Winter Cycling - What kind of bike do you ride in winter?

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SamHouston
01-07-05, 12:55 PM
I use my winter fixed which this year I'm calling my furry beast. It's a 2000 urbanite that has some serious usage already so if it gets me through this winter I'll be happy, it should too, still quite sound and I chisel or wipe it down each night as needed. here's a pic of it I posted over in the SS/fixed forums
http://www.under-the-weather.ca/WinterFur/pic1.jpg
It'll go through anything at all with no problems although in this pic it was about 40 pounds heavier than normal after a 5-6 hour ride. Took me half an hour to get it all off well enough to bring it in for the night. But I love her steel simplicity
nick burns
01-07-05, 01:08 PM
Nice pic.
What kinda tires you got on it?
Simplebiker
01-07-05, 02:57 PM
The last two winters I used my Giant Cypress DX for commuting. In fact I used it year round. Last year I bought some studded tires for it. They came in handy a couple of days, but for the most part, I just hung it up when the snow was not cleared from the multi-use trail I have to use on my commute.
I recently switched to using my Specialized sirrus for commuting. It will be used year round, but if and when it snows signficantly, I might slap the studded tires back on my Giant and give it a go.
Dahon Matrix folding. Ride to work 12 miles in the am; Metro in the pm. I have a 1985 Stumpjumper that would make an excellent winter bike for non-folding days. Perhaps I'll take her out of retirement.
SamHouston
01-08-05, 08:18 AM
Nice pic.
What kinda tires you got on it?
Those are Maxxis Catagorie Hors 23's road slicks. Just the only new tires I had sitting around when I ut the winter bike together, They flat too easily for my day to day riding as they are intended to be road racing tires. I'll be replacing them soon with something as thin but with a touch of tread.
Here I am after coming home from work last week in WI. I'm lucky, I've got a very short commute and I can wear my work clothes on the trip.
I'm riding a 1960's Firestone steel frame w/ SA 3sp hub. Steel fenders painted black. I think it might have been built by Schwinn as it's got nicely welded tubing. $9.00 Wal-mart front tire (w/ reflective stripe). I need to get another one for the rear. Paid $3.00 for the bike. Headlight is a flashlight zipped to the bars. I've got a nice Specialized Globe 7 for the summer ride.
This bike would be perfect if it was a coaster brake. I've had to use "Flintstone braking" several times in melting slush when the rims get really wet!
Pat
Daily Commute
01-08-05, 03:08 PM
PatLuc, you may get the prize for most cost-efficient commuter bike. The bike itself is cool in a dweeby kind of way (that's a compliment).
cristoff
01-08-05, 03:35 PM
I use my winter fixed which this year I'm calling my furry beast. It's a 2000 urbanite that has some serious usage already so if it gets me through this winter I'll be happy, it should too, still quite sound and I chisel or wipe it down each night as needed. here's a pic of it I posted over in the SS/fixed forums
http://www.under-the-weather.ca/WinterFur/pic1.jpg
It'll go through anything at all with no problems although in this pic it was about 40 pounds heavier than normal after a 5-6 hour ride. Took me half an hour to get it all off well enough to bring it in for the night. But I love her steel simplicity
Hey sam looks like a front fender would help alot. Keep on mushing.
jerrryhazard
01-08-05, 09:36 PM
I can't believe I nerded out and made a "real" commuter bike - that is a bike I probably wont ride anywhere else at all... 94 Kona (my second mountain bike), cracked and re-welded top tube, covered in sticker because I'm just too lazy to strip factory paint, rack, and now has fenders. If I ever have a commute that is level, or close to it, It'll go fixed. Found my Tange 'big forks' on an online estate sale listing.
Seeing that firestone bike reminds that I saw pretty cool bike at an antique store not long ago, a "sears" bike, but it was all chrome plated. They want way too much for it though...
spidercyclist
01-09-05, 09:11 PM
I use two bike for winter . The first bike is my monocog
with studded tires and fenders . The second is my full suspesion with fenders . They get me out and a about in the winter weather . Have a Good nite .
This winter it's a fixed Falcon road conversion with a carbon fork and *GASP* a front brake! 700x25c Gatorskins...
I ride one of two bikes, both are old steel one is an old Peugeot, the other an old Schwinn World Tour. This is their third season in my care. With the ice that is out there, I have my fixed gear wheel set mounted with Nokians, an 18t or 20t flipping it over. One of the fixies is set up with a 46 engagement ring, the other 48t. Come summer these bikes get a break, cleaned up and put away till winter. This winter I have a couple project bikes, one the GT track frame, and two Cannondales, I also have my Cannondale SS, the head set needs replacing.
bostontrevor
01-10-05, 12:08 PM
What kind of bike don't I ride in the winter?
On nice days it's still my 47/16 track bike. On wet but not freezing days it's my 42/17 fixed Fuji conversion with fenders. Both with 700x23 slicks. On snowy or icey days (the best kind!) it's my mb-2 (currently single speed but soon to be fixed once I get my tensionometer so I can get my wheels just so). Ritchey ExcaVader in the back and WTB Velociraptor up front. What's good in the mud is good in the snow.
Mountain bike for trails (yes that is fairly unsuprising) and a cross bike for the city.
trekkie820
01-19-05, 08:23 AM
Right now it's a fixed road bike conversion, minus any brakes, with exposed Nashbar 6061 drop bars. Last night my gloves froze to the bars. It has a fat 700x32 slick on the back and a thinner 28 on the front.
cristoff
01-19-05, 09:32 AM
I ride a 5 year old Raliegh serengheti that I got on my fourtieth birthday with clipless welgo pedals and nokian mount and grounds.Tires are now worth more than the bike. Tough bike, it survived a crash down ten feet into a dry creekbed no problem, can't say the same for the rider.It has a cromoly frame and I find very manuverable.I have an old nishiki I found in the trash and pieced it together with another ten speed also found in the trash.Painted it ,new cables,brake pads, drop bars and new tires. I use this one till the bad weather hits.I really like reading threads where people fix and repair and invent things.
darkmother
01-19-05, 10:07 AM
Urbanite Cro-mo touring frame with a flat bar, and V-brakes. 35c knobbie on the front, 38c slick hybrid tire on the rear. Plannet bike full fenders. Converted to 2 speed-front deraileur only shifts, rear as tensioner only. Works great. In the summer I go back to 8 speed cassette, and 28c slicks.
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