Show off your Snowy Commuting Build!
#1
Drip, Drip.
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Show off your Snowy Commuting Build!
Kudos to those of you who commute on their bike year round - rain shine or snow.
How are you guys equipped for the snow, and commuting in general? Fenders? What sort of tires? Where and how do you usually ride?
I find that I'm getting some really good traction in light soft snow, even with regular urban/road tires. Even once the snow gets deeper, as long as the snow isn't hard packed (from car tires or foot prints) or icy, its really not much of a problem.
I want to hear more about your experiences and how you fare during a snowy commute. How far you have to go and what sort of roads you take, etc.
What sort of tires you guys using?
How are you guys equipped for the snow, and commuting in general? Fenders? What sort of tires? Where and how do you usually ride?
I find that I'm getting some really good traction in light soft snow, even with regular urban/road tires. Even once the snow gets deeper, as long as the snow isn't hard packed (from car tires or foot prints) or icy, its really not much of a problem.
I want to hear more about your experiences and how you fare during a snowy commute. How far you have to go and what sort of roads you take, etc.
What sort of tires you guys using?
#2
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1997 Nishiki Blazer MTB, now with drop bars. Full fenders (SKS?) Suomi Nokian W106 studded snow tires 26x 1.75.
#3
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Right now this guy...
I am just riding on some serfras drifters and sks fenders. This is the first "real" snow of the year. for the last couple weeks I have drove to the trail head because I have had to drop off kids at school and its just to cold on the cargo bike for them. so now I am driving to trailhead after drop off and riding in that way. like 8-9 miles of to work that way..
Getting replaced by this guy. waiting on a seatpost and then I will switch over drive train.
I am just riding on some serfras drifters and sks fenders. This is the first "real" snow of the year. for the last couple weeks I have drove to the trail head because I have had to drop off kids at school and its just to cold on the cargo bike for them. so now I am driving to trailhead after drop off and riding in that way. like 8-9 miles of to work that way..
Getting replaced by this guy. waiting on a seatpost and then I will switch over drive train.
Last edited by sloppy12; 12-01-20 at 08:17 AM.
#4
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Old 1970s Schwinn Varsity frame, home-built wheelset with Sun CR18 rims and Sturmey Archer S3C hub. The only unsatisfactory thing is the handlebar, which will be replaced by a fully swept bar when I find one.
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#5
Mad bike riding scientist
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1998 Moots YBB. I find the front and rear suspension to be a real plus when it comes to control on deep snow but especially on packed snow where a rigid fork would just plow into soft spots. The suspension just glides over it.
Fenders are a SKS Shockboard up front and the rear is pieced together from various clip-on fenders that have been zip tied to the bike.
Tires are Kenda studs.
~2000 Dean. I just use knobbies on this one. It’s more for the dry snows that we get here and when I don’t want to deal with the weight of the studded tires.
Fenders are similar to the YBB.
Both bikes are completely Shimano free. Not that Shimano is bad but it’s nice to not have a monoculture.
Fenders are a SKS Shockboard up front and the rear is pieced together from various clip-on fenders that have been zip tied to the bike.
Tires are Kenda studs.
~2000 Dean. I just use knobbies on this one. It’s more for the dry snows that we get here and when I don’t want to deal with the weight of the studded tires.
Fenders are similar to the YBB.
Both bikes are completely Shimano free. Not that Shimano is bad but it’s nice to not have a monoculture.
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Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
#8
Mad bike riding scientist
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It works. Both ride just fine.
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Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
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#10
Tortoise Wins by a Hare!
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70's Schwinn Suburban with upgraded 700c wheels, 3 piece crank conversion and 1x6 MegaRange cassette freewheel drive system. Schwalbe Marathon studded tires.
Last edited by AlmostTrick; 12-18-20 at 01:42 PM. Reason: Freewheel, not cassette!
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#12
Mad bike riding scientist
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Rigid isn’t always better.
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Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
#13
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Here's my modified and thoroughly thrashed* Dahon Mu XL.
Most important mods: studded tires, rear roller brake, front & rear lights, titanium brake and chainring hardware.
This bike has over 12,000 miles on it, many acquired in normal commuting before it became my dedicated "winter" bike.
*check out the top of the seat tube and added "stays".
Waiting for the train after the ride from home.
Thawing out in the men's room at work.
Most important mods: studded tires, rear roller brake, front & rear lights, titanium brake and chainring hardware.
This bike has over 12,000 miles on it, many acquired in normal commuting before it became my dedicated "winter" bike.
*check out the top of the seat tube and added "stays".
Waiting for the train after the ride from home.
Thawing out in the men's room at work.
