M Stone

What kind of bikes are you winter riders using?

I use a 1960 girls Meteor Flite (even though I am a man). My riding is mostly in the city.

I like it because the top tube doesn't get tangled in my legs when the ice is bringing me to the ground. It also has a coaster brake which doesn't freeze up like caliper brakes do.

The tires are 1.75" wide which are wide enough for winter riding, but more narrow than the typical 2.125" tire, so it is a bit easier to handle.

Best of all, it only cost $5.00, so I don't have to cry when I see the salt from the roads eating it up. I have heard of wome winter bicyclists using their expensive mountain bikes for winter commuting. This is hard to understand considering the damage that the salt does.

Q

I'm a retro grouch roadie. I own 2 bikes (I'm weaning myself...I used to own 4). My winter bike is a custom frame Assenmacher. I had it made for me by Matt Assenmacher (Schwartz Creek, Mi.) in 1976. I use the same tires--700 X 23 Contintal Grand Prix--that I use in the summer. The bike is a mixture of parts, using a Campy BB & Crank, with Ultegra STI shifters & brakes. My DeRosa Nuovo Classico is for summer use & good weather only.

cyclpsycho

I ride a Ciocc cyclecross bike. It has cantilever brakes so it allows me to put on fenders and 700x28c tires. In early winter I have a freewheel I had welded so it's a fixed gear. That keeps my legs moving (warm) and helps smooth out my pedaling, plus I can use it to help brake.

tonyr

I agree with M Stone. I have a Huffy mountain bike that I bought for $10. I found a plan for making studded tires at a site called ICEBIKE. They work great, too bad we hardly got any snow in Minnesota this year. When I see the abuse that my Huffy suffers there is no way that I would use one of my better bikes in snow.

afelig

I ride a GT Tequesta, ($20 at a police auction) converted to single speed, with canti brakes, flared drops, studded tires, and fenders with mudflaps. Wisconsin winters are ugly like my bike.

-Michael

MadCat

Last winter I rode a 1996 Fisher Marlin. I bought a studded tire for the front and a basic trail tire in the back. My cycling buddy Dave actually keeps his this road tires on all winter because they cut through the snow and somehow they don't slip on the ice. Winter riding is incredible in 6" of fresh powder. The best suggestion I can give anyone whose riding in the snow and ice it to keep your weight on the seat to maintain traction. Also, when the temperature drops to -20 degrees C, don't touch your u-lock with your bear hands.

afelig

When it's -20f, I try not to touch anything with my human hands either!

pat5319

I use an old schwinn double bar probably about a '52 with studded tires when it's icy or an old midline trek "sport" bike when it's not icy, w/cyclocross tires
If the snow is deep and jamming my gears is probable,then it's the Schwinn

Cambronne

Blessed as I am... I live in the southeast, where it rarely snows, I ride my dear old "Rainbike" all winter long. It's a ten year old Trek 7900 (alloy frame) hybrid, with mudguards, racks, and lights. Tires are Performance 700x35 kevlar, with slimed tubes. The bike now has some 62K miles on it, and looks it, too... scratches & dents, mismatched components, some stuff doesn't even work (rear derailleur adjuster barrel... smashed, headset... clickety-pop.)

Though we get no snow for years at a time, temps do drop to below zero F, and cold rain at 37 degF is a b*tch, no matter where one rides.

The upside is that the afternoon ride home is generally a pleasant 50 to 60 degrees, and December temps of 70 aren't that rare. (This means stuffing all of that cold weather gear into my backpack for the trip home...)

fantinelj

I live in NW Arkansas, where the temperatures in the last week have varied between 20 F and 53 F. I ride XC and I always get out at LEAST 4 times a week, usually more. Salt has never been a worry of mine since I am always on trails, so I ride my Trek 6500 year-round with no worries.

The only thing that I change on my bike for the cold is the amount of travel in my brake levers. I let them out some for the cold so I can keep them moving to keep them from icing up.

LittleBigMan

You have just described "moi." Spooky.

chewa

The same bike I use in the summer.

MichaelW

I ride an all-weather light-touring bike all the time. 28mm tyres + rack and fenders + lights, summer or winter.

Rich Clark

I ride the same bikes I ride all year. My "foul weather" bike, good for rain and slush, is a steel touring bike (Novara Randonee) with cyclocross tires (Avocet Cross K, 700x32c). It has fenders and front and rear racks.

I ride my Airborne Carpe Diem when it's dry.

I confess to skipping days when there's ice, or when it's raining and near freezing, but in the last couple of winters here in Philly that hasn't been much of an impediment.

Growing up, back in Chicago in the 50's and 60's, I rode an old JC Higgins cruiser with balloon tires. I pounded a bunch of roofing nails through the tires from the inside, and then lined the tires with a strip of old inner tube, and these were my studded tires. I could pretty much ride all year around thanks to that bike.

RichC

Road Warrior

I ride an old Raleigh mixte frame 12 speed. This is what I call my "beater bike" I only paid $125 for it. So it won't break my heart should something happen to it. Living in the confines of New York City you've got to have eyes in the back of your head! We've been quite lucky this season.There hasn't been the usual cold and snow. As a matter of fact we're on a drought alert -- even the rain has been minimal! Getting back to winter, even though I call the Raleigh my beater I take care to wipe it down as soon as I can after each ride especially after wet or slushy rides. If this weather prevails I'll be able to use my newest ride my C'dale R2000. I'm on vacation after 3/10/02. I'll also drag my husband who became a little lazy. We'll bring out the Mtb's .

blnhzmiller

I ride in Michigan, even in a couple of inches of snow. I have a Pacific Trail bike that I got at Target on clearance for $40. It was 75% off.

bikehard700

My prefered winter ride is a Vision Fitness HRC E 3600... I don't worry about salt on the road, or snow and ice hazards... And when the temps. creep above 40 F, I ride my tried and true Schwinn High Plains. I'm pretty sure the salt could not penatrate the muck and sludge already stuck to the bike.




I've done quite a bit of riding outdoors this year.:thumbup:

mike

Old single speeds are a good choice for winter riders. The classic look is always neat too.

These days, cheap, older style mountain bikes are becoming available on the used market.

For about $30 or with a close eye at the curbs on trash day, you can pick up a good winter commuter bike.

Of course, you need fenders too.

Freerider

I ride an old cheap purple colored supercyle which i bought at canadian tire for $109.99. It has no shox, back or front but its light and fun and easy to ride. Its better too use a cheaper old bike in the winter, then a better bike in the summer time.

chaz_cycles

I ride a Surly Cross Check which I have set upwith a flip hub so it can be a Fixed gear or Single speed. It has fenders and 38 tires. We don't have much of a winter here but I got to ride it in Alaska a few time last year and it was great fun. I have been lazy and still have not cleaned it.

KleinMp99

One of these

orguasch

I don't have a winter bike, but I have a good winter jacket, its very warm

pvt.Cowboy

A friend gave me an old Mongoose mountain bike(maybe 6-7 years old) that I ride in the rain. I switched the tires to specialized nimbus armadillos (awesome tires for this bike). No fenders, no racks, lots of rust (he lives outside). I switch my lights to this bike in the winter, gets dark here before 5pm in the winter. It has taken quite a punishment and so far nothing has needed replacing. In Seattle we get lotsa rain and cold temps... not much snow.

mechBgon

Generally, in icy/snowy conditions I'd take my XC mountain bike and my Niterider light system. If the snow's not too deep, I'll go off-roading.

Hunter

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