Winter Riding

[Jeff]

Howdy.

I'm seeking advice on riding in winter (with snow, ice, etc). I'm planning
on heading back to school in the fall (18 years after getting my BCSc) and,
money being tight, the daily commute will be bus or bike. I've yet to
ascertain whether there is a bike lockup at the relevant campus.

Winnipeg does a good job of snow removal on major roads, which would suffice
for 95% of the commute. But there is always some snow, sand, and salt, left
on the road.

Has anyone tried commuting under such conditions? If so, have you any words
of advice?

My primary bike is a road bike (Giant OCR3). If a mountain bike is more
appropriate, I could probably pick up an el-cheapo at a local sporting goods
store. Might do that anyways as my road bike doesn't really (and shouldn't)
support panniers.

TIA.

[S. Anderson]

"Jeff" > wrote in message
...
> Howdy.
>
> I'm seeking advice on riding in winter (with snow, ice, etc). I'm
planning
> on heading back to school in the fall (18 years after getting my BCSc)
and,
> money being tight, the daily commute will be bus or bike. I've yet to
> ascertain whether there is a bike lockup at the relevant campus.
>
> Winnipeg does a good job of snow removal on major roads, which would
suffice
> for 95% of the commute. But there is always some snow, sand, and salt,
left
> on the road.
>
> Has anyone tried commuting under such conditions? If so, have you any
words
> of advice?
>
> My primary bike is a road bike (Giant OCR3). If a mountain bike is more
> appropriate, I could probably pick up an el-cheapo at a local sporting
goods
> store. Might do that anyways as my road bike doesn't really (and
shouldn't)
> support panniers.
>
> TIA.
>

You're going to commute in Winterpeg?!?! Portage and Main, 15 below!?!
Good for you! My first word of advice is, don't use any bike you care
about! Salt will destroy its appearance very quickly. I'd pick up a
clunker..a used mountain bike or a cheapie at Sportchek or something. Maybe
consider some studded MTB tires for those days when you get 4" of snow
unexpectedly..maybe mixed with some ice pellets or freezing rain. Get some
real fenders too..they are a real help. They are quite underrated
IMHO..they keep a lot of gunk off your bike and off of you. And they're
cheap and pretty lightweight. Make sure you do all the right lube things on
your bike..grease the seatpost and stem, oil all the bolts while assembling
etc. Salt is really very bad on a bike..I've seen some bikes here in
Toronto...blecchh.

Good Luck,

Scott..

[M. Barbee]

Here's a webpage in case you haven't seen it yet.
http://users.rcn.com/icebike/

Last winter was my first winter riding and it was in Washington, DC, where
I'm sure the winters aren't as bad although this past winter was unusually
snowy, so I don't have a lot of experience at it. I road my Giant Cypress,
a cheap hybrid. I did change to tires that were a little more knobby for
part of the winter but part of my commute is on a path that isn't cleared so
when snow didn't melt completely and was able to freeze hard I couldn't
ride. I'll be looking into getting some studded tires before next winter.


"Jeff" > wrote in message
...
> Howdy.
>
> I'm seeking advice on riding in winter (with snow, ice, etc). I'm
planning
> on heading back to school in the fall (18 years after getting my BCSc)
and,
> money being tight, the daily commute will be bus or bike. I've yet to
> ascertain whether there is a bike lockup at the relevant campus.
>
> Winnipeg does a good job of snow removal on major roads, which would
suffice
> for 95% of the commute. But there is always some snow, sand, and salt,
left
> on the road.
>
> Has anyone tried commuting under such conditions? If so, have you any
words
> of advice?
>
> My primary bike is a road bike (Giant OCR3). If a mountain bike is more
> appropriate, I could probably pick up an el-cheapo at a local sporting
goods
> store. Might do that anyways as my road bike doesn't really (and
shouldn't)
> support panniers.
>
> TIA.
>
>

[Zoot Katz]

Wed, 9 Jul 2003 21:02:02 -0500, >,
"Jeff" > wrote about Winnipeg winter:

>Has anyone tried commuting under such conditions? If so, have you any words
>of advice?

