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Winter Riding
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» Purple_Lee replied on Sat Jan 29, 2005 @ 5:20pm |
 Coolness: 238815 | Winter Cycle Commuting in Snow and Ice
Heavy snow, slick ice, and bitter cold can drive bike commuters to use public transit or into their cars. But there's hope! Here are some tips to keep you riding through the winter: Winterize Your Bike Biking in the snow and ice is hard on your bike. If you have a nice bike, we recommend storing it and picking up a beater (aka cheap bike) for winter commuting. You may also want to use cheap old-school components. Install Knobby or Studded Tires · In mild conditions you can use low-pressure knobby tires on both the front and rear wheels. · In severe conditions, winter tires with hardened steel spikes and a wide tread pattern will clear snow and increase traction on packed snow and ice. Basic studded tires have around 100 studs. More expensive models have up to 300 studs for better traction. · The key to control and traction is the front tire. So place a studded tire on the front wheel first before investing in a studded rear tire. · On my bike I have solid knobby tire (700 C X 38C) on the front with a knobby tire with a ride line in the back (700 C X 38C) Prepare the Frame and Components Snow, slush, salt, and sand can make short work out of a steel bicycle frame (another good reason to store your good bike for the winter and pick up a used one). · Touch-up and repaint all scratches and dings to retard the onset of rust. This is not necessary if you have an aluminum frame. · Repack your bearings. · The truly dedicated can wax the underside of the frame with basic car wax. This will resist snow and slush build-up. · Once a week give all drainage holes and the seat posthole a blast with WD-40. This can prevent water from freezing inside your frame. · Give most of your bike's moving parts a blast of WD-40. Products like WD-40 are great for loosening rusted, stuck, or stiff metal parts but are not ideal as a lubricant for bike chains and derailleur. WD-40 may also help to loosen brake cables, clipless pedals, cogs, freewheels, or other frozen parts. · Clean the chain set regularly. Expect your chain to take a beating over the winter and be prepared to retire it after a season. · Chain Lube Purple Extreme Lubricant is what I have been using and it rocks!!!!!! [ www.bike-rack.com ] · Carry a lighter and a small bottle of lock de-icier in case your brakes or moving components freeze-up. But be careful with the lighter so you don't melt any plastic or rubber parts. · During warm spells, wash your bike with hot water and let it dry before you take it out in the cold. (Bring the bike inside and give it a shower & rub it down) · Note bike should be dry before putting outside again Choose the Right Parts Brakes · Brake pads with curves in them scrub away mud, and work better than other brake pads in wet weather. · Most bikes have aluminum rims, although some have steel. Steel rims tend to ice-up and don't brake as well as aluminum. · After 5 winters on a bike & if you use V-Brakes then get eagle claws 2 [ www.koolstop.com ] These pads last forever!!!!!! Fenders · Close-fitting fenders can clog up with slush, ice, and snow and impede your progress. Fenders that clip on the down tube and seat post provide good protection and plenty of clearance. Make sure your fender on the front fallows the tire (fender attaches to fork & not to the frame of bike). For the back one make sure it is fully covering you from the spray (if not add a piece to extend the fender…plastic is the best to use). Lights and Reflectors · Short days and falling snow or rain can drastically limit a driver's visibility. Use a powerful, highly visible front light or flashing white LED. And at least two bright red flashing LED rear lights. · Most winter riders use two bright red flashing rear lights because batteries can fail in cold conditions. Winterize Yourself Once you've got your ride in order, take stock of your own gear for protection from cold, snow, and wind. · Watch the weather forecast, and factor in the natural wind chill and the chill that's generated by your riding speed. · Set a personal comfort zone or cut-off temperature. For example, if the weather drops below -15 degrees Celsius when it's windy or snowing, you may choose not to ride. If it's sunny and -25, you might opt to ride out. Body Protection Dress for maximum visibility. Bright colored garments accented with highly reflective tape are ideal. There are also a variety of personal flashing red LED lights that mount quickly and easily to the back of your helmet to add extra security. For truly foul weather, well-layered clothing is the easiest way to regulate body temperature and stay dry. Even though it may be very cold outside you will perspire if you are riding hard, so try not to overdress. In dressing you have to stop two things wetness & wind. If you have all these covered you should be fine. · A thin moisture-wicking layer against the skin moves perspiration away from your skin and keeps you dry. · Above your wicking layer, an insulating breathable layer like a midweight or heavyweight fleece is ideal. · As an outer layer we recommend a wind-deterrent jacket or shell. Some people even use old ski jackets! You'll probably also want shell pants. Warning: Your outer layers, attacked by road salt and slush, may get wrecked. Protect Your Extremities Cold extremities can turn a pleasant winter ride into an endurance-fest. Frostbitten toes and fingers can cause problems for years. So, to protect yourself, take care of your head, face, neck, eyes, hands, and feet. Head Not only does your head need to be safe, it needs to be warm. You'll need a helmet with adjustable pads that can accommodate headwear. Remember that cycling helmets must be replaced after a single impact. Toques, headbands, and cold water paddling caps work well under a helmet. Ear covers that attach to your helmet also chic and cozy. To keep your face and neck protected, use a balaclava, neck warmer, or scarf. Make sure you can breathe well through the material! Eyes Blade-style glasses or goggles will stop your eyes from watering (and eyelashes from freezing) and keep flying road grit out of your eyes. A must for year round biking (dark for day and coloured ones for night (yellow, clear and orange) Hands Any warm, windproof gloves will do. Lobster-claw-style cycling mitts offer maximum warmth without sacrificing dexterity. The ultimate in cold and wet weather hand protection are cycling pogies. Pogies (if you are really hardcore…but would not use it fro couriering) fit over your gloves, your bike's shifters, brake levers, and handlebars to completely seal out the elements. What ever gloves you pick has to fit well & not put pressure on the nerves in your hands…if after awhile your hands go numb then you know the gloves are no good) Feet Wet feet equal cold feet, and cold feet can lead to a cold body. Wet shoes also dry slowly, so at the end of a long workday, putting on your cold, wet shoes can dampen your enthusiasm for winter commuting. Here are some solutions: · Winter or Hiking Boots You can dust off winter boots or grab your hikers, slap them on, and ride to work – a great solution if you have a fairly short, low-intensity commute. For long distances or in busy traffic, bulky winter boots may not offer the performance and response you need to ride safely. · Plastic Bags An inexpensive and simple solution is to put a small plastic bag over your feet or inside your shoes. A great short-term fix if you get caught at work and the weather turns nasty. · Gore-Tex® socks A more sophisticated option that is warm, breathable, and waterproof, but still doesn't solve the problem of perpetually wet shoes. This is a must for any winter biking (frozen wet feet sucks!!!!!) · Booties Neoprene cycling booties are made to keep your feet as warm and dry as possible under bad conditions. Waterproof overbooties made of moisture-repellent packcloth keep your shoes and your feet dry and comfy. Remember, even with booties on, you'll need warm socks. · Gators covers the ankles & shines stops snow & water from getting into boot or shoe Riding Tips Winter conditions offer a unique set of challenges to the bicycle commuter. You must be a defensive cyclist and anticipate possible problems. Keep these tips in mind next time you head out in less than idyllic weather. · Choose your route to work based on the winter road conditions. If you are confident riding in traffic, busy streets tend to have the least amount of