Winter is right around the corner.
11-02-19, 04:42 PM
#26
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Middle Earth (aka IA)
Posts: 20,435
Bikes: A bunch of old bikes and a few new ones
Mentioned: 178 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5888 Post(s)
Liked 3,471 Times
in
2,079 Posts
I have a surly 1 x 1 that I'm getting ready to build up as a winter bike. I had been using a vintage MTB so I have 26 inch studded tires. I have the parts for the build. Now I just need to finish it before my garage becomes too cold to work in.
11-08-19, 11:06 PM
#27
Senior Member
-22C yesterday morning, then today got up to +4C and its still above freezing at 11 pm. Much of the fresh snow we got is melting, but it is supposed to be cool down again tomorrow afternoon upping the ice factor. Then a potentially warm enough stretch next week to get rid of most of the snow in non-shaded areas. This in between season weather isn't a lot of fun, particularly the wet part.
I tried the new highway near me earlier in the week before the new snow, but they put a ton of salt on it. When the road is dry passing vehicles kick up clouds of powdered salt. Salt isn't used much around here since it gets too cold for it, but the highway is maintained by a private company. Maybe they are just trying to make a good first impression and will dial back on salt use soon.
I tried the new highway near me earlier in the week before the new snow, but they put a ton of salt on it. When the road is dry passing vehicles kick up clouds of powdered salt. Salt isn't used much around here since it gets too cold for it, but the highway is maintained by a private company. Maybe they are just trying to make a good first impression and will dial back on salt use soon.
Likes For gecho:
11-09-19, 06:01 AM
#28
2-Wheeled Fool
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 2,346
Bikes: Surly Ogre, Brompton
Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1385 Post(s)
Liked 677 Times
in
457 Posts
-4C here this morning.
They use a lot of salt here, but definitely not enough to send clouds of it as you are riding. I think if it got to that point, there would be outrage from the environmentalist-types. As it is, they don't salt a lot because the small towns simply cant afford it. My town has only 1300 people. We pay high property taxes, but its never enough to include the luxuries of unbroken pavement and bare asphalt.
They use a lot of salt here, but definitely not enough to send clouds of it as you are riding. I think if it got to that point, there would be outrage from the environmentalist-types. As it is, they don't salt a lot because the small towns simply cant afford it. My town has only 1300 people. We pay high property taxes, but its never enough to include the luxuries of unbroken pavement and bare asphalt.
Likes For J.Higgins:
11-09-19, 06:44 AM
#29
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 7,384
Mentioned: 49 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 800 Post(s)
Liked 218 Times
in
171 Posts
Winter is right around the corner
Today (11/9/19) it was 23°F (-5°C), and snow is predicted for Tuesday (11/12). That still seems a little early for studded tires, and I anticipate a light dusting with “frictionable” underlying pavement, but I still would not ride my road bike with 25C slicks if this early snow occurs.
Even with dry roads in the Winter, after the first salting I still think that salt dust can be corrosive.
-22C [-8°F] yesterday morning, then today got up to +4C and its still above freezing at 11 pm. Much of the fresh snow we got is melting, but it is supposed to be cool down again tomorrow afternoon upping the ice factor…
I tried the new highway near me earlier in the week before the new snow, but they put a ton of salt on it. When the road is dry passing vehicles kick up clouds of powdered salt. Salt isn't used much around here since it gets too cold for it, but the highway is maintained by a private company. Maybe they are just trying to make a good first impression and will dial back on salt use soon.
I tried the new highway near me earlier in the week before the new snow, but they put a ton of salt on it. When the road is dry passing vehicles kick up clouds of powdered salt. Salt isn't used much around here since it gets too cold for it, but the highway is maintained by a private company. Maybe they are just trying to make a good first impression and will dial back on salt use soon.
-4C [25°F] here this morning.
They use a lot of salt here, but definitely not enough to send clouds of it as you are riding. I think if it got to that point, there would be outrage from the environmentalist-types. As it is, they don't salt a lot because the small towns simply cant afford it.
My town has only 1300 people. We pay high property taxes, but its never enough to include the luxuries of unbroken pavement and bare asphalt.
They use a lot of salt here, but definitely not enough to send clouds of it as you are riding. I think if it got to that point, there would be outrage from the environmentalist-types. As it is, they don't salt a lot because the small towns simply cant afford it.