Get a patch of sheepskin and stuff it in your shorts.

The Edmonton Bicycle Commuters have some good tips.

http://edmontonbicyclecommuters.ca/cgi-bin/content/content.cgi?action=winter
--
zk

[heater]

Brrr...

When I was in school, I rode my bike in the winter. First two years I
had a road bike with cyclo-cross tires and then a mountain bike for the
last two. Mostly the roads were plowed so the road bike was ok but it
was more fun on the mtn bike since I could take the unplowed paths and
have some fun in the snow.

I still rode on the coldest days (maybe -25 + windchill) because it
was colder but faster than walking. Not sure how long your commute
will be but make sure to wear lots of layers (which you probably
already know, being in Winnipeg but it is colder once you get on a
bike and start moving).

Also, I would imagine that any school would have lots of bike racks but
I hear that lots of bikes get stolen from them too. :mad:



--
>--------------------------<
Posted via cyclingforums.com
http://www.cyclingforums.com

[Paul Southworth]

In article >,
Jeff > wrote:
>Howdy.
>
>I'm seeking advice on riding in winter (with snow, ice, etc). I'm planning
>on heading back to school in the fall (18 years after getting my BCSc) and,
>money being tight, the daily commute will be bus or bike. I've yet to
>ascertain whether there is a bike lockup at the relevant campus.
>
>Winnipeg does a good job of snow removal on major roads, which would suffice
>for 95% of the commute. But there is always some snow, sand, and salt, left
>on the road.
>
>Has anyone tried commuting under such conditions? If so, have you any words
>of advice?
>
>My primary bike is a road bike (Giant OCR3). If a mountain bike is more
>appropriate, I could probably pick up an el-cheapo at a local sporting goods
>store. Might do that anyways as my road bike doesn't really (and shouldn't)
>support panniers.

Get the el-cheapo (I suggest finding a used one rather than a
department store POS) because regular commuting in salt will use
up the bike. Make sure the brakes work well - careful adjustment,
new cables, pads. Fat tires are a good idea.

I don't know what it's like in Winnipeg, but on many college campuses
even an OCR3 is too nice a bike to lock up on campus on due to theft
risk. I usually picked up $10 3-speed from a garage sale for the
purpose.

--Paul

[Drew Cutter]

Two more suggestion . Remove your (seat / post) while on campus and
learn how to properly secure your bike . I've seen to many bike locked
that would allow me to steal their wheels.

[Bran]

"Jeff" > spake thusly on or about Thu, 10
Jul 2003 02:02:02 UTC

-> I'm seeking advice on riding in winter (with snow, ice, etc). I'm planning
-> on heading back to school in the fall (18 years after getting my BCSc) and,
-> money being tight, the daily commute will be bus or bike. I've yet to
-> ascertain whether there is a bike lockup at the relevant campus.
->

well I have ridden the past two winters just west of you in Saskatoon. if
you live in this country you know how to stay warm trick is staying dry
while being warm. I am considering studed tyres this winter but my
superheat tyres handle everything but glare ice pretty well.

I had one fellow whip past me on a touring bike this past winter but I
prefer a mountain bike. the ice bike and edmonton links have been offered
up and they do cover most of what you need. I rode down to -38 this past
winter with no ill effects other than having a 12 month season and no
issues getting reaquanted to the saddle in the spring.


--
I hurt before the ride so fibro gives me a head
start on the rest of the pack. silver lining?

[Buck]

"mark" > wrote in message news:Z5kPa.40423

> 1. A mountain bike does seem to work better for commuting, although a
tourer
> works well, too.

I agree with this. The bike that sees the most commuting miles under my butt
these days is my rain/beater bike. It's an older rigid mountain bike with
slicks, full fenders, rear rack with a "trunk," and plenty of lighting. But
I am also known for riding a full-suspension mountain bike with slicks as my
primary commuting steed. The beater just can't match the comfort, but it is
a moot point on the roads I find myself riding these days.

> 2. Messenger bags are nice- easier to ride a bike with than a backpack,
but
> unlike panniers you can still take eveything with you when you lock up the
> bike on campus, at work, etc.

