Snow and mechanicals
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: eagle point, oregon
Posts: 17
Bikes: commuter, road, cheap mtn.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Snow and mechanicals
Somebody may have asked about this before, but my limited searching abilities have found no mentions. Commuted home friday in a wet snowstorm, rare for these parts but somebody farther north or east must have encountered this. Half way home I noticed quite a lot of skipping, as though freewheel/freehub pawls weren't engaging. Made it to the house with so much crap hanging off my helmet mirror it wouldn't stay aligned. Turns out my cassette was so packed with frozen H2O that the chain wasn't engaging the sprocket teeth, just riding on top of them. Short of a fully enclosed drivetrain, anybody got any suggestions? Fenders do very little to protect the drivetrain, and my rear derailleur is new enough I don't think its a chain tension issue. Am I missing something?
#2
Super Biker
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Spokane WA
Posts: 1,183
Bikes: 2014 Curtlo, 2006 Serotta Coeur d’Acier, 2005 Independent Fabrication Steel Delux, 2003 Surly 1x1, 2003 Surly Cross Check, 1986 Schwin Worldsport SS commuter, 1980's Mongoose Supergoose
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Check out the recent thread Become a Mechanic in the Car Free forum... In short, the consensus seemed to be SS/fixed, or geared hubs are the best way to commute in the winter. Personally, I've found that going single speed has eliminated the problems that you describe, plus maintaining is easier.
#3
Sensible shoes.
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: St. Paul,MN
Posts: 8,798
Bikes: A few.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
When it gets gunky out, I just hose it down with WD-40. Really, dripping wet mess. No conversions or other huey, just a $1.99 can.
#4
Dances With Cars
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 10,527
Bikes: TBL Onyx Pro(ss converted), Pake SS (starting to look kinda pimped)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Love the WD-40.... makes a good after shave as well.
OR I make myself custom fenders that will address that issue, but this winter has been so lame that I haven't bothered.
Carry the can in your bag and you're good to go. The protective layer of filth and oil will keep you safe.
Back in day of real crap weather riding you might have to dis-mount, bounce your bike a couple times to shake it loose then continue on.
OR I make myself custom fenders that will address that issue, but this winter has been so lame that I haven't bothered.
Carry the can in your bag and you're good to go. The protective layer of filth and oil will keep you safe.
Back in day of real crap weather riding you might have to dis-mount, bounce your bike a couple times to shake it loose then continue on.
#5
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: eagle point, oregon
Posts: 17
Bikes: commuter, road, cheap mtn.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Hm, sounds positively filthy. But it has suggested to me that I take advantage of all the methanol I've got out in my shop. A WELL LABELLED water bottle of CH3OH ought to get me through the week's-worth of days in the season this might be a problem around here. Anybody got some actual experience with a Crud Claw?