Snow Biking
 

Ok, I got a bike for christmas, I live in Canada. SNOW! but... My grand parents tell me that the local LBS where they bought it told them that cold temperatures and snow will ruin my fork. Is this really true? Could it harm other parts? I kinda figured that salt and water might, but not cold temps and snow. Anyone know?

the snow will harm your fork unless the snow is extremly hard packed and cannot touch the fork's upper part where the shocks are. any major amount of liquid will also harm it liek when i went in a lake over the handle bars the shocks were really stiff for a while :D

Its not the best thing for your fork... snow gets everywhere, so your fork may take on some water. Also, if it is cold, the action of the fork will slow and get sticky and stiff, since the oil thickens. As far as other parts, your derailleur will get packed with snow and crap and become useless in a few miles, your cables will be exposed to moisture and your bottom bracket could take on some water I suppose, as well as the inside of the frame. If you lube your chain properly and often, and take some time to clean the bike up every now and again it should be ok.

I ride all winter long. It's mostly a matter of dressing warmer and avoiding the really cold, wind-chilly days. I carry a small common-bristled paint brush that works great for whisking loose snow off my bike and really gets into the tight spots. I avoid slush and other wet stuff. Then I wipe my bike down really well after the ride and lube the chain, etc.

I suppose it doesn't really do anything extra good for my bike but neither is a lot of stuff we ride. I think it's a lot of fun to ride in winter (with the exception of the occassional ice spot :eek: ) and I figure my bike is happier being ridden than hanging in the garage. :D Don't forget hydration!

Anyone tried fork boots, like lizardskins, to keep the moisture out?

Ive heard mixed reviews about them. SOme say they do their job in extending fork life and some say they are worthless. Im considering buying one this year for my new SID. I just want more on it.
As for winter you want to use a heavier lube, to protect against rust also. YOu have to clean your bike more often but i dont mind doing that anyways so it is not a bother.

oh god Juniper, the ice spots kill you. I haven't fallen on my bike like even a minor crash in about 2 years. The other day I took my bike out for a winter spin. In 30 seconds, I had already fallen right on the driveway. On ice, you can't turn if you don't have studded tires. I than proceeded to fall twice more during a 20 minute ride. If there's any ice at all, and you want to seriously ride, studded tires are almost a must.

Unless you like falling. :D

hmmm, I ride in snow about 2-3 times a week, never seemed to have a problem with getting snow into the fork, maybe I am too old and slow or just don't ride in deep enough snow :D

The performance of the fork definitely slows with colder weather, but not too bad, guess it depends on just how cold it gets.

Riding in wet snow is almost like riding in mud, the snow can collect in the drivetrain and cause issues.
Clean the bike reqularly and lube very ofte.

As for lizard skins, just be aware that any water that gets behind the skins will be kept there and could cause the very problem that you are trying to prevent with the cover.

Falling on ice does suck. Doesn't seem to be any such thing as a 'minor fall' on ice. :eek:

I ride almost solely on singletrack with packed snow in the winter; they haven't been a problem. I've been thinking about studded tires. Any suggestions?

The medium travel sidewalks are killer if it has previously gotten colder after the snow's been packed down. That turns to straight ice and you're scrooed!

Single track is covered with ice, adn then snow underneath at about 10 inches high and I can't get to it. But as long as there's no just plain ice, you probably don't need the studded tires.

ugh i wnat studded tires. I just rode in the snow and i dont like it :(. The side s of the roads are not plowed so its just a few inches of snow. Will thick studded tires help me that much?

Treat the snow as clean cold mud. I have run long commute(12mi) for 2 winters (3.5k miles)with my marzocchi Z-4 air fork and Manitou black with no complaints at all. One of my earlier mods to it was to add the accordion rubber boots(I know, hang the style nut [rolleyes] To compensate for the chill I do usually turn the rebound to full open. Lube your chain with something closer to the motor oil side of the spectrum, such as Pedros Wet. It provides enough of a residue to lessen the packup, with the caveat that you will have to clean it a little more often. But hey, thats why I prefer to buy chains in spring ;) .
So far as tires go, treat it like you are going to ride in wet clay. Something with open yet deep blocks that clear themselves. Spikes/studs help in the ice, but I have yet to actually buy some, if thats any indication.

There are two different definitions for riding in the snow.

Riding while it's SNOWING gets your bike wet and can get water into just about everything. I ride through SNOW ON THE GROUND every week if I possibly can. I have one bike with studded tires and motocross type high clearance fenders, just for the snow. The snow on the ground is fine, if you clean your bike after every ride. I don't get slush on really anything because of the fenders. Just the brakes and the fork bridge. I do have fork boots they came with the fork. This bike goes in the snow every winter. It's 10 years old and as good as new. Went for a nice ride yesterday it was about 15 degrees so the snow was nice and fluffy and did not stick to anything. Let your bike cool down before you go in the snow and the snow won't stick as much.
Studded tires are fun on a lake! Nokian 296 tires make glare ice easy. Even frozen footprints or a rough surface is easy if you are carefull.

On the ice the studded tires are fantastic. In snow they are about the same as any good MTB tire.
On ice I can bank the bike a little, slam on the brakes, and do wheelies. Plenty of traction.

If you don't have the cheddah for the studded tire, a good knobby works reasonably well. Specialized Roll-X pros have been working well for me this season, even in some pretty icey situations that other tires have failed on.

A good point. I suspect a softer compound rubber will help, but that's a hunch.

Sometimes the top of the ice is a little soft if it's in the sun, that helps too. I ride on a lake occasionally with a guy who does not have studs. If it's a warm day above freezing, the ice is likely to be not as slippery. Watch out for the shade though.

[QUOTE=2manybikes]A good point. I suspect a softer compound rubber will help, but that's a hunch./QUOTE]


I think that's right and it makes sense. I'm riding the Tioga Red Phoenix (soft compound) right now and they are the stickiest 'ice tires' I've ridden, so far.

[QUOTE=Juniper] That's a good thing to hear about, I'm so excited about my studded tires I kind of forget that for a lot of winter riding, you don't need them. I don't want any one to not ride in winter, just because they don't want to spend money on studded tires.

I have about 50 miles in the snow so far this year, with most of them at night, I have not yet encountered the need for studded tires.
I am cheap beyond comparison, as I am running Mythos IRCs on the bike, and they are performing well, although I think a deeper tread may be an improvment.