What is your winter bike?
#1
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Boston ma
Posts: 18
Bikes: EAI Bareknuckle 51:18 + Ibis Mojo "Handjob"
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
What is your winter bike?
As winter approaches I am wondering: for those who ride fixed the rest of the year, will you ride the same bike over the winter? Or will you ride a dedicated winter bike? Or will you swap out some parts for winter? If so, which ones? Is anybody adding brakes?
#2
Senior Member
Drop bars, 23c slicks, and clipless pedals is no way to roll in the ice and snow. I ride a hybrid with 40mm studded snows when the roads are slippery. If the roads are dry I stick to my normal fixed gear track bike.
Ride Safe,
Joe
Ride Safe,
Joe
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: PHL
Posts: 9,948
Bikes: Litespeed Catalyst, IRO Rob Roy, All City Big Block
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1332 Post(s)
Liked 398 Times
in
194 Posts
IRO Rob Roy single speed. 35mm knobby tires, canti brakes. Fun for hitting some trails and gravel paths, and perfect for cruising around town when the weather turns.
Likes For seau grateau:
Likes For phobus:
#5
Senior Member
My BMX fixie; it has 20x2.11 tires and is fixed at a moderate gearing. I've made sure that it's fully legal (just needs a front light when sun is down).
I plan to continue to do tricks in the winter. A perk with it being a BMX is that if I wipe out due to snow or ice, it would be much easier to bail from—the top bar being so low.
She may not be pretty looking, but she's certainly pretty handy!
I plan to continue to do tricks in the winter. A perk with it being a BMX is that if I wipe out due to snow or ice, it would be much easier to bail from—the top bar being so low.
She may not be pretty looking, but she's certainly pretty handy!
#6
I'm the anecdote.
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: S.E. Texas
Posts: 1,822
Bikes: '12 Schwinn, '13 Norco
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1110 Post(s)
Liked 1,176 Times
in
795 Posts
My version of winterizing my single speed was re-installing the chain guard. Just to keep my pants clean in the cool months. There's no real winter down here.
#7
working on my sandal tan
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: CID
Posts: 22,627
Bikes: 1991 Bianchi Eros, 1964 Armstrong, 1988 Diamondback Ascent, 1988 Bianchi Premio, 1987 Bianchi Sport SX, 1980s Raleigh mixte (hers), All-City Space Horse (hers)
Mentioned: 98 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3870 Post(s)
Liked 2,563 Times
in
1,577 Posts
Here's an old picture of mine at work. I put on studded tires in the winter, but I'm not very courageous when the snow gets deep or the roads get really icy, though.
Likes For ThermionicScott:
Likes For Notso_fastLane:
#9
Super-duper Genius
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Muskrat Springs, Utah
Posts: 1,713
Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 768 Post(s)
Liked 984 Times
in
508 Posts
@Notso_fastLane, That's a very cool ride! I live in West Point and have seen you on the roads, usually when you (and I) are on the way to work at HAFB.
Likes For Broctoon:
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,893
Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1062 Post(s)
Liked 665 Times
in
421 Posts
This summer, I decided to build a dedicated winter bike, so I could keep my nice bikes clean, and not have to fuss with tires every season. The idea is that this bike will live in my back yard behind the compost pile until the salt trucks come out, then will go back there after the spring rains wash the salt away. For my purposes, winter cycling is defined, not by snow but by salt.
The frame is a 1972 Schwinn Varsity. Sure, it's heavy, but I think it only adds a few pounds to the overall bike. The wheels are a series of lucky bargains: Sun CR18 rims on sale for 8 bucks apiece at Niagara Cycle, spokes from Dan's Comp, and a Shimano coaster hub that I got on eBay for a buck. Tires are studded Nokian. Everything else is from my bins. The chain is pre-rusted, from last winter on another bike.
I love the Ashtabula crank. Of course it's been surpassed by higher performance components, but it was an innovative solution to a complex problem when it was invented.
The frame is a 1972 Schwinn Varsity. Sure, it's heavy, but I think it only adds a few pounds to the overall bike. The wheels are a series of lucky bargains: Sun CR18 rims on sale for 8 bucks apiece at Niagara Cycle, spokes from Dan's Comp, and a Shimano coaster hub that I got on eBay for a buck. Tires are studded Nokian. Everything else is from my bins. The chain is pre-rusted, from last winter on another bike.
