Originally Posted by
noglider
buzzman, you've broken chains? What do you weigh? The only chain I broke was when I was stoking on a tandem, and I understand it's not that unusual. Also, 9-speed and higher chains are more delicate, not only because of their slender dimensions but also because installing the pin is easy to do wrong.
I'm 6'3" and 190lb. Both times the chain broke it was well under 10 degrees with heavy snow that had gotten about 8- 10"s deep with a compressed layer of snow and ice under it. I wouldn't rule out a poorly installed link the second time it broke because the first time it broke I did a side of the road repair in challenging conditions.
Originally Posted by cyccomute
Studs aren't absolutely necessary. Skills are but not studs. I've ridden for 30+ winters without studded tires. That includes this little slice of "heaven"
Regarding studs: I rode through 30+ years of New England winters and never rode studded tires. But I have to admit every winter I'd have at least one good fall that kept me off the bike for a week or two while my bruised hip/knee/wrist/whatever healed up.
It was bike forums and my mountain biking brother in law that talked me into studs about 8 years ago. I love them now and can't imagine getting through this winter without them.
Tonight on my ride home there were two strong, fit, accomplished looking riders on bikes with no studs riding the bike path ahead of me. I struggled to keep pace with them as they moved along the paved part of the path but was curious to see how they would fare once it got to the gnarly ice packed sections. They shot through a couple of flat icy spots but then hit the dimpled icy packed snow and down went the foot of both riders and they came to a full stop, moved aside and waved me through.
I easily negotiated these sections and looked back later and saw one of them almost fall as they were crawling through stuff I flew through. I have okay MTB skills and above average road bike skills that have served me well but nothing beats studs on ice or packed snow.