General Cycling Discussion - Sympathy

(don't get mad, y'all. we southerners love to pester yankees...)

I just wanted to extend my sympathies (;)) to all y'all from the "Snowy Regions" for the interruption you have every year from your cycling each winter.

:eek:

(Now, here come the hornets...)

Ouch! I was only joking! :cry:

Snow never stopped my regular commuting all that much; usually even if there's 7-8" snowfall (around 19 cm), traffic plus, if the City can be bothered, snowplows will have cleared it enough by the third day so that cycling is feasible again. Meanwhile I'd just take the bus.

Of course if I were really diehard I'd ride through the snow, but I'm not that crazy about falling down. I tried it once and decided I didn't like it.

And I didn't send those hornets, honest! :D

Originally posted by Pete Clark

I just wanted to extend my sympathies (;)) to all y'all from the "Snowy Regions" for the interruption you have every year from your cycling each winter.


I'm sorry I can't talk right now. I'm feeling a bit verklempt...:cry:

Y'all just come South a bit. ;)

Really, Atlanta has been rebuilt since the 1860's! :D

My bandana I wear under my helmet is a rebel flag. I should fit right in!:D

Snow? What's that like?

Chris

It's wonderful. Pete's just jealous.

Thanks, Pete! (I think?!?)

Actually, the winter does have me a little worried, I have worked hard to get in the shape I am in, and I don't want to loose it! Last winter was pretty bad, snow and real cold weather, but the two previous years, I could have rode to work most of the winter! Hoping for another mild one!

With the temps in the 100's, the cooler weather might be welcome...but not the snow!

Seriously, you should see what happens when we do get snow around here! We have been "snowed in" by a whole inch before! Everything stopped!

Our excuse is, "Well, I know how to drive in the snow, but it's all those other idiots out there who don't! They might slide into me or something. Get me another brewski, hon."

A few flakes, and our favorite pastime is getting up early to watch the school closings post on the news while our kids squirm in excitement. "Did they say, 'Dekalb County, Dad?'"

Then again, we more often get the odd "ice storm." Sheets and sheets of ice, bringing down trees and power lines. Fun! Heating a modern two-story house by means of a single fireplace makes you feel like, "connected," you know, to Daniel Boone or something.

Three thoughts:
1) MTB chains
2) Trainer
3) Southern California

Another 3 thoughts: ;)
1) Nokian Extreme - W296 (http://www.enteract.com/~icebike/Equipment/nokian296.htm)
2) Snow Cat Rims (http://www.allweathersports.com/winter/snowcats.html)
3) Utah (http://www.utah.com)

Well, the first 35 years of my existance here on this orb were spent in Colorado, so driving in the snow is second nature to me! However, riding in the stuff is going to be new!

As I said, a typical winter around here will just mean putting on some extra clothes, and maybe getting a light for the bike. But, last winter, we had days on end of sub-zero weather, and lots of snow and blowing snow...hope it got all of that business out of it's system last year!

Another nice thing about living in an old house like ours, loosing electricity is just a minor inconvenience. We have a gas stove, and our gas furnace genreates it own elecricity, and I keep plenty of kerosene around for the lamps, so we actually get by just fine! How is that for a picture? Sitting around in the evening in the yellow glow of an oil lamp, waxing the frame of the Roubaix or the Paramount while a storm rages just outside the window! Actually sounds like a nice way to spend an evening...no elecronic noises, peace and harmony reign supreme!

I grew up in Illinois,the last year I lived there we had a cold winter(80-81). The temp was like -30F and the wind chill was -80F.A friend of mine who had moved to Texas the year before called me on the phone.He suggested I move to Texas,it took all of five minutes to decide.Two weeks later I was in Texas.I've been living in the south for 21 years now and the only way I would live up north would be in the summer.

Once you get used to it, the snow can open up whole new worlds. I don't ride in the snow, as some do, but get out my cross country skis. Skiing is a perfect complement to biking, plus it gives you an upper body workout. The change of seasons keeps you fresh for the different sports.