I love the Ashtabula crank. Of course it's been surpassed by higher performance components, but it was an innovative solution to a complex problem when it was invented.
Likes For Gresp15C:
#11
Clark W. Griswold
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 13,458
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4330 Post(s)
Liked 3,955 Times
in
2,644 Posts
I need to get fenders on this if I ride in the snow but this is my general slop machine if I am looking for single speed/fixed gear though my parts hybrid is my general winter bike as it has fenders on it.
Also as of note I fixed the bars from that ancient photo and swapped the tires to another set of Challenge Open Tubulars but those are 700x36 Gravel Grinders in black also now have the XT T8000 pedals on it currently because I did a little bikepacking on it and wanted to again ride clipless but had removed those XT pedals in for some plain old flats. Also the front bag from Swift Industries is pretty permanent.
Here is most of the specs aside from the changes listed above:
https://www.pedalroom.com/bike/fgss-...-machine-34058
Likes For veganbikes:
Likes For dvn_85:
Likes For Playinintraffic:
#14
Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Boston ma
Posts: 18
Bikes: EAI Bareknuckle 51:18 + Ibis Mojo "Handjob"
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Thanks everybody! Any of you deal with salt sand and mud? Are you washing your winter ride every day?
Likes For Playinintraffic:
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Layton, UT
Posts: 1,606
Bikes: 2011 Bent TW Elegance 2014 Carbon Strada Velomobile
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 626 Post(s)
Liked 701 Times
in
418 Posts
@Notso_fastLane, That's a very cool ride! I live in West Point and have seen you on the roads, usually when you (and I) are on the way to work at HAFB.
#16
Senior Member
Here is my winter ride. It has spike 40mm tires.
Perfect depth of snow
Perfect depth of snow
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,893
Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1062 Post(s)
Liked 665 Times
in
421 Posts
Mine just goes into the garage. However, I started doing something last winter. I fill a 2 gallon watering can from my garden, and keep it in the garage, to rinse off my bike if needed. That way, I don't have to fuss with the hose, which I have to shut off because the pipe freezes. Before winter, I coat the steel parts with a spray that leaves a waxy residue. I warn people not to touch my winter bike, if they want to stay clean.
#18
Senior Member
Love it. I need to post an updated picture of my bfssfg IRO Rob Roy, but it’s in pieces right now as I am performing a few upgrades.
Likes For mihlbach:
#19
Catastrophe Merchant
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Tideland
Posts: 256
Bikes: Keirin and a Steamroller
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 86 Post(s)
Liked 218 Times
in
58 Posts
I use a Surly Steamroller with big, studded tires all through winter and I truly love it. I sometimes forget how nifty it is to have a frame with such generous clearances—though every Autumn I am reminded again. The frame and studded tires allow me to remain nimble throughout the worst of the season, and I often find myself having a tremendous amount of fun out there
#22
^that guy^
No need to switch bikes for winter here.. only difference is... it's colder
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Middle Earth (aka IA)
Posts: 20,433
Bikes: A bunch of old bikes and a few new ones
Mentioned: 178 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5887 Post(s)
Liked 3,469 Times
in
2,079 Posts
That's a good looking winter bike. I'm going "upscale" this winter. I have a surly 1 x 1 frame and I just picked up a set of Avid BB7 disc brakes on a blow out. This will be my first "modern" bike build, .
Likes For bikemig:
#24
Senior Member
IRO Rob Roy dinglespeed with numerous recently added upgrades. Drive train is a White Industries 17;19t freewheel and 38;40t chainrings. That gives me a both a road/gravel gear (64gi) and a singletrack/snow gear (54 gi). Clip-on fenders will still fit in there with the 37mm WTB Riddler tires.
Last edited by mihlbach; 11-07-19 at 12:17 PM.
Likes For mihlbach:
#25
It's MY mountain
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Mt.Diablo
Posts: 10,001
Bikes: Klein, Merckx, Trek
Mentioned: 70 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4334 Post(s)
Liked 2,977 Times
in
1,614 Posts
It is my summer bike plus fenders and lights.