My town has only 1300 people. We pay high property taxes, but its never enough to include the luxuries of unbroken pavement and bare asphalt.
… For me, it takes a while to make the transition between warm and cold and vice versa. As for the bicycle, the definitive transition to winter is mounting the studded tires, early in December, and removal signals winter is over, usually in late March.
PS: And I transition entirely to the beater bike with the studded tires until a late winter storm thoroughly rinses off the road salt; then I bring out the pristine carbon fiber road bike.
PS: And I transition entirely to the beater bike with the studded tires until a late winter storm thoroughly rinses off the road salt; then I bring out the pristine carbon fiber road bike.
Even with dry roads in the Winter, after the first salting I still think that salt dust can be corrosive.
”Protecting bike from salt and rust in commutes”
So too I don’t bother cleaning my beater either. We live in a small downtown condo, and I don’t have easily accessible facilities, like a garage.
If the bike, mainly the drive train is particularly filthy, my bike shop one block away does a good cleaning.
My beater is a good quality aluminum Specialized Diverge, and I bought it as a good-riding beater that I would nonetheless subject to the elements, without the distress of messing up my high end Specialized S-Works.
So too I don’t bother cleaning my beater either. We live in a small downtown condo, and I don’t have easily accessible facilities, like a garage.
If the bike, mainly the drive train is particularly filthy, my bike shop one block away does a good cleaning.
My beater is a good quality aluminum Specialized Diverge, and I bought it as a good-riding beater that I would nonetheless subject to the elements, without the distress of messing up my high end Specialized S-Works.
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 11-09-19 at 08:13 AM.
Likes For Jim from Boston:
11-09-19, 08:42 AM
#30
Life Is Good
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Central Massachusetts
Posts: 1,695
Bikes: Zipp2001 Carbon Belt Drive SS, Kestrel RT900SL, Kestrel KM40 Airfoil 1x10, Orbea Occam H30, Trek Stache 5 29 Plus, Giant Yukon 2 Fat Bike
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 277 Post(s)
Liked 870 Times
in
443 Posts
Ran into snow flurries out on my ride Friday afternoon, will be putting the studded tires on the fat bike this weekend. I'll wait to put the studded tires on the plus bike until we really get some coverage.
Put the car into winter hibernation mode this week.
Put the car into winter hibernation mode this week.
12-03-19, 10:18 AM
#31
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,549
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5224 Post(s)
Liked 3,581 Times
in
2,342 Posts
heard on the news, this morning, that Winchendon was the jackpot, w/ over 20" of snow from Sunday afternoon thru today?
Likes For rumrunn6:
12-03-19, 12:05 PM
#32
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: SE Wisconsin
Posts: 376
Bikes: Schwinn Del Mar, Schwinn Sanctuary, Schwinn Hurricane, Murray Actra, Eastern Shovelhead
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 140 Post(s)
Liked 139 Times
in
90 Posts
That's a lot of snow. Wow. Seems like parts of Massachusetts have really gotten a lot of snow these last few years.
Likes For 3S1M:
12-03-19, 12:34 PM
#33
2-Wheeled Fool
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 2,346
Bikes: Surly Ogre, Brompton
Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1385 Post(s)
Liked 677 Times
in
457 Posts
I'm about an hour north of Winchendon, and we got just about 17 inches.
12-03-19, 04:52 PM
#34
Just call me Carrie
Something about the areas SW of Mount Monadnock - they always get dumped on. https://weatherstreet.com/city_snow_...snow-depth.htm
I'm about an hour north of Winchendon, and we got just about 17 inches.
I'm about an hour north of Winchendon, and we got just about 17 inches.
__________________
I was going to have a good signature but apparently I'm too verbose.
I was going to have a good signature but apparently I'm too verbose.
12-04-19, 10:17 AM
#35
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: SE Wisconsin
Posts: 376
Bikes: Schwinn Del Mar, Schwinn Sanctuary, Schwinn Hurricane, Murray Actra, Eastern Shovelhead
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 140 Post(s)
Liked 139 Times
in
90 Posts
Wow. Wow. Wow. That's all a lot of snow. 13" is a lot, but 32"**********? Wow.
12-04-19, 10:32 AM
#36
Just call me Carrie
I seem to go to all the snowy places. I've lived here, Buffalo, Minneapolis, and northern Illinois...
