Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Winter Cycling
Reload this Page >

thinking about Early Spring Rides

Search
Notices
Winter Cycling Don't let snow and ice discourage you this winter. The key element to year-round cycling is proper attire! Check out this winter cycling forum to chat with other ice bike fanatics.

thinking about Early Spring Rides

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 03-04-22, 10:01 AM
  #1  
rumrunn6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
rumrunn6's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,680

Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0

Liked 3,710 Times in 2,397 Posts
thinking about Early Spring Rides

mud, lingering snow & ice, more light, more bird sounds, hooking up the hose again, leaving the bike out overnight, putting on the favorite tires, chucking some of the layers incl. the barmitts

what changes for you when we look forward?
rumrunn6 is offline  
Likes For rumrunn6:
Old 03-04-22, 11:45 AM
  #2  
_ForceD_
Sr Member on Sr bikes
 
_ForceD_'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Rhode Island (sometimes in SE Florida)
Posts: 2,500

Bikes: Several...from old junk to new all-carbon.

Liked 865 Times in 464 Posts
Originally Posted by rumrunn6
… leaving the bike out overnight,
I shudder at the thought.

Dan
_ForceD_ is offline  
Old 03-04-22, 12:25 PM
  #3  
rumrunn6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
rumrunn6's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,680

Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0

Liked 3,710 Times in 2,397 Posts
Originally Posted by _ForceD_
I shudder at the thought
hehe radical, I know
rumrunn6 is offline  
Old 03-04-22, 12:45 PM
  #4  
Hypno Toad
meh
 
Hypno Toad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Hopkins, MN
Posts: 4,727

Bikes: 23 Cutthroat, 21 CoMotion Java; 21 Bianchi Infinito; 15 Surly Pugsley; 11 Globe Daily; 09 Kona Dew Drop; 96 Mondonico

Liked 1,084 Times in 535 Posts
I'm looking forward to changing into bike gear being less than a 45 minute process:



OK this is extreme, I don't need to put on this much for more than a month or two each winter

I love when the roads dry out and all the bikes I've cleaned over the winter can get out for a ride, it'll only be another 6-8 weeks before we get there.
Hypno Toad is offline  
Likes For Hypno Toad:
Old 03-04-22, 01:40 PM
  #5  
rumrunn6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
rumrunn6's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,680

Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0

Liked 3,710 Times in 2,397 Posts
Originally Posted by Hypno Toad
it'll only be another 6-8 weeks before we get there.
rumrunn6 is offline  
Old 03-06-22, 09:07 AM
  #6  
Hypno Toad
meh
 
Hypno Toad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Hopkins, MN
Posts: 4,727

Bikes: 23 Cutthroat, 21 CoMotion Java; 21 Bianchi Infinito; 15 Surly Pugsley; 11 Globe Daily; 09 Kona Dew Drop; 96 Mondonico

Liked 1,084 Times in 535 Posts
Originally Posted by rumrunn6
Ok ... I might be exaggerating ... OTOH we got 4-6 inches fresh snow last night.
Hypno Toad is offline  
Likes For Hypno Toad:
Old 03-06-22, 05:54 PM
  #7  
rumrunn6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
rumrunn6's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,680

Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0

Liked 3,710 Times in 2,397 Posts
Originally Posted by Hypno Toad
Ok ... I might be exaggerating ... OTOH we got 4-6 inches fresh snow last night.
trust history

down around here we had a good melt & the "bike bunker" aka tarped, exterior, basement, bulkhead, steps & doors are visible again. wondering how long that will last & if I can start to remove some of the weather barricade I have set up inside, at the bottom of the basement steps. it's been rough bringing the bikes in/out thru the interior steps & up thru the kitchen & patio doors
rumrunn6 is offline  
Likes For rumrunn6:
Old 03-07-22, 04:46 PM
  #8  
ironwood
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Boston area
Posts: 2,035

Bikes: 1984 Bridgestone 400 1985Univega nouevo sport 650b conversion 1993b'stone RBT 1985 Schwinn Tempo

Liked 154 Times in 102 Posts
It's going to be a bad pothole season. Some of them are big, and new ones keep appearing after the road crews have patched some. Be careful around puddles, there might be a bomb crater under it.
ironwood is offline  
Likes For ironwood:
Old 03-09-22, 06:04 PM
  #9  
ZIPP2001
Life Is Good
 
ZIPP2001's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Central Massachusetts
Posts: 1,696

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

Liked 880 Times in 445 Posts
Can't wait to pull out a few of the road bike for some spring fun. Looking forward to some dirt trail riding and getting to break-in my new Orbea H30 full suspension.

