Canuckophile

Hello fellows,

I live in a major city in Canada. It is always dark in the morning and evening on the 22 kilometre commute to work and back home in the winter. It is mostly flats with a couple low rolling hills, no big deal for elevation. I have been an avid cyclist since 1990 on roads only during warm months. I have never winter cycled before. I came close to trying a few years ago and chickened out

Here is the rig I am considering, so far and I am open to suggestions


Raleigh Cyclocross RXS

- Belt drive or Single Speed Chain?

- What size rear sprocket for a single speed for a decent strength cyclist on mostly flats?

- Saddle - Selle Italia SLR Team Edition Flow ? This is my road bike saddle is there better for winter cycling?

- Pedals - need advice on type must be SPD.

- Tires - Wide winter tires, tubeless?, studs?(Need advice)

- Fenders

- Light needed always dark commuting to and from work.

Thank you in advance

Canuckophile

dabac

I have never considered using a special winter saddle.
Well, maybe a cheaper, more worn one as not to worry as much about falling.
I use Crankbrothers pedals. Great mud/snow clearance. Earlier needed frequent rebuilds. Latest generation is supposed to do better.
Fenders definitely. Long mudflaps. The front one will do wonders for your drivetrain life.
I'd recommend against SS. Winter tires add resistance. Fresh snowfall adds resistance.
But an IGH might do. Can run an enclosed chaincase. Gives a wider range of options than belt drives.
I like studded tires. Doesn't help in soft snow but sure is beneficial on ice and hardpack. I like plenty of studs. 200+.
Wide vs narrow is a so-so thing. You don't have to go particularly wide for ice and hardpack. And you can't go wide enough for the soft stuff. Regular CX width will be OK if you don't have to ride the mushy days.
If you have to ride every day, consider a Fat Bike. Maybe two wheelsets, one Fat, one narrow.

Oh, get some good winter bike shoes. Pogies are lovely.

Canuckophile

Thanks for the tip on the fully enclosed chain case! What does IGH stand for?

CliffordK

IGH = Internal Gear Hub (which is also necessary, I think, if you go with a belt drive, unless you choose single speed). There are good and bad aspects of them. A standard derailleur system can pick up mud and snow, but is also easy to clean and maintain. The Internal hubs should be better sealed, but are heavier, and it is more work to repair if something does go wrong.

Single speed bikes are popular in some circles. Personally I haven't chosen single speed due to hitting a few hills, and frequently hauling cargo.

For a winter saddle, the only requirement that I might have would be that it is not leather. I know some of the Italian saddles are still leather. If you don't have fenders, then perhaps also without the hole, but that wouldn't be as important with fenders.

I'd start with selecting your tires (and hub above), then build your bike around that. I'm not a big fan of 26" tires, but for your conditions, I'd certainly consider either 26" or 29" studded tires. Then, once that decision is made, start looking for a bike to build around your wheels & drive train.

There is a big long thread somewhere about drop-bar conversions of vintage MTBs. It might be worth browsing.

I found a well used Titanium Litespeed frame that I built my winter bike around. I just love the care-free Titanium in the winter.

I don't have cut seatstays on any of my bikes, so no belts. There are some builders that will do aftermarket mods for belt drives, but for the most part, if you choose an internal hub with a belt drive, then you need a frame designed for that.

Likewise, the choice of a fully enclosed chaincase might direct your search for a frame and drive.

My chain gets a lot of rain sand and grime in the winter. As mentioned, I haven't gone to belt drive, and chew through a couple of chains during a winter, and beat on the cassettes too.

Canuckophile

Hi,

A couple questions:

1. Which cyclocross bike are you fellows recommending for winter riding?

2. Which bike that can use a full chainguard / chaincase are you recommending?

Thank you

wipekitty

Just a few opinions on tires and gearing

In my experience, what works best depends on the kinds of conditions one is likely to encounter while riding. For days when there is a good chance of ice, I prefer to have studded tires. For scraped but unsalted streets (hard snowpack) and chunky ice (during freeze/thaw cycles), I prefer wide and heavily studded tires. For uncleared snow of more than about an inch, studs will do little; here, wider is better. Slush is just bad news, and I try my best to avoid it. For light snow, post-thaw sand, and winter stuff above freezing, I have a different bike that has narrow cyclocross tires.

I agree with the suggestion that a bike with multiple gears is helpful, especially for navigating multiple conditions. Conditions to gearing, from low to high, tends to go as follows for me: snow or slush < chunky ice < hard snowpack < dry < glare ice.

That said, I recently converted my winter rig to a single speed, mainly because I do not have the motivation or facilities to clean the salt off the derailleurs on a regular basis. My gearing strategy is to go with the lowest one that will allow me to ride in the conditions I encounter - which in my case is quite low, since I encounter snow and chunky ice.

jrbz

Hi Canuckophile,
I'll tell you how I've been commuting for the last 24 years in the mountains of northern BC.

I use old rigid fork mountain bikes, still pretty easy to find in this neck of the woods. I used to use thumb shifters but in the last 14 years I've been converting them to drop bars and using bar end shifters. These are the best for riding in heavy goretex mits. Very difficult to shift trigger shifters or road bike brifters with mits on.

Studded tires for sure. I've been through 4 sets and have settled on Nokian Extremes ~300 studs. They're heavy, slow and noisy but they have lasted really well and have kept me from going down on glare ice in traffic which is why I bought studded tires in the first place. It only took once. Besides when you get back on your summer bike you feel like a rocket

Fenders, Yes. Easier on you and easier on the bike, helps keep that sticky warm snow from building up in gears and derailleurs.

