Roody

We might have gotten a little snow during the storm today, but IMO it was just mushy hail. Anyway, it's about time to get ready for our winter carfree living. Personally, going into my 12th winter of bicycling, I prepare less and less every year. Mostly I just have to remember where I put stuff early last spring. But I'm glad to share tips and answer questions, and we have several other members who know even more than I do.

So post your questions, brags, gripes, or whatever related to winter cycling. I know it sounds intimidating if you've never tried it. Those of us who have gotten the hang of it will tell you that winter riding and walking can be a thrilling and beautiful experience.

Maxillius

I have done it and it can be a blast but if you're not paying attention to the weather report it can also be a major drag. My question: How do you deal with snow storms if it happens when you're at work?

jwarner

Some folks take bus fare. The stubborn just cuss and moan as we walk and ride along until we get home, vow to never ride a bike again, and end up doing the same thing the next day.

wolfchild

That has happened to me many times...I make myself as visible as possible and then ride my bike. One good thing about big snowstorms is that all the cars and traffic is moving very slow.

Maxillius

It's happened to me too. By the time I left work 5 inches of wet and nasty was down and I could barely move. And it was dark, and to top it off, the batteries in my lights were failing. That was one of the least fun nights I ever had. Right up there with the rainstorm I was riding in and I looked up to see a pair of Ford truck headlights at an odd angle and close-up.

B. Carfree

Winter's my favorite time to ride because, well, we don't have winter here.

The fact that we don't have cold temperatures, ice or snow doesn't stop locals from whining about the weather. I guess it's all relative.

Roody

Yes, it's all relative. In Atlanta the entire region is paralyzed by one or two inches of snow. Where I live in southern Michigan, it takes over a foot to close businesses. Up north in Michigan it might take more than two feet.

I think this shows that continuing activities in winter weather requires you to be aware of what's possible. "Bad weather" is a matter of perception and habituation than anything else.

Ekdog

Indeed! People here stop cycling in droves every time we get a few drops of rain.

Walter S

True. It also points out that where temps are very cold, you find people prepared for real cold temps (duh) and where temps are not real cold, you don't find that. Not a big surprise. The reason two inches cripples Atlanta is that they are not nearly as prepared with equipment and readiness for clearing the roads.

Last winter I went on a business trip to Kansas City, where it went well into the sub-zero temps. I was amazed at all the equipment on the road immediately clearing the snow while it was storming at night. And then at the (Embarq) offices I went to the next day, they had little snow plows riding around in the office parking lot all day keeping the snow clear. I found it all amazing to watch. Snow plow infrastructure out the wazoo.

Me, I would find it difficult to ride my bicycle in the snow given the tires I've got. Since there was snow on the ground for only about a week last year and I have mass-transit options I'm not sure it's worthwhile to prepare for that.

Maxillius

That's annoying. Here in Michigan they don't even think about getting the plows out unless it snows 3 inches and even then they wait until it's all down before doing anything. Well, the freeways are kept clear but most places only bring out the other truck if there's 6+ inches.

Independent plow drivers are usually much better at clearing for their customers than the state, county and city drivers (not their fault, they can't go out until they're told to).

enigmaT120

Did you already forget last winter? Kookobura was riding around in 8 degree F. weather, and I think you guys got some snow too. I had 18" but I don't think it went below 14 degrees F. at my place. But yeah, mostly we just have to put up with the psychological torture that is riding in the rain. Supposed to start up next week.

B. Carfree

Our two little snow episodes were treats because they are so rare. I've never heard the city so quiet as those ten days with snow on the ground in December when our temperatures dipped below zero F. It was glorious for it to visit, but I wouldn't want to live with it like people do elsewhere; I'm just not that tough.

gerv 

Glad for this thread. I was out in the garage sizing up my winter commuter, wondering if I could fit a front derailleur this year.

But I first have to inspect the components. Nothing like a rear derailleur packing it in on a snowy road and the only cog available is the little one.

Cyclosaurus

If this winter in Chicago is as bad as last winter, I just might be able to convince the wife to let me N+1 with a fat bike.

El Cid

After a couple winters on a bicycle, I can say that two things are paramount: The right clothes and the right tires, in that order. I don't care what winter throws at me, as long as I'm dressed for it. If the morning starts out mild, I'll carry extra stuff in case I need it on the way home. Better to have it and not need it.

Last winter was my first with the Surly Krampus. Those 29" x 3" Knards look beffy, but the suck pretty bad in snow. I've seen plenty of threads on winter tires, and I'm going to take a chance on a new one -- the Nicotine. I did a google search for reviews and came up empty, except for one guy who rode the non-studded version in summer. But 45north has enough good products that I'll take a chance on this tire.