Traditional road bike.

The carbon belt drive single speed.

The 1x10 road bike.

Last edited by ZIPP2001; 03-09-22 at 06:52 PM.
ZIPP2001 is offline  
Likes For ZIPP2001:
Old 03-09-22, 06:31 PM
  #10  
gecho
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,531

Bikes: 2009 Trek 520

Liked 168 Times in 131 Posts
This thread reminded me that I don't have any slicks for my touring bike. When I wore the last set out late in the summer I switched to gravel tires. Too big gravel tires that cause problems any time I encounter mud. Had to pull the rear wheel out mid-ride twice last fall. And that reminds me I broke a fender clip last year too which is still being held together with duct tape.
gecho is offline  
Likes For gecho:
Old 03-09-22, 09:13 PM
  #11  
Daniel4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Toronto
Posts: 3,501

Bikes: Sekine 1979 ten speed racer

Liked 639 Times in 437 Posts
Ice and thin layers of snow on the park trails but very clear on the streets. I just put together a camera mount on my Giant beater mountain bike so now I can stash my winter fat bike away.
Daniel4 is offline  
Likes For Daniel4:
Old 03-10-22, 06:22 AM
  #12  
MNBikeCommuter
Senior Member
 
MNBikeCommuter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 869

Bikes: Cannondale '92 T600 '95 H600 '01 RT1000

Liked 115 Times in 86 Posts
I got to take the road bike out yesterday for its third ride of 2022. It was 19F and a west wind at 15-30mph, but roads were dry as there was no melting going on.
MNBikeCommuter is offline  
Likes For MNBikeCommuter:
Old 03-10-22, 07:39 AM
  #13  
sloppy12
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 478
Liked 252 Times in 147 Posts
I was riding this morning and thought man I am taking these stupid studded tires off this weekend.

Next corner giant Ice slick in the road, and another and another. I swear every stupid puddle was ICE after I thought about taking them off. I guess I will wait another week...
sloppy12 is offline  
Likes For sloppy12:
Old 03-10-22, 10:26 AM
  #14  
rumrunn6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
rumrunn6's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,680

Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0

Liked 3,710 Times in 2,397 Posts
slipped & almost fell (but did not) twice this morning on magic ice in the parking lot. too bad my rubber boots don't have retractable skates. would have been safer on studded bike tires
rumrunn6 is offline  
Likes For rumrunn6:
Old 03-10-22, 10:27 AM
  #15  
rumrunn6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
rumrunn6's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,680

Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0

Liked 3,710 Times in 2,397 Posts
Originally Posted by ZIPP2001
Can't wait to pull out a few of the road bike for some spring fun. Looking forward to some dirt trail riding and getting to break-in my new Orbea H30 full suspension.
Traditional road bike.
The carbon belt drive single speed.
The 1x10 road bike.
the team awaits!
rumrunn6 is offline  
Likes For rumrunn6:
Old 03-17-22, 05:09 AM
  #16  
Noonievut
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 962
Liked 267 Times in 130 Posts
I was able to take my cross bike out on the roads for at least one ride a week this winter. I used Zwift when I couldn’t. I’m beyond the point of being able to follow my little avatar on the screen for group rides or races, so I binged some Netflix or Disney+ series while pedaling indoors, dreaming of spring. Happy to say my Zwift account expired, road bike is off the trainer and I had the official clean up of that area last night. 18C here today, bring it on!
Noonievut is offline  
Likes For Noonievut:
Old 03-17-22, 06:54 AM
  #17  
Hypno Toad
meh
 
Hypno Toad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Hopkins, MN
Posts: 4,727

Bikes: 23 Cutthroat, 21 CoMotion Java; 21 Bianchi Infinito; 15 Surly Pugsley; 11 Globe Daily; 09 Kona Dew Drop; 96 Mondonico

Liked 1,084 Times in 535 Posts
"spring riding" in Minneapolis ... AKA "hold onto your butts!"


It's been great getting out to ride with out 4" studded tires, but it brings some challenges in the places where the glaciers haven't receded yet. (edit/afterthought: and full fenders are a must in the melt season!)

