So, I'm a commuting college student, and I'm living further from school this spring than I have in the past. That means cross-country ski's and walking aren't going to cut it. It's still only 7 miles one way, but the traffic is pretty dense and the snow plows take their jolly good time clearing the roads, so I want to change up my Trek 7900 (mid-90's) a bit to avoid dying on my way to class this winter. I'd like to make it an all-around city commuter/utility bike as well because I feel bad about how hard Spokane's roads are on my other frame ('83 610).

I'm going to do a drop conversion (just because) and make some studded tires for the winter. Other than a speedometer/racks/lights and such which it already has, any little things you guys suggest? I've already taken a look at the winter commute thread, but what's everyone's favorite way to waterproof/protect the frame? Do you guys suggest letting the bike thaw or should it be kept cold? Is it worth the hassle of a disk brake conversion down the road? Any other snippets of advice from the seasoned commuters out there?

Thanks in advance!

~Nick

Do you think drops will help you better than flat bars on snowy/icy stretches you sail across using only rear braking and front steering to avoid wiping out? I would switch from flat to wider flat rather than flat to drop for that scenario. Of course sailing down a narrow icy descent that people are trying to climb on the other half you might not want to be wider...

The biggest change that helped me in winter is switching to single-speed. It's not as consistently cold where I am as you get so maybe you won't get your derailers as consistently slushed up as I do. IGH would have the same advantage as SS I would think if your topography or prevailing winds aren't suited to SS.

Clipless pedals are not great if you are stepping down onto slush/snow either, hard to get your feet back in. Platforms and comfy boots are the way to go there. Which introduces its own set of challenges, keeping the laces out of the chain.

Thanks for the quick reply. No, the drop bars are just an all year round preference, and it's what I'm used to. Is stability that reduced with shorter bars?

Your clips comment is a good point. Should I even bother with straps? Seems like I'll probably end up wearing boots.

You can add Pogies easier on flat bars to keep your hands warm.

Rim brakes will suck in the snow, & heavy rain.
you have Looooong stopping distances, then..

My winter Icy-snowwy bike has Drum hub Brakes.. they can be retrofitted,
new wheels build, on rim brake bikes

You have to Buy a Disc brake Ready Frame to use disc brakes ..

IGH/Drum brakes a good combination..

falling over on the right side will damage RD, any time of year..

Good studded tires : Finland made Nokian..

Drops dont play well with many brake styles. Make sure you match the brake lever pull to your brake requirements.

I have a 4 season bike with the above mentioned IGH/drum brakes/fenders, the full fred monty. One thing about drops is that if you start to lose control of one end or the other of the bike your body isn't as well balanced to get a foot down as it would be if you were in a more upright position. In ice and snow I can tell a big difference between my townie bike and the trekking bike which is a drop to straight conversion on an old touring bike. And platform peddles for the above reasons also, last winter I had many reasons to need a foot down fast. Some of that may or may not have been due to my "skillz".

I'm sure I will get some heat for the above from the dedicated clipless and aero crowd, so your mileage may vary with your riding experience.

As for the pedals, that sounds like a perfect case for some one-sided SPD platforms, such as the Shimano M324. On days where it's not that bad out, you can wear your SPD shoes, otherwise you can use the platform side with boots. Love them on my fixed gear commuter, but I only deal with rain, not snow.

The change to drops is going to mean a new stem and new brifters. Alternative is stay with flats or add bar ends. Bar ends made a big difference for me.

Changing from rim brakes to disc is going to mean new wheels and either a new fork (front only is a reasonable middle ground) or some crazy custom welding for rear. At that point, especially if you're pushing for the drops, too, I think you're smarter looking at a whole new bike rather than a conversion.

If you're considering all that, then money isn't too tight. And I don't know how much you save by making your own studded tires, but I suggest that might be an area where you spend and get some good ones with carbide.

You didn't mention fenders, I think they're very important but my winters might be a little sloppier from less cold than yours.

Beyond that, I think the important stuff has been covered and the place to focus is on the kit on your body rather than much more on the bike.

To avoid that problem, I've relaced my drive-side shoes so that the knot is to the outside. I then double-knot it until there's no extra lace.

Oh baloney.

In seven years of winter cycling, the only year I had trouble was that first year when I did not use clipless. SPDs work great in the winter. The best thing about them is that I don't have to worry about my feet slipping off the pedals. That first winter, my shins and calves were always black and blue.