Gears, Yes. I have some big hills to deal with but even on the flat the difference between pavement or ice and 15cm of new snow is huge, expect to drop down 2 or 3 gears anyway. Speaking of which your winter riding is going to be slower, sometimes lots and sometimes just a little, so be sure and give yourself extra time to get to work.

Pedals, I use spd dual platform pedal with Sidi Diablo shoes down to -20C then I switch over to felt packs. I see 45North makes some heavy duty spd boots now but haven't seen a pair.

Dress for the conditions but always carry a balaclava.

Lights, I use two 4Modes 3000LM CREE XM-L2 LED Front Bike Headlight Bicycle Lamp+6400mAh+Taillight . They're cheap, rechargeable and bright. I use two because they give no warning when they will cut out and I like to have the second one right there ready to turn on. Someone recently gave me a https://lumoshelmet.co/ and I love it. A little heavy but worth it.

Riding in the snow is hard on chains. Make sure you clean and lube at least once a week and check for chain stretch at the same time. Otherwise you'll go through both chains and gears.

I'm actually retired now, but I still ride to town 2 or 3 times a week. It's a hard habit to break

Hope that helps. Good Luck, J

Canuckophile

Hi fellows,

I spoke to two local bike shops that are very good. Both of them stated that IGH and disc brakes will freeze-up in cold weather and do not recommend them.

I find this strange as fat bikes are using disc brakes!

So what is going on here?

Thank you,

Canuckophile

1989Pre 

Your posterior regions are going to be cold and hard enough. Even though the Flow is a nice saddle, do yourself a favor and get one of the gel saddles from Serfas. The Reactive Gel is a good choice.
With the Topeak FX/RX pair of fenders, you won't have to worry about ice caking up in between your brake calipers, tires and fender, but on the downside, in the extreme cold, anything plastic like that can snap in half.
If you want some gears, the Cadent is half the price of the RXS.
You want pedals that allow you to bail if you hit a black ice patch. I use the Xpedo Spry. They're nice and wide and lots of (replaceable) rivets.
I do not use disc brakes. My bike stops fine.

Canuckophile

Hello fellows,

My local bike shop provided me with an itemized price quote for a winter commuter bike. Please take a look at it and provide any comments you have.

Thank you


BOMBTRACK ARISE M ORANGE

SWB WINTER KG RF 700x40W

Continental Top Contact Winter Contact 700 x 37mm

Evo pre-assembled fender set with extra long mud flap 700 x 32 to 40C (width: 45mm)

Truvativ, Hussefelt, Handlebar, Dia: 31.8mm, L: 700mm, Rise: 20mm, Black

Avid FR-5 Brake Lever Set Silver

EVO, Randy, Rear rack, without top plate, Adjustable sliders, Black

Shimano PD-M520 MTB SPD Black

bikemig 

I like the winter contact tire. It is very good for mixed conditions when there are some icy patches but when there is more snow on the ground nothing beats a studded tire.

I wouldn't pay real money for a winter bike. The bike will get beat up. I'd find a used vintage mtb with a rigid fork and modify it as needed (fenders, studded tires, lights, etc.). That won't cost you much and the bike will get beat up.

1989Pre 

You didn't say what kind of brakes you plan on using. You want ones that won't freeze up from caked-on slush that has been thrown up by your tires. I'm not sure I can advise you on this...I just wanted to mention it as important.
Full-sized fenders are your best bet, but I don't know what the EVO's look like.
700mm is a nice, wide bar that will give you good control. You'll need it at times, even if just to squirm your way out of deep snow.

Viich

I'm in Ottawa, I use an old giant hybrid with cantilever brakes and used ($25) schwalbe marathon winter tires. Last year I ran with 1x7 friction bar end shifting on narrow vintage drop bars. I had a second bike running single speed with a drum brake on the front, schwalbe cx pro 700x30 cross tires, also on drop bars - worked fine as well. That was an SE Bikes draft light frame I picked up cheap.

Basically, any bike can work if you can fit wide enough tires. I think the minimum I would run is the 30's.

Canuckophile

Good info, thank you

Viich

I just googled that bike you posted - I wouldn't bother switching the bars to a flat bar. Biggest things if you're going to winter-ride a bike that new and nice are:

• Fenders. Already your plan, but they do a wonder for keeping crud off your chainring(s)
• Wash the bike - or at least wipe it down. Clean the chain after any ride it's gotten water. Bring it inside if you can.
• Grease the crap out of anything you can. Inside BB housing, wheel bearings, even seatpost.
• Framesaver (or similar - boiled linseed oil, rustcheck, krown, something) before the winter if you do a steel bike.

I'd really recommend buying or using a beater bike you already have, making sure it fits pretty well (maybe a hair small for winter riding), and getting very good lights, clothes, and tires.

fietsbob

Mine: old Mountain bike, Drum brake hubs, Snow Cat Rims, Nokian Mount and Ground studded tires.
no studs down the center so fine when crossing bare pavement. (built up in 1990)

In a flat place, there are IGH /Drum brake Hubs.. rather than derailleurs to un clog..

and a combo Dynamo Drum brake Front to have lights when its dark without sweating cold battery reduced power , run times..

platform pedals with shoe rubber sole grabbing spikes..






....

Viich

And now one just came up on Kijiji....... crap, that's a nice bike. I don't need another one - someone else buy this to keep peace in my house

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-road-bike/ot...ike/1286229170

corrado33

That is an absolute lie. I've ridden my IGH down to -40 and it worked perfectly well. Many of us here have ridden IGHs in very cold weather. I don't know what sort of weather you'd expect there, but most people don't recommend going out if it's colder than that. I have no experience with disk brakes in the winter.