__________________
I was going to have a good signature but apparently I'm too verbose.
I was going to have a good signature but apparently I'm too verbose.
12-04-19, 02:44 PM
#37
Senior Member
Meteorlogical Winter began December first. The snow was right on time.
12-07-19, 05:26 PM
#38
Life Is Good
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Central Massachusetts
Posts: 1,695
Bikes: Zipp2001 Carbon Belt Drive SS, Kestrel RT900SL, Kestrel KM40 Airfoil 1x10, Orbea Occam H30, Trek Stache 5 29 Plus, Giant Yukon 2 Fat Bike
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 277 Post(s)
Liked 870 Times
in
443 Posts
We topped out at 25" of snow, but I'm working 7 days a week until the Christmas shopping season is over. In at 5am and out at 5pm, to tired to get out. Should get back to normal come Christmas week, so I can go play in it.
12-09-19, 04:22 PM
#39
Full Member
Good luck, my friend, I must also work 7 days a week until Christmas to make the budget balance. I hope you have a great time when you are able to make it outside
Likes For parkbrav:
12-09-19, 04:27 PM
#40
Life Is Good
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Central Massachusetts
Posts: 1,695
Bikes: Zipp2001 Carbon Belt Drive SS, Kestrel RT900SL, Kestrel KM40 Airfoil 1x10, Orbea Occam H30, Trek Stache 5 29 Plus, Giant Yukon 2 Fat Bike
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 277 Post(s)
Liked 870 Times
in
443 Posts
90% sure I'm pulling the trigger on a new bike once work is back to normal, and oh how I can't wait to ride in the snow.
12-09-19, 06:06 PM
#41
2-Wheeled Fool
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 2,346
Bikes: Surly Ogre, Brompton
Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1385 Post(s)
Liked 677 Times
in
457 Posts
Rained all day today. Still raining. there's about 2" of white slushy stuff left. It's supposed to be 47F tomorrow, so I'm guessing it'll be gone by tomorrow afternoon.
12-12-19, 09:08 AM
#42
Just call me Carrie
Tomorrow looks decent, around 40 degrees and little wind. C'mon UPS!
__________________
I was going to have a good signature but apparently I'm too verbose.
I was going to have a good signature but apparently I'm too verbose.
12-12-19, 09:33 AM
#44
Just call me Carrie
Unfortunately, no. It's on 27" wheels right now. I couldn't find any studded tires so I went with a set of Kenda KrossCyclos. As long as I don't push it, I should be okay with a small amount of snow.
__________________
I was going to have a good signature but apparently I'm too verbose.
I was going to have a good signature but apparently I'm too verbose.
12-12-19, 10:47 AM
#45
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,549
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5224 Post(s)
Liked 3,581 Times
in
2,342 Posts
was riding Saturday & wondering if my studs were really necessary. the conditions were "mostly" wonderful packed flat snow. but occasionally I hit some areas with a layer of bumpy ice under the snow. watch out for that sneaky stuff!
Last edited by rumrunn6; 12-12-19 at 12:26 PM.
12-12-19, 11:11 AM
#46
Just call me Carrie
The ice under snow makes me the most nervous. Last year I was training for a marathon and we had some crazy conditions where snow melted the day before, then froze overnight. It snowed again during our run. My training partner fell twice that day, the poor gal. I'd rather not wipe out the same way. I normally stick to the trainer or treadmill in conditions like that but I'm missing sunshine and the box fan is a poor substitute for the wind in my face.
__________________
I was going to have a good signature but apparently I'm too verbose.
I was going to have a good signature but apparently I'm too verbose.
Likes For TriBiker19:
12-12-19, 12:31 PM
#47
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,549
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5224 Post(s)
Liked 3,581 Times
in
2,342 Posts
12-18-19, 03:13 PM
#48
aka Tom Reingold
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,502
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Mentioned: 511 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7348 Post(s)
Liked 2,462 Times
in
1,433 Posts
rumrunn6 where are you riding where you find the hard-packed snow?
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
12-18-19, 10:00 PM
#49
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,549
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5224 Post(s)
Liked 3,581 Times
in
2,342 Posts
rumrunn6 where are you riding where you find the hard-packed snow?
and frequented dirt road (last February)
Yeah man that’s Heaven
Last edited by rumrunn6; 12-19-19 at 09:31 AM.