snow and ice. However, be aware of huge, tire-swallowing potholes, slush puddles, and snow banks. Also remember that snow-covered roads mean narrower thoroughfares. So be vigilant in busy traffic and never assume that drivers can see you. · Less traveled roads and bike paths are generally safer but can be covered with hard pack snow and ice. Riding on rutted ice and hard pack snow is extremely challenging. If you choose a route less traveled, plan to add more time to your commute so you can slow down and ride carefully. · Ride slow, steady, and smooth. Try not to make sudden emergency maneuvers. Keep your head up and anticipate the next turn when you will need to brake. Remember wet, slushy, roads mean reduced stopping power and extended braking distances. This also applies to cars in front and behind you. · You may want to pedal in the same low gear all winter (mostly used gears are 4,5,6 in the second ring. In slushy and/or snowy conditions your cogs may get gummed up – your gears can skip or freeze in place. If you’re frozen in low you can still pedal in most terrain. When it is snowing getting into your higher gears will not work due to the snow buildup near your frame · If you start to loose control, aim for a snow bank. It will still hurt when you run into it, but it beats sliding helplessly into an intersection or a parked car. · Modulation in your petal stroke can get you past anything · Black ICE or any types of ice if you hit it do not try to turn off it. Just let your motion carry you forward. Relax your body & expect to bail off your bike if things start going wrong · Quick easy bail move…….put hand on front of the seat between your legs and push. You will clear your bike as it moves forward. This little move has saved my life a couple of times. Your bike can be replaces where as you can not Lee |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» cinderella_soul replied on Sat Jan 29, 2005 @ 8:46pm |
 Coolness: 56395 | Did you come up with all of those tips yourself? I learned some things. Thanks. Coool. |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» blop replied on Sat Jan 29, 2005 @ 8:51pm |
 Coolness: 200725 | shut UP. |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» Purple_Lee replied on Sat Jan 29, 2005 @ 8:57pm |
| Coolness: 238815 | yes from atricles & my own experince
Sharon ;) Lee |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» cinderella_soul replied on Sat Jan 29, 2005 @ 10:31pm |
| Coolness: 56395 | Awesome. Good for you! I want to bike more in the winter, since I can't rollerblade;(. I like how your tips are in sections. |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» IMDeadAlready replied on Sat Jan 29, 2005 @ 10:34pm |
 Coolness: 45820 | I'm posting for the sake of posting |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» blop replied on Sat Jan 29, 2005 @ 10:36pm |
| Coolness: 200725 | jackie? |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» Violence_Inc replied on Sun Jan 30, 2005 @ 5:13am |
 Coolness: 174285 | Goodbye technodium. This is a song for a crying dove. |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» PaT_ replied on Sun Jan 30, 2005 @ 12:26pm |
 Coolness: 116490 | shut up emo boi. |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» The_Deamon replied on Sun Jan 30, 2005 @ 5:08pm |
 Coolness: 49850 | yo, don't blast technodium people or whatnot. that shit ain't respectful.
As for you Ian, there's a reason i consider you amongs the most hardcore people that i know. I bike to work downtown in the summer, so i know how crazy it is out there. While i deal with it on a 25-50ish minute basis ( allez-retour) you deal wi5th it everyday, no matter what kind of temperature out there. |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» Purple_Lee replied on Sun Jan 30, 2005 @ 5:21pm |
| Coolness: 238815 | ya after 5 years on a bike i just dress for the weather & do nt job....soon Canada will once again get out of the ice box.
Lee |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» Purple_Lee replied on Sun Feb 6, 2005 @ 4:50pm |
| Coolness: 238815 | Cables: for this it is easy. There should be no cable shown. Straight hosing from brake to lever. This is so that you will never have frozen cables. Take it from me that is a bitch & it puts undo wear on your parts.
