Winter Riding

"Jeff" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Howdy.

I'm seeking advice on riding in winter (with snow, ice, etc). I'm

planning

Quoted message said:

on heading back to school in the fall (18 years after getting my BCSc)

and,

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

for 95% of the commute. But there is always some snow, sand, and salt,

left

Quoted message said:

on the road.

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

words

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

store. Might do that anyways as my road bike doesn't really (and

shouldn't)

Quoted message said:

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..

Here's a webpage in case you haven't seen it yet. users.rcn.comicebikeOpen ↗

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" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Howdy.

I'm seeking advice on riding in winter (with snow, ice, etc). I'm

planning

Quoted message said:

on heading back to school in the fall (18 years after getting my BCSc)

and,

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

for 95% of the commute. But there is always some snow, sand, and salt,

left

Quoted message said:

on the road.

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

words

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

store. Might do that anyways as my road bike doesn't really (and

shouldn't)

Quoted message said:

support panniers.

TIA.

Wed, 9 Jul 2003 21:02:02 -0500, <[email hidden]>, "Jeff"
<[email hidden]> wrote about Winnipeg winter:

Quoted message said:

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.

edmontonbicyclecommuters.cacontent.cgiOpen ↗
--
zk

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.
😠

I used to do an 11 mile one way commute in Michigan all through the winter. I got by on just using
wide road tires. Generally they kept the roads clear of snow. I did go down a few times on ice
though. I think all the cases were just above freezing and the ice was really slick and not very
visible. I never did try a mountain bike so they could well give better performance on
ice.

Now Winnepeg is a whole 'nother matter. For me, cycling got a bit marginal at about 15 degrees
farenheit because of the wind chill. Besides at that point I could shift over to cross country
skiing (but not for commuting).

In article said:

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

"Jeff" wrote t...

Quoted message said:

Howdy.

I'm seeking advice on riding in winter (with snow, ice, etc). I'm

planning

Quoted message said:

on heading back to school in the fall (18 years after getting my BCSc)

and,

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

for 95% of the commute. But there is always some snow, sand, and salt,

left

Quoted message said:

on the road.

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

words

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

store. Might do that anyways as my road bike doesn't really (and

shouldn't)

Quoted message said:

support panniers.

TIA.

I've spent the last two winters commuting under some fairly rigorous conditions, so here goes:

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

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.

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.

4. Nokian makes excellent studded bicycle tires in a wide range of sizes and stud patterns. They
will save you a few crashes, and the money you spend on the tires will be off set by fewer ruined
clothes in said crashes, and fewer injuries.

5. Even with good clothing, temperatures around 0 F were very hard for me to deal with. A few days
of 0 deg F and I was just drained, to the point where I ended up taking the bus or (horrors!)
driving just to let my body recover. It will be interesting to see what your personal limit turns
out to be. Good luck,
--
mark

"Jeff" <[email hidden]> 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?
[email hidden]

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.

"mark" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:Z5kPa.40423

Quoted message said:

1. A mountain bike does seem to work better for commuting, although a

tourer

Quoted message said:

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.

Quoted message said:

2. Messenger bags are nice- easier to ride a bike with than a backpack,

but

Quoted message said:

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.

Quoted message said:

3. Lights are crucial- the new LED blinkie lights are best. Get at least

one

Quoted message said:

taillight on the bike, and clip a few more on your seat bag, messenger

bag,

Quoted message said:

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

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.

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: thehappyscrapbooker.comthehappyscrapbooker.comOpen ↗

"Bran" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:qfOMuGrZTFdc-pn2-eg97JOZf0fZX@merlin...

Quoted message said:

"Jeff" <[email hidden]> 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

Quoted message said:

-> on heading back to school in the fall (18 years after getting my BCSc)

and,

Quoted message said:

-> 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?
[email hidden]

Zoot Katz said:

Wed, 9 Jul 2003 21:02:02 -0500, <[email hidden]>, "Jeff"
<[email hidden]> wrote about Winnipeg winter:

Quoted message said:

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.

edmontonbicyclecommuters.cacontent.cgiOpen ↗
--
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!! ;-}

Thu said:

Quoted message said:

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

\szip

Quoted message said:

Next stop after all, is the Arctic.

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

Quoted message said:

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.

Quoted message said:

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

Drew Cutter said:

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.

Kryponite sells a lock accessory set that includes a lockable seatpost binder and lockable skewers.

Barry

Zoot Katz said:

Thu said:

Quoted message said:

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

\szip

Quoted message said:

Next stop after all, is the Arctic.

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

Quoted message said:

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.

Lol!

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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.

You mean when the "Red Sea" appears?

Quoted message said:

But it's a great place for cycling.

No problem with hills...

Quoted message said:

I didn't have a winter bike so I rode when the weather was dry, or rather, too cold to snow.

It's hard to go outside and play when it's 50 below, though.

Bernie

Jeff said:

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

"Paul Ricklefs" <[email hidden]> 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?
[email hidden]

Bran said:

"Paul Ricklefs" <[email hidden]> 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