Alt Bike Culture - Alt bikes for winter weather?

First post in this forum, as I'm not much of a mechanic. But I'd be interested in hearing the thoughts of people here about this. A co-worker and I were talking this morning about riding in the winter, and he suggested maybe the bike should be outfitted with runners or something to help it run in the snow. Kind of a pedal-powered sleigh. Anyone ever hear of anything like that?

There are a couple of them on the Unusual Human Powered Vehicles (http://webpages.charter.net/rcgilmore/Illustrations.htm#WinterSites) site.

Would love to make one, but I dont have a need unfortunately.

I thought this was a really innovative way to build a dedicated snow bike: http://www.m-gineering.nl/artic.htm
You know there's also a Winter cycling forum? You can bounce ideas around in there AND here.

This is what I Imagine when Winter riding is mentioned....
http://www.surlybikes.com/frames/images/Pug_main.jpg

http://www.surlybikes.com/frames/images/Pug_main.jpg

Or check this - http://www.hanebrink.net/etb/index.html

Or this, similar to the last one posted but 2-wheel drive
http://www.spicercycles.com/index.cgi?cat=33&sub_cat=Two-wheel%20drive%20bikes&prod_id=443&cat_desc=Two-Wheel%20Drive%20Bikes

I can't remember where on the net I found it, but there is a shot of a recumbent tadpole trike with ski's fitted in place of the front wheels and a chain or rope wrapped spirally around the rear wheel, the owner said it worked well.

Get a set of training wheels and put some little toy skiis on them.

Dude,
Have you been to any one of many IceBike or Icycycling pages? How about places that discuss the Idiasport? There are many folks that have come up with Alt-bikes for wintertime fun. It starts with Snow cats which are twin rims welded together, with the two inner rim edges ground off. This leaves a double width rim for a large MTB tire to be installed upon. That allows you to better "float" over snow instead of sinking. Usually rather low PSI is used and one side of the tire bead is screwed using sheetmetal screws to the rim so it doesn't spin on the rim.

Some use trikes with a ski in front. I'm sure their are many ideas out there I've not seen.

Winter riding is the bomb. Folks feel more sorry for you and the cagers are afraid to open their windows to yell as their afraid of losing their precious artificial heat.

Need links, I can send them if desired. Otherwise Google will get you there, I'm sure.

First post in this forum, as I'm not much of a mechanic. But I'd be interested in hearing the thoughts of people here about this. A co-worker and I were talking this morning about riding in the winter, and he suggested maybe the bike should be outfitted with runners or something to help it run in the snow. Kind of a pedal-powered sleigh. Anyone ever hear of anything like that?


There are many variations of that kind of an idea. None of them come close to a two wheeled bike with studded tires for working well. There is too much friction on the skis. The finished project often is too heavy. WHEELS...in snow and ice up to about 5" after that it's a lot of work and skis will not solve the problem unless you can generate about 30 hp. There are many more reasons they don't work but it gets complicated. See if ICEBIKE still has the website up.

It has been analyzed to death over years and years, The laws of physics still have not changed !

They do work downhill on a ski slope where you have gravity to help you out. If you are pedaling on a near flat or uphill you must have something that rolls.

If you really want to ride in snow and ice... Get a mountain bike with huge knobby studded tires, you don't need an expensive bike. Run low air pressure. You can ride on ice almost like it is pavement. If you want fenders,(you're OK without them, but sometimes you run across large puddles) make them high clearance like a Motocross motorcycle to keep snow from clogging up things. It's a lot of hard work in the snow but lots of fun. If the road is frozen over with lots of deep ruts from the cars (like a railroad track groove) you still should not ride in traffic, a rut may toss you sideways. If it is warm and the snow is sticky it is a lot of work too as the snow sticks to everything. Skis or runners will almost stop you in your tracks.

Entry level bike, Big studded knobbies, High clearance (or no) fenders.

I think the best type of winter bike s one with slicks, and going down an icy road during a Nor Easter, Now thats fun and scary at the same time. So is takign the same bike Ice drag racing.

I think the best type of winter bike s one with slicks, and going down an icy road during a Nor Easter, Now thats fun and scary at the same time. So is takign the same bike Ice drag racing.


:lol: True.....but in heavy traffic, at night, with no lights, while blindfolded !