ride in all but a handful of harsh conditions, sliding around MORE than just normal tires. Particularly on anything remotely resembling a paved surface, ice or no. Just danced across the surface like water drops in a hot pan.
I'd say maybe an e-bike with the increased weight might have a chance to dig in, except again I was a giant 280 pound tub of lard at the time. 30 pound beach cruiser + 280 pound rider is gonna be a lot more downforce than a 70 pound bike and a 180 pound rider, making me even more skeptical.

Almost true

 

[PedalUma]

I had an assistant manager once call me Dude. I said, I am not a dude! He was very confused and it never happened again. Here is a Dude Ranch. Dude is short for Dandy, a guy who dresses up and is pompous. Our friend is the opposite, maybe. Yet, sometimes opposites are like pulls on a magnet. Dudes were attracted to dude ranches to prove their manly credentials while in the bunk houses with other dudes.

FFS dude you’re so transparent

 

[Jon A]

Trigger Alert!

 

[Jason Knight]

 

[Flannel Guy]

40F is about my tolerance for riding. Otherwise have to wear too much gear and body gets too hot while face, hands, and feet are freezing. High today, 32F.

 

[tomjasz]

anyone

Not “anyone”, you sir, just you...
Theres an entire world out of your purview. Your sweeping generalizations are what come into question. Those exaggerated, rather than legitimately experienced conclusions are what make a troll. Calling you a troll pales in the face of the insulting name calling you typically pollute EBR with. I never thought Napoleon syndrome is a thing… you have me second guessing myself.

 

[Robspace1]

There was a lull so I hopped on a bike risking getting caught in the storm. Just mist and drips. It was worth it to get a ride in. I cut the link to the solo. The beer is a San Francisco favorite to pair with fresh crab, warm butter, and sourdough.

I used to live there in Sonoma Co. Mostly flatlands along the river for easy riding. I think that bike will need alot more power though to pull the streets of SF. I grew up there and got strong leg muscles trying. lol.

 

[Robspace1]

40F is about my tolerance for riding. Otherwise have to wear too much gear and body gets too hot while face, hands, and feet are freezing. High today, 32F.

Yea, me too. 50+ and sunny is my comfort level.

 

[PedalUma]

I used to live there in Sonoma Co. Mostly flatlands along the river for easy riding. I think that bike will need alot more power though to pull the streets of SF. I grew up there and got strong leg muscles trying. lol.

That bike is just a simple three speed town bike. I did ride it at a MTB bike park a couple of weeks ago, while in tweed. The folks with full suspensions, 34 rings to 11-50 cassettes didn't know that it is electric. It has a coaster brake. That was fun.

 

[Robspace1]

I would have loved to have my ebike in Sonoma Co. when I lived there, but that was in the early 70s and ebikes were not yet around. So, how are people getting their ebikes over the crazy steep streets of SF? When I was a kid we would do it with our 1 speed bikes by holding on to a car's passenger side door handle and being pulled to the top, many times without the driver knowing! Did the same with cable cars. Dangerous but fun. Lol Nice photos. Is there any paved trails by the river?

 

[PedalUma]

I would have loved to have my ebike in Sonoma Co. when I lived there, but that was in the early 70s and ebikes were not yet around. So, how are people getting their ebikes over the crazy steep streets of SF? When I was a kid we would do it with our 1 speed bikes by holding on to a car's passenger side door handle and being pulled to the top, many times without the driver knowing! Did the same with cable cars. Dangerous but fun. Lol Nice photos. Is there any paved trails by the river?

I will answer but I don't want to make this thread about me. Gearing. SF is where you want those crazy climbing gears such as with a Box 3, 9, 11-50. A new section is being poured today. It will include an outdoor bike stand. Most of that trail is paved with only 1/4 mile gravel. My friend Natalie came up with the idea to make a bike more aero, ET!

 

[Robspace1]

Yea, it's what I thought. Big money and way more gears to take on the hills of SF. My solution, as a kid was to park the bike and get a Vespa.

 

[PedalUma]

Yea, it's what I thought. Big money and way more gears to take on the hills of SF. My solution, as a kid was to park the bike and get a Vespa.

Here are two new bike paths that are going in this week and next week.

 

[Robspace1]

Be nice if they made one going all the way from Santa Rosa to the sea along the Russian River.

 

[PedalUma]

Be nice if they made one going all the way from Santa Rosa to the sea along the Russian River.

It is true. The problem is that there are too many land owners and too many homes and cabins. It sure is beautiful. I love the redwoods in that valley. The road between Guerneville on the river and Sebastopol (West of Santa Rosa) will get black ice tonight. It is hilly with sharp turns and with drivers with regular tires and no experience with frozen conditions.

 

[Neverlost99]

Today is the end of the first week of December. Winter sucks. At 5:20 the sun is gone just when I am ready to read a book in the sun. Only two weeks to go and things will be looking brighter each day. Gripes about Winter are welcome as are adaptations. Hopeful signs and plans of Spring are welcome also. Persephone is rising.
View attachment 141937

Aren’t you in California? I a, at 3000 feet in North Carolina 10/14 days of no sun.

 

[Rexlion]

A couple of people are quarreling like lovers. Maybe they need to get a room!

 

[ruffruff]

A couple of people are quarreling like lovers. Maybe they need to get a room!

But then we can't watch!

 

[Jason Knight]

40F is about my tolerance for riding. Otherwise have to wear too much gear and body gets too hot while face, hands, and feet are freezing. High today, 32F.

If your core temp is skyrocketing whilst the extremities are cold, it's not too much gear, it's the wrong gear.

I've been cold weather riding my whole life -- FFS I'm from Ski country -- and I see people make the same mistakes over and over again.

First mistake is thinking that a big heavy jacket, as thick as possible, is the ideal. Really you don't need as much on the body and something like a ski suit over normal clothes works better. Just be sure it's easy to unzip as you will find once you get up to temp, you need to vent your torso in the front. A good ski suit should also be wind-rpoof on the legs. Protect the upper thighs from wind burn.

Second is footwear. No you can't just wear normal shoes or normal boots. Get waterproof boots (which tend to also be wind-proof) a size too large, so you can wear ultra-thick wool thermal socks underneath. If your feet get gold decked out like that, something's wrong. Oh and if you can't get waterproof boots -- this'll sound weird -- normal rugged boots can make do, just put plastic bags over your socks. A proper set of "rubbers" / "mucklucks" with good socks works as well. Feet cold and it's above 0F, you're wearing the wrong socks and shoes.

On the head, get a motorcycle helmet, or half-helm with goggles. If you wear glasses the latter with a ski mask is better if the seal on the goggles is good, to avoid fogging up.

But the biggest mistake is the hands. Gloves are NOT your friend, at least not alone. If you wear wind-proof mittens that fit well with no gaps to your shirt/jacket and your hands get gold, get better mittens. Keeping your fingers together for warmth is superior to the best gloves in existence if it's about staying warm.

Which kind of sucks for e-biking as I found out last year, having to take them off to manage the control pad. but you can wear gloves if you get something simple for your bike. Handlebar muffs.

Because most of what makes things like normal gloves less functional is wind. So tie those around your bars and off you go.

The muffs on their own aren't enough, and gloves on their own aren't either, but combined and boom, you're fine. It's like keeping your gloves in your pockets.

And remember, the Ski shop is your friend. Probably why despite my disturbing lack of faith in my LBS, I'm glad in the winter months they're also a ski shop.

 

[Flannel Guy]

Been snowboarding for almost 30 yrs, Ive tried all kinds of gear and whatever keeps me warm enough makes me sweat. Best I can do is a wicking layer to feel less wet.