While I agree about the panniers, I have had less than stellar experiences
with messenger bags. If heat were a concern for you like it is for me in
Texas, I would recommend a cycling pack from Vaude (www.vaude.com).
Otherwise, you just can't match the carrying capacity or security of a good
backpack with a messenger bag. I'm sure they are fine for carrying papers
and whatnot, but when you throw in a bunch of books or a laptop computer,
the messenger bag just becomes to unwieldy for bicycle use. Messengers
really like messenger bags because the compartment is easily accessible
without removing the bag.


> 3. Lights are crucial- the new LED blinkie lights are best. Get at least
one
> taillight on the bike, and clip a few more on your seat bag, messenger
bag,
> or wherever else is convenient. The more powerful LED headlights are
> adequate for commuting (Cateye EL-300). I don't know what's available in
> Canada, but here in the US Wal-Mart sells lithium AA batteries, which work
> well in LED lights and last much longer in severe cold than alkaline
> batteries. They cost more than alkaline batteries, but the extra life span
> more than offsets the higher cost, and not having to change batteries all
> the time is nice.

I wholeheartedly agree. Lights are a must-have item.

As for dealing with the cold, It hasn't been a problem for me this far
south. I wish you the best of luck on that one.....

-Buck

[Jeff]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

As I mentioned in my prior post, I'm probably going back to school in
September. The "campus" is an adjunct (basically one building) right down
town (9 miles from home), so a good lock-up area is questionable. Basically
I have three concerns:
1. Good lockup.
2. The safety of riding in down town rush hour traffic (having returned to
Winnipeg after a decade absence, I find the local driving ability to be
pitiful).
3. The safety of riding in poor road conditions in down town rush hour
traffic. I have ridden in snow, albeit years ago, but that was in minimal
traffic.

So, we'll see what happens. Personally, I don't find the winters here to be
too cold. I've run outdoors here for the past two winters. I only found it
cold below -25C (-13F). I'd like to ride, but the bus may turn out to be
simpler.

[Paul Ricklefs]

I'm located here in Saskatoon as well, and it's good that there are some
other crazies that do the same thing. :) I enjoy winter riding (I haven't
done much of it, but plan on more) quite a bit, as it saves me about $100 a
month in fuel to an from work. Not to mention, I've dropped 50 lbs since I
started riding again a year ago. My daily commute sends me about 14 kms a
day.

I've got two bikes, one is a '02 Ironhorse hard tail (summer rider), and my
old winter-beater '92 Nishiki Navajo. I'm looking at studded tires for the
Nishiki, and will probably settle on manufactured ones, rather than
home-made style. I managed to ride down to -20 celcius this year, but I am
purchasing some proper clothing this fall to allow me to ride a little
colder. Looking forward to the challenge!

Safe riding!

--


Paul Ricklefs
Check out: http://thehappyscrapbooker.com

"Bran" > wrote in message
news:qfOMuGrZTFdc-pn2-eg97JOZf0fZX@merlin...
> "Jeff" > spake thusly on or about Thu, 10
> Jul 2003 02:02:02 UTC
>
> -> I'm seeking advice on riding in winter (with snow, ice, etc). I'm
planning
> -> on heading back to school in the fall (18 years after getting my BCSc)
and,
> -> money being tight, the daily commute will be bus or bike. I've yet to
> -> ascertain whether there is a bike lockup at the relevant campus.
> ->
>
> well I have ridden the past two winters just west of you in Saskatoon. if
> you live in this country you know how to stay warm trick is staying dry
> while being warm. I am considering studed tyres this winter but my
> superheat tyres handle everything but glare ice pretty well.
>
> I had one fellow whip past me on a touring bike this past winter but I
> prefer a mountain bike. the ice bike and edmonton links have been offered
> up and they do cover most of what you need. I rode down to -38 this past
> winter with no ill effects other than having a 12 month season and no
> issues getting reaquanted to the saddle in the spring.
>
>
> --
> I hurt before the ride so fibro gives me a head
> start on the rest of the pack. silver lining?
>
>

[Bernie]

Zoot Katz wrote:

> Wed, 9 Jul 2003 21:02:02 -0500, >,
> "Jeff" > wrote about Winnipeg winter:
>
> >Has anyone tried commuting under such conditions? If so, have you any words
> >of advice?
>
> Get a patch of sheepskin and stuff it in your shorts.
>
> The Edmonton Bicycle Commuters have some good tips.
>
> http://edmontonbicyclecommuters.ca/cgi-bin/content/content.cgi?action=winter
> --
> zk

You're on track there. When we sell (at work) products to heat protect valves
and related stuff and are unsure where the package will end up (hey, this
happens) we play it safe by specifying boxes, heaters, etc, built to "Edmonton
specs". It works. Next stop after all, is the Arctic.
I would expect Edmonton bike shorts to have more padding (by about one sheep)
than Vancouver bike shorts.
Best regards, Bernie
PS: the OP doesn't need "words or advice" - he needs words of encouragement!!
;-}

[Zoot Katz]

Thu, 10 Jul 2003 21:10:29 -0700, >, Bernie
> wrote:

>> Get a patch of sheepskin and stuff it in your shorts.
\szip
> Next stop after all, is the Arctic.

I always figured people who liked Montreal, would love Edmonton.

>I would expect Edmonton bike shorts to have more padding (by about one sheep)
>than Vancouver bike shorts.

Might help if you wore them backwards.

>Best regards, Bernie
>PS: the OP doesn't need "words or advice" - he needs words of encouragement!!
>;-}

He needs to survive a plague of mosquitos before worrying about frost
bite. Winnipeg winter snow isn't as bad as the slush and mud of
spring. But it's a great place for cycling. I didn't have a winter
bike so I rode when the weather was dry, or rather, too cold to snow.
--
zk

[Fritz M]

"Jeff" > wrote:

> 1. Good lockup.

Is there a possibility of just bringing the bike into the classroom with
you? Shake the slush and water off before bringing it in the building, and
perhaps use paper towels from the bathroom to keep the bike from dripping
all over the floor.

RFM
--
To reply, translate domain from l33+ 2p33|< to alpha.
4=a 0=o 3=e +=t

[Bran]

"Paul Ricklefs" > spake thusly on or about Fri, 11
Jul 2003 02:00:15 UTC

-> I'm looking at studded tires for the
-> Nishiki, and will probably settle on manufactured ones, rather than
-> home-made style.

Bike Dr. makes some in house that seem to be very functional. (and
significantly cheaper than the Nokians) My wife and son rode them this
past winter with great approval ratings. They were also selling off some
manifactured ones at $20 a tyre this spring that may still be around.

I find riding not only effective and tub reducing but faster; saving the
time warming and scraping as well as the hassles of parking put me at/in
city hospital 15 min ahead of an overnight guest who was driving.

Good luck on the winter commitement.

--
I hurt before the ride so fibro gives me a head
start on the rest of the pack. silver lining?

[Bob M]

On Fri, 11 Jul 2003 18:19:36 -0000, Bran >
wrote:

> "Paul Ricklefs" > spake thusly on or about Fri,
> 11 Jul 2003 02:00:15 UTC
>
> -> I'm looking at studded tires for the
> -> Nishiki, and will probably settle on manufactured ones, rather than
> -> home-made style.
>
> Bike Dr. makes some in house that seem to be very functional. (and
> significantly cheaper than the Nokians) My wife and son rode them this
> past winter with great approval ratings. They were also selling off some
> manifactured ones at $20 a tyre this spring that may still be around.
>
> I find riding not only effective and tub reducing but faster; saving the
> time warming and scraping as well as the hassles of parking put me at/in
> city hospital 15 min ahead of an overnight guest who was driving.
>
> Good luck on the winter commitement.
>

If you can afford the Nokians, they're good tires. I rode studded tires
this winter on my mountain bike, and the tires are great on the ice. The
studs look unused after a winter of riding 3 days/week.

