Comments on: Ten Reasons Why Bikes Are Better for Winter Commuting

By: roger levy

roger levy — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 02:12:23 +0000

I have completed forty winters in Rochester and still feel the novelty of what we winter riders do. It is, I suppose, like scuba diving. I am covered with ski goggles, two balaclavas, neoprene booties and so feel imprevious. At the same time, the danger is there like drowning, in that any exposed flesh can be frostbitten. I now restrict my rides to 20 degrees or above due to lung damage from the good old 60’s and 70’s : my body no longer can process that much dry air. It must be warmed and moistened upon reaching the lungs, to over-simplify things, and I then lose my voice or most of it for the next few hours.

By: cycloslug

cycloslug — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 23:35:10 +0000

I’m a year round commuter EXCEPT in the snow or ice. It’s the drivers I’m worried about. Drivers in Portland OR are crazy and reckless in the snow, and the danger to cyclists is high from out of control cars or vehicles not respecting lanes, especially bike lanes.

By: rocketman

rocketman — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 07:37:29 +0000

still great! i share this list with people. though i have to say i’ve used public transport for several weeks this winter with temperatures near or below 0 (F).

By: RocBike.com | The RocBike Review » A Vehicle for All Road Conditions

RocBike.com | The RocBike Review » A Vehicle for All Road Conditions — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:32:47 +0000

[...] I haven’t had those problems yet this winter on bike. And if I do, I make the point in my Ten Reasons Why Bikes Are Better for Winter Commuting that when the going gets tough on a bike, you can walk or carry it until you’re in the [...]

By: Rrohret

Rrohret — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 01:15:32 +0000

I commute in the winter but not in the snow. I see too many drivers out of control and that would easily wipe me out. Commuting while it is snowing or the plows are running is not for me. Common sense says that when its a snow day, then I drive myself. When the roads are free of ice/snow, then I go.

By: Tom H

Tom H — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 17:43:49 +0000

for riding in Canada at – 40 there are a few tips.

1. Where a full balaclava with a pair of ski goggles with a helmet (no face freeze).

2. Layers, fleece and windproofing. Long underwear (good ones) are vital.

3. Lobster mitts.

I ride most of the winter 6 ours north of the US border in Saskatchewan and never get cold doing the above

By: cheeze

cheeze — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 07:13:52 +0000

any advice for keeping warm in -40? damn canada is cold ~shivers~ or i’d totally be all for winter riding ~sigh~ lucky people in there warm climates. maybe i just need to toughen up

By: holodri

holodri — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 22:41:05 +0000

hi, i got this fender-studs problem too… was looking for a cyclocross/commuting style bike recently and had a hard time finding one. i ended up with 42mm tyre clearance which is pretty narrow but works with some noisy drawbacks.

By: Jack

Jack — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 01:59:22 +0000

Glad to see the comments piling up here. I’m now out in Oregon (Portland) after almost a week in Seattle. Lots of stuff to report about winter biking hereabouts – no snow on the ground, of course, yet far fewer cold-weather cyclists than I expected. I think Rochester and other Great Lakes communities are better situated for “bad weather” cycling than the locals imagine, and our numbers on the road year-round are very competitive. More later when I get back east. My best to all!

By: chi biker

chi biker — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 18:05:28 +0000

great post! i’m going to share this with all of my friends.

By: siouxgeonz

siouxgeonz — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 14:34:45 +0000

Alas, the studs wouldn’t fit under the fenders on the back of the Xtracycle, but I’d bought them with the intention of putting them on the Gazelle, anyway.
I *do* also keep the heat lower (and don’t need the shower as hot), and I keep that winter weight off in snot rockets.
Now for a little Christmas Eve Cruise on the Xtra with Christmas Tree…

By: Julie

Julie — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 01:37:12 +0000

I love this post (even though I’ve hardly gotten out in the snow yet!). This is motivation…as soon as I get my bike back from Full Moon with its brand new fenders and all tuned up and ready to go. I don’t see studded tires in my future, just yet, though…

By: Fritz

Fritz — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 20:57:04 +0000

SiouxGeonz got one of those Xtra’s, too.