I don't envy you the ice storms though, that's a lot worse than snow.

Nebill,
Maybe you could put some nubby cyclocross tires on your Fuji for the snow. How wide do you think you can go? 28mm might be enough. Or better might be to dust off the hybrid and put the widest, nubbiest tires you can on it.
Regards,
Raymond

That's one of the best things about living in San Fran, you don't have to worry about snow. If I want to go snowboarding I drive a few hours to Tahoe, snowboard the whole weekend and then drive home, leaving the snow behind.

Joe Gardner - you ride SnowCats? You are indeed an addict. One more winter in Fairbanks and I would have broken down and got a set.

Ahh, cycling is just something to keep me busy when I can't ski. Then again, skiing is something to keep me busy when it's too nasty to ride….

DS, Not yet, one of the LBS guys has snowcats, i was able to ride them around the parking lot, the snow was crusty, but the guy told me they work great in the light utah powder. I thought about purchasing them, but i really dont ride in the winter that much.

I just want to try riding in the snow to see what it's like. I've ridden in everything else before, but never snow, so I'm curious.

Chris

HUH-kay...

Click:

www.icebike.com

(for the monster in you...)

Yesterday it hit 105 F mercury (40.56 C) - I fear think what the heat index was. We have both extremes here; freezing cold winters where the temps will drop to -20's F (-28.9 C).

Comparing extreme hot and extreme cold, I'm not sure which is better. Both are dangerous.

In any event, though, don't let winter stop you from biking now that you are in the groove.

Lugged mountain bike tires will get you through most snow. I usually get stuck when the snow is deep enough to reach the bottom bracket for some reason.

Other than that, It is bicycling all year round!

As a boy in 1930's Chicago Heights, my dad had two experiences:

1) Sleeping on the floor at night in the summer (no air conditioning)

2) Learning to accept wind chill factors of -50 deg. F in the winter

Now you tell me we are not soft in comparison.

I actually haven't used any air-conditioning now in about 18 months (at least, not at home anyway). I like it better that way, it helps me to adapt to what's going on outside (where I spend a lot of my time) better.

Chris

Hey guys/girls, no problem to ride in snow and you don't really need any special or wide tires most of the time. A narrow tire cuts through snow much easier than wide one and if your bike is "straight " you usually will have good enough balance. Once in a great while the conditions do demand a wide tire and very seldom (glare ice) studs. I went for 20 years without a car and it DOES snow here.
ride in the white
Pat

I shudder whenever I see anyone cycling in the snow. I fear for their safety and sanity. This because I know how difficult it is to stop a vehicle on snow and/or ice. I get VERY tense when driving near cyclists in snow.

For the unenlightened: C & F temperature scales meet at -40. This tells me that no matter how you look at it...-40 is bloody cold! Breathing is an issue at -40. If cycling in winter (even without snow) at -10C breathing is also an issue. I can expect -10 for most of October & November. Then it gets cold. Most of the winter here it's between -20 & -30 C.

I believe that I'll be maintaining my fitness level at the swimming pool. Yeah...the water gets stiff but that's just another challenge.

Cross Country Skiing is certainly an option (as I saw mentioned here in an earlier post by a fellow in Winterpeg) but it still means being out in cold weather. I'm not fond of cold weather. On the other hand, I'm not real fond of the idea of dying because I didn't maintain my health...so...we'll see!

Keep your powder dry!

Question: in the winter, when it snows and covers all landmarks, how can you tell where Canada stops and the US begins?

;)

Ok, I know its much easier for you Canadians... :D

The temperature drops 10deg.(F or C, you pick), except when we get visitors from the south, then we warm up! :D

I'm sorry folks, but I just have to make a comment here.

Sympathy is evil

Today is yet another perfect day (I've lost count of how many in a row we've had lately), and I don't want to miss it by wasting time feeling sorry for every other poor soul in the world! :D

There, I've said it now.

Chris