Fifty Plus (50+) - Plowing through snow and mud - over 50!

Okay, today it was gorgeous, and my wife and I planned a ride on some dirt/gravel trails.

While she attended an appointment for an hour, I went exploring on those trails with my mtn bike.

What a ball!

Thick mud, wet snow - a real blast to get through.

I met her after her appointment, but by then I knew she would not appreciate plowing through mud and snow, so we went elsewhere to a beautiful state park and rode the cement trails!

Darn! :D

Even someone 50+ (well, actually 65) can enjoy mud popping and snow blasting.

Sounds like you had a good day! Oh to be back out West again.

'bent Brian

It was 11 degrees here in KY at mid morning, but sun was out . Snow yesterday, about inch or so, but roads were clear for most part. Some slush and wet but no ice. Mile 8 stopped to have a drink, mile 11 Oh-No FLAT (which thread was that on flats in wet pavement?) Decided to call lovely wife to pick me up (was already close to finish - 4-5 miles or so). While I was waiting, figured to get another sip of water but water bottle was froze shut. Had trouble cleaning off the salt, as water froze before i could wipe it down. BUT - All in All - a BEAUTIFUL DAY! BTW- really enjoyed looking at the faces of those who passed me (before the flat). Got quite a few thumbs up!

Denvr Fox,

Had a nice but short ride this morning after snow and 10 degree temperature. Yesterday was a shorter ride since the slush and ice just pushed me around all over the road. Still Had a great time on both occassions. It I had it to do over again, I would go while still dark that way I could see the cars coming from a longer distance and I could get off the road.

I just finished fixing the flat. NO Cuts, Punctures, Etc, looks like it just formed a small pinhole at a seam. Guess I oughta replace the tube? BTW-= carry 80 psi since I bought it -LBS said this was recommended pressure for road - even though its a touring bike. I just noticed on sidewall tire says pump it at 60 psi.
Guess fatigue set in.

Hate to say it but at this time of year, Mud is the norm for our bike rides. Luckily, I have a bike that can cope with it, much to the annoyance of the rest of my group. Wet mud is not a problem, that just slips off the bike as soon as it gets on. Unfortunately, for the others in my group, there is a kind of dryer mud that blocks the treads in the tyres, holds onto the tyre expanding the tyre until it gets rubbed off on the frame, but does not leave the frame either so acts as a very effective brake. That makes mud riding extrememly hard work, and as you also have no grip, it is time to get off and carry the bike. Pushing the bike does not work as you just collect more mud.

The answer is to use a narrower tyre that will push through the mud to the firm ground underneath, and as it is a narrower tyre, the mud does not get out to the frame before Gravity makes it fall off. On the Snow side, we haven't had any in the S.E. corner of britain for about 3 or 4 years, and the only generrally accepted advice on riding in it, is to avoid the Yellow snow, Particularly if it is spelt into a name.