By: Joey

Joey — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 16:15:07 +0000

the elusive Jason Crane pops in to plug the Xtracycle ;)

By: Jason

Jason — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 14:59:45 +0000

Just want to point out that you CAN carry passengers if you have an, um, what do they call those … oh yeah, an Xtracycle!

By: Siouxgeonz

Siouxgeonz — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 14:07:04 +0000

Another amen here, tho’ I’m a wimp … even with studded tyres I dab and walk here and there.

By: Fritz

Fritz — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 22:41:04 +0000

A great big “mega ditto” on the entire list. I’m in snow-free Santa Cruz, California now, but I’ve been there, done that.

By: Jack

Jack — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 18:27:45 +0000

I do use fenders when the studded tires are mounted; indeed, I use fenders all year round on every bike in my stable. Maybe I’m just old-fashioned, but I think serious all-weather biking demands fenders – unless you’re a masochist who likes that spray effect and brown stripe from helmet to keister. (In this regard, removable fenders can provide the best of both worlds – though some models are not as extensive and effective as the old variety.) But a good deal depends on the kind of studded tires you use. My new Nokians, like the Innovas I used to have, have the low-profile type of studs that are designed for commuting (i.e. not for ice racing or slaloms, etc.) and thus protrude no more than a few millimeters from the tread lugs. Because of this, they don’t even come close to interfering with decent clearance. My guess is, if you don’t have enough clearance for commuter-style studded tires, you don’t have adequate clearance, period. Anbd this is important, since you need space between tire and fender to shed mud, etc. (something that’s exceedingly important with mountain bikes used off-pavement but not inconsequential for other bikers). Plus, fenders tend to move around a bit and otherwise get out of perfect position, so if yours are too close to the tire to begin with, you’re going to be stopping to adjust them all the time, bending the stays this way and that, etc., etc., which adds up to mega-annoyance. So what to do? Sometimes there are ways to adjust the fenders to move them farther away from the tire tread; I’ve had to experiment with this kind of thing myself, especially with my Dahon, and usually to accommodate tires wider than the original/stock tires. You can also switch to different fenders, choosing a set that allows for appropriate adjustments. (Here I have to plead ignorance of just what’s on the market today. But I do know that there are many options out there, both “fixed” and removable.) In any case, if your bike frame was designed with adequate clearances, and you choose the right fender type and brand, and you spend a little time fine-tuning, things should work out okay.

By: Adam

Adam — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 21:14:02 +0000

I’ve been meaning to ask Jack: do you use fenders with your studded tires? My fender clearances are holding me back from the studs!

By: John

John — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:52:49 +0000

I hate it when I’m interupted while blogging at work. Here is the corrected version of the last part of above.

…..The cost of the tires need to be weighted, and a wait’n see what things look like after the holiday season is necessary. A couple of days in the 40’s usually clear all the places I ride of ice and snow. The expense and all the other things needed for a few extra days of riding may not be necessary.

We’ll see.

By: John

John — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:41:01 +0000

Decision time for me.
I have to take off my fenders to be able to install studded tires. Traditionally we don’t get much snow on the SouthCoast part of MA. The cost of the tires and see what’s up.

By: Levi

Levi — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 14:47:05 +0000

Great list! The only drawback is that you can’t really carry passengers. (Although that could be seen as another benefit, too!) ;)

By: Joey Mac

Joey Mac — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 02:13:39 +0000

I also like that both of the bikes in your picture are mine :)

By: Joey Mac

Joey Mac — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 02:12:51 +0000

A+ for Adam, all of these reasons are exactly why I don’t miss having a car anymore, even in the winter. I ride my bike past people every day with their car stuck in the snow or just digging themselves out from a pile of snow, and I have to resist the urge to point and laugh. Not because I am smug (although maybe a little) but because that used to be me, I am laughing at what a jackass I used to be to put up with such hassles to get somewhere. And people say we’re crazy for wanting to ride a bike. So far I have enjoyed every day of my snow commute, except for one day when I was facing the worst of a week-long cold and wasn’t in the mood to be doing anything. Other than that, it’s been smooth sailing.

By: Jack

Jack — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 01:17:01 +0000

Love it! And I’ll put in another good word for studded tires: I’ve used cheapies for several years and loved them, but the Nokians I now have are superb.