Hypno Toad is offline  
Likes For Hypno Toad:
Old 03-17-22, 09:05 AM
  #18  
gecho
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,531

Bikes: 2009 Trek 520

Liked 168 Times in 131 Posts
Frozen slush is so much fun on a fat bike. I'm using my heated gloves more since I took my bar mitts off. Well I've been "using" them all winter, but turning them on more. Easier to have them on and not use the heat, then stop mid-ride to put them on. I made a new power controller so I can run both gloves off a single battery now.

gecho is offline  
Likes For gecho:
Old 03-17-22, 09:20 AM
  #19  
rumrunn6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
rumrunn6's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,680

Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0

Liked 3,710 Times in 2,397 Posts
Originally Posted by gecho
Frozen slush is so much fun on a fat bike. I'm using my heated gloves more since I took my bar mitts off. Well I've been "using" them all winter, but turning them on more. Easier to have them on and not use the heat, then stop mid-ride to put them on. I made a new power controller so I can run both gloves off a single battery now
I know unfrozen slush can be a real challenge for car tires. frozen slush sounds awful. I'd be tempted to cheat a little on those dry sidewalks, but I know any intersections could be killers
rumrunn6 is offline  
Old 03-17-22, 09:21 AM
  #20  
rumrunn6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
rumrunn6's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,680

Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0

Liked 3,710 Times in 2,397 Posts
Originally Posted by Hypno Toad
"spring riding" in Minneapolis ... AKA "hold onto your butts!"
It's been great getting out to ride with out 4" studded tires, but it brings some challenges in the places where the glaciers haven't receded yet. (edit/afterthought: and full fenders are a must in the melt season!)
glad to see you slow down, didn't want to watch a fall ...
rumrunn6 is offline  
Likes For rumrunn6:
Old 03-18-22, 09:34 AM
  #21  
gecho
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,531

Bikes: 2009 Trek 520

Liked 168 Times in 131 Posts
The side roads were a lot worse when I was out this morning. Less frozen slush and more ice, plus deep ruts filled with water. It will only get icier until the melt down is complete, so I'll park the fat bike and switch to the mountain bike. There are a lot of clear roads now, but with the fat bike I deliberately go looking for the snowiest ones.
gecho is offline  
Likes For gecho:
Old 03-18-22, 07:31 PM
  #22  
gecho
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,531

Bikes: 2009 Trek 520

Liked 168 Times in 131 Posts
One annoying thing about early spring rides is having to clean the drive train and disc brakes after every ride. Now that I'll be back on the mtb and encountering more "clear roads" ie: wet and full of residual mud / sand I'll have to use a chemical sprayer full of water after each ride to wash off the gunk.
gecho is offline  
Likes For gecho:
Old 03-19-22, 05:31 AM
  #23  
Noonievut
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 962
Liked 267 Times in 130 Posts
Originally Posted by gecho
One annoying thing about early spring rides is having to clean the drive train and disc brakes after every ride. Now that I'll be back on the mtb and encountering more "clear roads" ie: wet and full of residual mud / sand I'll have to use a chemical sprayer full of water after each ride to wash off the gunk.
Agreed! I love getting out in the spring because it’s a positive sign of things to come, but after about half the rides the first thing I do is get out the sprayer and give the bike a cleaning, which is often a shame because on the next ride it may get dirty all over again. But that total experience beats riding indoors, for me, every time
Noonievut is offline  
Likes For Noonievut:
Old 03-19-22, 05:07 PM
  #24  
gecho
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,531

Bikes: 2009 Trek 520

Liked 168 Times in 131 Posts
Ah, early spring rides. The city repoured the concrete for this underpass during the winter and it opened this week so I went to check it out. Didn't occur to me that the pavement on both ends wouldn't be finished yet.

The water to the left is a 1.5 foot deep hole which I rode straight into. At the bottom is thick mud that my tire buried itself into so the bike stayed upright on its own when I got off.

gecho is offline  
Likes For gecho:
Old 03-20-22, 07:31 AM
  #25  
Daniel4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Toronto
Posts: 3,501

Bikes: Sekine 1979 ten speed racer

Liked 639 Times in 437 Posts
Better be on the road by 11:32am EDT/ 10:32 am EST (15:32 GMT). What could be earlier than that for early spring?

Eid e Nowruz Mubarak

Last edited by Daniel4; 03-20-22 at 07:42 AM.
Daniel4 is offline  
Likes For Daniel4:


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.