Cheap(er) interventions: Bar mitts, they come in drop or flat bar style. Light weight balaclava. Featherweight wind vest. Fenders. Clipless pedals, I prefer eggbeaters with mountain style bike shoes year round. Lots of bright lights. I haven't used studded tires, but if usually roads aren't bad enough in the mid Atlantic to justify them.

Not cheap interventions: disc break/drop bar conversion=new bike. If you have all the money you need, I own the Salsa Vaya and think its great year round. If you are looking at drop bars, disc brakes and fullon mountain tread, the Salsa Fargo might fit that bill. I haven't noticed any decrement in my steering or balance with drop bars while in the hoods.

Fenders help keep your bicycle clean, and make life more pleasant.

I've never had any trouble with salmon pads and cantilevers in the winter, although I've never used disc brakes.

And the Nokians are good tires.

My tour/commute bike has fenders already, so the only thing that has to be added in winter is headlights. But when we had snow (two years ago), I drove the car for a whole week.

In order of importance:
Fenders, good tyres, IGH, disc/drum brakes. The tyres vary in importance depending on whether you expect heavy snow and ice. This of course assumes you have effective lighting anyway.

Thanks for all the replies, guys! I know when something starts looking like a money chute, and this was partially just to get another project going. The plan was to make the majority of the parts (I've got access to a very nice av maintenance shop) but, mulling it over, I'd rather use a more beater frame where gobby welds don't look terribly out of place and any mistakes aren't a big deal

On the other hand, what's the general consensus on single speeds/fixed in the winter? My first impression is "WHAT on earth is that guy doing with a fixie in weather like this??" but maybe I'm wrong Single speeds in need of a little love can be had for fairly cheap out here (<$50), even if those ones do tend to weigh a ton.

I just have too long a list of things I want to do, and not enough time or money Thanks for everyone's help.

Braking is hugely important in winter, so a brakeless fixie is undesireable. I've never understood the appeal of fixed gears anyway, but if you're using one in winter, please stick some brakes on it. Being able to leg-break is probably a benefit, but using it to add braking capacity instead of replace braking capacity seems like a better option.

SS is ideal if you have a flat enough route that you're not going to miss the flexibility of gears. SS or IGH are definitely the way to go in winter to avoid derailleur issues. That said, I've been riding (not daily) in winter for about 4 years with a derailleur bike, and only had trouble with it one day...I actually have more problems with the pawls on the rapid fire shifter not engaging in the cold than with the drive system itself.

Be sure to clear your drive train regularly, and do a thorough cleaning of the whole bike before putting it away in the spring. Winter gunk contains salt and will cause major oxidization problems if it's not removed.

My experience is that fixed geared bikes can be great bad weather winter rides. They allow for very subtle braking when needed on slick surfaces and give you a good feel for what your bike is doing. I have ridden fixed, free-wheel single speed, and derailleur geared bikes through mucho winter snow and slush. At one point or another, I have had some form of mechanical issues due to frozen parts with everything except the fixed gear setup.

Hah. I agree completely; I know a bunch of hipsters with $700 lime green and purple fixed gear bikes.

?

A few months ago one could quote me saying that I'd never ride fixed gear, but if it's a cheap way to get a useable winter rider (I wouldn't be buying many drivetrain parts, I think a welder and a hack saw could take care of removing gears and stopping the rear cog from twisting off--if it breaks, I'm commuting to the shop, so...) it is something to consider. I'd leave rear brakes on just in case my cog did come undone.

Weeell, here is another thing to consider then. I'll have to look into fixed conversions.

Could soccer lace covers (https://www.amazon.com/Markwort-Sweet...sxp_grid_i_0_2) help with the lace-in-the-chainring problems?

Those are snazzy, thanks for the link.

When the snow first hits try taking the bus part way or all the way. I would say you should be fine with rim brakes as long as you use them once in a while to keep them from freezing. Rim brakes have only froze on me once. But it was scary. Also if your going to lock up your bike outside you should buy a lighter(s) so you can free your bike even in the coldest temps. good luck.

Yep. Locks do freeze if they can get any moisture in them. Lighters help but be aware that you might melt some plastic parts. I have dealt with a frozen u-lock using a lighter. Got the lock open, but melted some of the housing. Luckily the melted stuff didn't keep it from functioning.