Snow
 

What has been other rider's luck with riding in snow and ice on their recumbent?

Y'mean, other than avoding it like the plague?

SP
Bend, OR
(where we have said snow and ice for significant portions of the year)

Friends don't let friends ride their 'bents in the snow.

Approaching 4th year anniversary of bent-riding and have yet to have a go at ice/snow while 'bent.

I exaggerated. Trikes do OK in ice and small accumulations of snow. Those small front wheels tend to get buried easily, though.

Little Rock doesn't get a lot of snow but some ice. No high drifts except once every quarter century or so. I've found that riding my DF is a pretty stable situation. I have better traction than many cars.

Haven't tried the frozen-water thing much with my Bacchetta. Yesterday I came out of a parking lot and my rear wheel spun momentarily as it lost traction, but then it grabbed. And I was walking the bike up a short 20% grade on my commute this morning when I found a small patch of ice. I walked very slowly and carefully up that.

I do it all the time, commuting to work. Studded tires at lower pressure = slower ride than usual, so my 60 minute commute can be as long as 75 if the headwind is bad like this week (this week was temps in single digits F and 15 mph headwind). Studded tires are magic on ice. Put them on after thanksgiving and take them off around St. Patrick's day. I find 2-3 inches of snow is my max, or if they bring the snowplows out then I don't ride for a day or two until everyone else is reset in their ways. Somehow, the act of plowing narrows the road and adds increased propensity to take risks for many motorists. If I had a SWB instead of an LWB, I could probably tolerate somewhat deeper snow but not enough weight up front with the LWB on so 3 inches can start to push the front end around.

It will be 8 degrees here tonight. What do you do to keep your hands and feet warm?

I have ridden my R40 with snow on the ground. But the snow has not been on the pavement. Even with a short wheel base I don't think I'd ever want to try.

Endless debate in the winter cycling forum about that !

I use some Specialized glove within a glove gloves for my hands and some Keen winterport boots (several sizes too large to avoid any compression of the two pair of socks I wear -- one thin wool (Smartwool type) and one bulky wool (Wigwam type)). I like the winterport boot because its unusual in that its really more of an insulated shoe with an integral gaiter, so nothing rubs from the ankle on up. If there is really bad headwind where I'm looking at 75+ minutes, I'll sandwich one of those chemical warmer packs between the pairs of socks over my toes. I'm generally good for 60-65 minutes at 5F before wanting the chemical warmers.

They do fine to a point depending on the model of trike. Granted, they can't topple over, but my rear derailleur has maybe 1.5 inch clearance. Snow can choke and freeze the chain or worse, on the cycle paths, hard ice with deep ruts from bikes when it was soft can smash the derailleur to bits if the rear wheel slips into a ice groove. :(

I lost two of them before I gave up on riding once things get too icy.

Snow Snow surely it is a figment of your imagination. Al Gore says it hot out there. I bet if you put on your t-shirt and shorts and really leaned on the crank, you would be hot!!!

BTW here in Nebr 2 feet of snow and all the streets have 2 or 3 inches of ice on them. It got down to 12 below zero this morning. They talk about sticking your tongue on the water pump, I bet by butt would freeze to the seat if I tried riding today.

Funny how I can ride in all kinds of snow, ice and low temps on my inferior wedgie. :thumb:

http://www.chipcom.net/bikes/dan_1_2_2010.jpg

Of course I can see why you guys would have a problem, dozing off on a snowy road might ruin your day.

http://www.chipcom.net/bikes/pucker.jpg

I did okay on a blustery windy day, but my eyes hurt for the first ten minutes because I wasn't wearing goggles and the wind blew the snowflakes into my face. Also, my deraillers froze up and wouldn't move. Not having ski goggles, I haven't been back out yet. Somebody said you can keep your caliper brakes from freezing by spraying them with ammonia. I will try that if I decide to go out and try biking again before the outside temperature rises to freezing. Will try it on deraillers too.

My Hase Kettwiesel trike with a differential goes in the snow as well as anything, with essentially no chance of falling, regardless of ice, snow, etc.

http://i771.photobucket.com/albums/x...3/CIMG3723.jpg

I ride my hurricane when there is a little bit of ice on the ground or it is actively snowing. I can sort of skate around a bit if there is some heavy ice that was left by the shade of a tree or hill by putting both feet down and so far so good. Although when it has dipped into the teens my hydrolic brakes really start fading. Glad I had read about that online before I experienced it on the road.
Before I moved down here I put the recumbent away for winter. It was months of ice, slush and all other things snow related out there and I always felt my balance was much better on my hybrid with some fat nokian(?) studded snow tires. Riding in the winder back in connecticut was more like hitting a technical mtb trail more then riding on the road sometimes especially a few storms in when the roads were a mess.

I think I'd definately go with a trike if I moved back to Connecticut or other state where they got alot of white and clear stuff frozen on the ground.

I tried out some ice patches on the MUP this morning. I didn't have much choice, they covered it from side to side.

I succeeded on the first one, rode around the second one, because it tended to be a deep puddle and I didn't know how much ice there might be. The third one taught me to do a 180 with my recumbent. It went across okay, but as soon as my front wheel hit asphalt again, the extra traction (plus a tiny bit of change of direction I assume) whipped my rear wheel around real fast. I did okay steadying it with one foot till the bike lost momentum, then my foot slipped out from under me and I went down.

I have to go through that section after dark going back home, and I'm thinking seriously about a bus trip instead. ;)

As far as I'm concerned, recumbent riders who do snow and ice without a problem must be the result of some secret genetic modification program.