Get you bike lubbied up with grease that is made to work in cold weather. Disk brakes are idea for this type of thing. There is a catch to that mechanical disk brakes don't freeze, where as hydraulic ones do. If you want to improve you brake contact is make a cover from Tupper wear lids. Make sure they cover the top part of the disk. A fellow biker did that for his bike. Suspension forks: if you are using one during the winter you are throwing away you money. The reason is that salt eats away the material of the fork. The elsmers inside freeze or get hard & break. Spring will get rusted. So basically I am saying you are a dumbass if you are riding with one. Pedestrians: To start with I call the people around me when I am biking sheep. The reason is people really don't look where they are going. There is the head down syndrome when it is shit outside. Now really stupid people come out of area where they leave you hardly or no time @ all to react to there stupid appearance. Taxis: are you worst nightmare. They will cut you off to get there fair. I have been hit by cabs or had them cause me to crash. I see someone waving his or her hands in the air as I play in traffic I am on alert. I know somewhere there is a cab and it looking for its next fix...be aware of them. Don't fear the cars, but respect them If you don't see them, they cannot see you....so no hide & seek. Do & don't hesitate or you fuck it up. As they say " Do Or Die" Snow: There are different types of snow. The worst is that gray slug. It is like biking on lose sand @ timers. More friction means more work. The trick to riding the snow is knowing the balance on your bike. If you two are done with honeymoon you should know how to handle it. The front wheel is for steering (just making it clear...sorry way too many dealing with dumbass's). Now you steer with the front while surfing the snow with your back wheel (that is to say the back wheel is moving....just ..you know). The minute movements of you low body will keep you going along. I call this style of ride "surfing the snow with your ass” Just to warn you will have one hell of abs workout during this point (that is depend on time & distance). The easiest way I can say to find out of you have the right stuff is hit a parking lot after a snowstorm. Go play & see what & what not you can do. In heavy snow modulation in the low gears will get you past almost anything. If the snow banks are right size go fall in one (that is to say a soft one...ice hurts...u know) Remember to still drink water. Even if the heat is not there the work is. Potholes are you worst nightmare for they have teeth. Some of the potholes grow into craters. In a snowstorm remembering where they are in for most. Drivers: on the most case most drivers are okay. The problem is from time to time all of them get retard & forget how to drive. Just beware. Seen some drivers do some of the craziest things. Door prize: This is not what you think it is. This is what you call when you slam into a door of car that some fuck head opened without looking. This is very painful. The last one I had I slammed into a van's door...OUCH!!!! Now from a legal point of view the driver is liable until he or she exits the car. So if you get messed up they will pay. Trick is watch for heads though the windows as you come along. If you see a head swing left (north American) or left you have a good chance the person is getting out. Take your place in traffic if you really don't want this to happen to you. Just be aware.... Emotions: Never & I mean never ride your bike mad. That is a very good way to get your self hurt. Try to keep an emotional calmness. Believe me there is such thing as biker rage. I have had it happen to me a couple of times. A state of boiling rage with control slowly slipping away. I have chased down cars. Shit I even stop traffic one s on serbroke (a main road in downtown). Sun & heat: sunscreen works (I am red head remember & being lobster boy sucks!!!). Remember to always drink fluids. Cholate bars are not snack thing on bike rides. The best thing is fruit for it has the right sugars. Never ride on an empty stomach for you can cause your blood sugar to drop & that is no fun either. Just take care of your self & think about what you are putting into you. Drivers are fucking lazy when it comes to cleaning off their cars because of snow. I have seen cars with only the front done??? Oh I am sure they had the defrost on high too. If the weather is bad people turn into dangers stupid freaks!!!! The same rule applies to giving your self-time too...don't be a dumbass, but a safe one;) Now the worst weather for us bikers are when the temp is near or above freezing. You have what is called wet snow. This shit sucks for you get wet really fast. If your gear is not up to the challenge you will be found shivering on your bike @ the light. I have been in that state & that is right next to hyper themia & that is something no one wants. This also applies to when it rains. I will take snow over rain any day (well hot summer rain is wicked). Snow fall off you, where as rain just gets you wet. Lee |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» neoform replied on Sun Feb 6, 2005 @ 4:54pm |
 Coolness: 339860 | Originally posted by THE_DEAMON...
yo, don't blast technodium people or whatnot. that shit ain't respectful. As for you Ian, there's a reason i consider you amongs the most hardcore people that i know. I bike to work downtown in the summer, so i know how crazy it is out there. While i deal with it on a 25-50ish minute basis ( allez-retour) you deal wi5th it everyday, no matter what kind of temperature out there. umm did you just call Liam ... ian? |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» Purple_Lee replied on Sun Feb 6, 2005 @ 5:48pm |
| Coolness: 238815 | yup that he did;)
Lee |
| Good [+1]Toggle ReplyLink» cinderella_soul replied on Mon Feb 7, 2005 @ 1:03am |
| Coolness: 56395 | lol. rewind....
I read most of your post above and may I say that your writing on the topic of bikes, which I can find boring enough at times is interesting and a pleasure to read. Um, yes, that's a compliment. But I really did enjoy reading it....it has flava'. |
Winter Riding
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