--
Bob M in CT
Remove 'x.' to reply

[Bran]

Bob M > spake thusly on or about Fri, 11 Jul 2003
20:04:53 UTC

-> If you can afford the Nokians, they're good tires. I rode studded tires
-> this winter on my mountain bike, and the tires are great on the ice. The
-> studs look unused after a winter of riding 3 days/week.
->

as are these at 1/4 the price. nothing against nokians but my wife never
went down over the winter given freeze/thaw/freeze blizzard for the 10
months of our winter (slight exageration) 5 days a week commuting.

My son went down once trying to climb out of an icy rut but he is only 11
now and his skills are not that great yet. he rode the 5 days a week plus
some rides with me for fun.

I did not use studs and went down 4 times. once from leaning on a patch of
black ice and three times in the ruts. given I found excuses to go ride in
the blizzards I figure thats not bad for 2300 Km of winter riding.


--
I hurt before the ride so fibro gives me a head
start on the rest of the pack. silver lining?

[Jeff]

"Fritz M" +> wrote in message
...
> "Jeff" > wrote:
>
> > 1. Good lockup.
>
> Is there a possibility of just bringing the bike into the classroom with
> you? Shake the slush and water off before bringing it in the building,
and
> perhaps use paper towels from the bathroom to keep the bike from dripping
> all over the floor.

That is something I'm considering. I'll find out more on Wednesday when I
talk to the program coordinator. I'm hoping that they have a lockup in the
basement. As an alternative, the main campus is about a mile away, has a
good lockup area, and is connected by a free bus service. If the service
frequency is okay, it might serve.

[Paul Ricklefs]

I will definetly go there. I shop there regardless, but never thought to
ask about the tires. Thanks again.

--


Paul Ricklefs
Check out: http://thehappyscrapbooker.com

"Bran" > wrote in message
news:qfOMuGrZTFdc-pn2-kbhSbJGPO3td@merlin...
> "Paul Ricklefs" > spake thusly on or about Fri, 11
> Jul 2003 02:00:15 UTC
>
> -> I'm looking at studded tires for the
> -> Nishiki, and will probably settle on manufactured ones, rather than
> -> home-made style.
>
> Bike Dr. makes some in house that seem to be very functional. (and
> significantly cheaper than the Nokians) My wife and son rode them this
> past winter with great approval ratings. They were also selling off some
> manifactured ones at $20 a tyre this spring that may still be around.
>
> I find riding not only effective and tub reducing but faster; saving the
> time warming and scraping as well as the hassles of parking put me at/in
> city hospital 15 min ahead of an overnight guest who was driving.
>
> Good luck on the winter commitement.
>
> --
> I hurt before the ride so fibro gives me a head
> start on the rest of the pack. silver lining?
>
>

[Peter Cole]

"Bran" > wrote in message
news:qfOMuGrZTFdc-pn2-994QdKidNDO2@merlin...
> Bob M > spake thusly on or about Fri, 11 Jul 2003
> 20:04:53 UTC
>
> -> If you can afford the Nokians, they're good tires. I rode studded tires
> -> this winter on my mountain bike, and the tires are great on the ice. The
> -> studs look unused after a winter of riding 3 days/week.
> ->
>
> as are these at 1/4 the price. nothing against nokians but my wife never
> went down over the winter given freeze/thaw/freeze blizzard for the 10
> months of our winter (slight exageration) 5 days a week commuting.

The thing about Nokians is that they use tungsten carbide studs, so they last
a very long time. Cheaper tires often use hardened steel which wears out
pretty fast on pavement. Nokians are worth the $$ if you ride on the road a
lot.

[Bran]

"Peter Cole" > spake thusly on or about Sat, 12 Jul
2003 17:18:09 UTC

-> The thing about Nokians is that they use tungsten carbide studs, so they last
-> a very long time. Cheaper tires often use hardened steel which wears out
-> pretty fast on pavement. Nokians are worth the $$ if you ride on the road a
-> lot.

from what have seen the ones my lbs makes up are good for at least 4
seasons. at $80 a set cdn for 26" tyres the Nokians would need to last a
very long time to be a similar value.

I am sure that the Nokians have their place and that there they are worth
the price but I do not see typical commuting being that niche application.
that said what one wants and likes is what always makes the difference.

--
I hurt before the ride so fibro gives me a head
start on the rest of the pack. silver lining?