People here will point out lots of other good considerations, but I would say clothes and tires are the top two. After that, have fun! The worst that can happen is that you fall in front of a car, and the car can't stop. But once you get past your fear of a painful death, winter riding can actually be enjoyable.

Machka 

Tip 1. Visit the Winter Cycling Forum for lots of tips on a whole range of aspects of winter cycling

Winter Cycling

Roody

Some people feel free to post pictures of their bike tours on the LCF forum instead of the touring forum. If that's acceptable, I think it's also OK to have a thread about winter cycling here rather than on the Winter subforum.

We have a slightly different slant on cycling on LCF than they do on some of the other forums, wouldn't you agree? Our needs and experiences can be a little different, although some overlap is inevitable.

I do agree that the Winter Cycling forum is a great resource, and I do visit it at times, and used to post there regularly.

Jaywalk3r

Tires are like clothes for your bike. Just as you need to have different kinds of clothing for your body to adapt to different weather conditions, you should have different types of tires available for different weather conditions. I guess in that way, year-round commuting in locations with wintery weather is a lot like cyclocross!

A second bike with winter weather appropriate tires is another option, but it doesn't really take long to swap a pair of tires on a familiar bike.

wipekitty

I, for one, love winter riding! I like the snow and the cold air, as well as having the streets all to myself. The extra challenge of winter riding is kind of exciting...I've never done mountain biking, but I guess I see why people like it. When I see other winter cyclists, I wave and they wave back; I feel like we are all friends. Just gotta get through November...then the real fun begins!

I couldn't agree more. Here's some LCF winter cycling content...

The biggest challenge I've had, as a car-free winter cyclist, is not from fun rides or even commuting...it's the errands that involve going in hot places and then back out in the cold. I had a good scare last winter after going in a store for a few minutes, spewing out sweat, and then having to ride a couple miles home in below 0F temperatures. This winter, I'm a bit more prepared: I'm hoping that the jacket with giant vents and a bunch of wool will help me stay cool without having to strip every time I enter a building.

I'm also curious to see how my trailer does in the snow and ice. Worst case, I'll just have to haul on the plowed streets and people will have to deal with it. People around here think it's nuts to ride in the winter, so they generally leave me alone.

Roody

I couldn't agree more. Studded tires are enormously useful for winter riding in snowy regions.

However, it is possible to do a lot of winter riding without special equipment or gear. There will be times when you can't ride and places you can't go without winter gear. But there is still a lot of riding that can be done in the nicer winter weather and on cleared surfaces.

For example, I live a short distance from a major street that is first priority to be hauled. I can walk a bike to the corner, and from there I can ride on all the main streets just a few hours after a major snow storm, without special gear. The plowed road intersects with the city bike trail system, which is also plowed very soon after a storm. All this means that I can ride most places, but not all places, soon after a winter storm, without special tires.

I didn't have studded tires for my first couple seasons, until a kind BF member sent me a free pair. I just used a mountain bike with knobby tires. I fell down some, but a snow bank is a good place to fall!

Jaywalk3r

Absolutely.

Last year was my first winter with studded snow tires. I was glad to have them, as we had unusual amounts of snow and ice. There were several days where getting out would have been impossible without studded tires, except on foot.

In previous winters, it was pretty unusual for me to not be able to get out, even on my regular tires, though some days required a lot of extra time and planning. The studded tires would have helped!

Jim from Boston

I have a pristine carbon fiber bike and a good, but beater mountain bike. In December, the carbon fiber bike comes out of service, and studded tires go on the mountain bike for the entire winter. I have Schwalbe Marathons and they ride well on dry pavement, and are excellent for ice, hardpack, and new snow up to about three inches on my well-tended roads for my commute. The studs are stll good after about six years of service on mostly wet and dry roads. As a commuter, it's too much of a hassle to change tires for daily road conditions.

I enjoy winter riding for the usual benefits of cycling, but I am particualrly motivated by that perennial workplace question, "You didn't ride your bike today, did you?."

Jim from Boston

Once when I was preparing to ride in a bad snowstorm, my wife chided me, "You just want to ride today to write about it on Bike Forums!."

Fortunately though, since we have cycle-toured extensively, she does understand cycling.

Jim from Boston

My winter cycling guru, tsl of Rochester, NY posted about a particularly traumatic episode when that happened to him:

Jaywalk3r

I can ride my Nokians (no one had studded Marathons in stock when I was ready to buy) on dry pavement as well, but the fact is that it's much more enjoyable to ride my non-studded Marathons in such conditions. For me, it's easily worth the half hour required to swap tires when weather conditions are forecast to change. I will admit, however, when my schedule is busy, I'll leave the Nokians on unless there's a few consecutive precipitation free days in the forecast.