#14
Disco Infiltrator
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#17
Junior Member
Hello Cyccommute,
How is your suspension set up for this- "I find the front and rear suspension to be a real plus when it comes to control on deep snow but especially on packed snow where a rigid fork would just plow into soft spots. The suspension just glides over it."
Just wondering is suspension firm or soft? I ride snowmobile trails in winter (usually hard packed snow) and run into this plowing into the soft spots, Looks like another project.
Thanks for the insight.
Tom Palmer
Twin Lake, MI
How is your suspension set up for this- "I find the front and rear suspension to be a real plus when it comes to control on deep snow but especially on packed snow where a rigid fork would just plow into soft spots. The suspension just glides over it."
Just wondering is suspension firm or soft? I ride snowmobile trails in winter (usually hard packed snow) and run into this plowing into the soft spots, Looks like another project.
Thanks for the insight.
Tom Palmer
Twin Lake, MI
#18
Mad bike riding scientist
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Hello Cyccommute,
How is your suspension set up for this- "I find the front and rear suspension to be a real plus when it comes to control on deep snow but especially on packed snow where a rigid fork would just plow into soft spots. The suspension just glides over it."
Just wondering is suspension firm or soft? I ride snowmobile trails in winter (usually hard packed snow) and run into this plowing into the soft spots, Looks like another project.
Thanks for the insight.
Tom Palmer
Twin Lake, MI
How is your suspension set up for this- "I find the front and rear suspension to be a real plus when it comes to control on deep snow but especially on packed snow where a rigid fork would just plow into soft spots. The suspension just glides over it."
Just wondering is suspension firm or soft? I ride snowmobile trails in winter (usually hard packed snow) and run into this plowing into the soft spots, Looks like another project.
Thanks for the insight.
Tom Palmer
Twin Lake, MI
To be clear, the snow I’m talking about is snow on pavement. Snow on snow is a different kind of animal.
__________________
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
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#19
Junior Member
I can't post pictures, but count me in the Suomi W106 crowd. I settled on 700x35. They are on my most frequently used bike, a fixed gear Kilo WT. For a long time I made do with regular tires, but I had one too many encounters with black ice. I've stayed on two wheels ever since. Other mods include PDW Full Metal Fenders and a rear rack.
The roads are marginally maintained county roads. If I am feeling frisky, I might hop over to a nearby MUP to add a couple extra miles and see if its conditions are less treacherous than the roads
The roads are marginally maintained county roads. If I am feeling frisky, I might hop over to a nearby MUP to add a couple extra miles and see if its conditions are less treacherous than the roads
#20
Full Member
Here's my Winter ride. Got her yesterday - Jamis Commuter 1. Other than V-brakes and that 'stache handlebar, the bike's great for Winter. That's the first bike I've ever owned with fenders and I'm learning that having them on my bike does keep my wardrobe dry. For riders with V-brakes, what are your secrets for keeping the front brake from squeaking? I have to gently brake or else the dogs will be barking.
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#21
The Fat Guy In The Back
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I have two winter bikes.
The first is a 2002 Giant Boulder that I converted to a full-time winter bike in 2009. It has fenders, studded tires and bar mitts, along with rust on every non-aluminum part as the result of more than a decade of riding on salted roads. It was my only winter commuter until two winters ago. Now it only sees use on really icy days when I need the studded tires, and on crazy cold days (less than -10°F) where I do a split commute and ride to the bus stop, catch the bus for a few miles, then complete the ride to work.
The other winter bike is a 2019 Salsa Mukluk. My old winter bike is really showing its age, so I decided to give a fat bike a try. I added a rear fender, front splash guard and bar mitts. Since I got it I've wound up riding this bike about 95% of the time during the winter. No studded tires, but it does pretty good on the icy spots if I drop the tire pressure and ride with some common sense. It really handles the ruts in the snow made by cars well, which is something my other winter bike didn't do.
The first is a 2002 Giant Boulder that I converted to a full-time winter bike in 2009. It has fenders, studded tires and bar mitts, along with rust on every non-aluminum part as the result of more than a decade of riding on salted roads. It was my only winter commuter until two winters ago. Now it only sees use on really icy days when I need the studded tires, and on crazy cold days (less than -10°F) where I do a split commute and ride to the bus stop, catch the bus for a few miles, then complete the ride to work.
The other winter bike is a 2019 Salsa Mukluk. My old winter bike is really showing its age, so I decided to give a fat bike a try. I added a rear fender, front splash guard and bar mitts. Since I got it I've wound up riding this bike about 95% of the time during the winter. No studded tires, but it does pretty good on the icy spots if I drop the tire pressure and ride with some common sense. It really handles the ruts in the snow made by cars well, which is something my other winter bike didn't do.
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Visit me at the Tundra Man Workshop
Visit me at the Tundra Man Workshop
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