Winter Commuter Build
 

Hey I know we are in the height of summer right now, but I have begun planning my first dedicated winter commuter fixed gear bike. Below is a rough outline of what the bike I want to build is like and I would appreciate any advice, criticism, or experiences. I live in Cleveland, OH and commute year round to work. Seeing that Cleveland was rated the most miserable city in the USA this past year, largely due to weather, I have finally decided to add a winter commuter to my fleet.

Swobo Crosby Frameset 59cm
Sram Omnium GPX 1/8" 48t crankset external bearing
Surly 19t cog
Velocity Chukkar 36h rims
Specialized Infinity Armadillo Tire 700x32c
Surly hubs
Cane Creek headset
Disc brakes front and rear (I need advice on what brands are good especially for all-weather?)
31.8 Drop handlebar with brakehoods
Thompson Elite set-back seatpost
Thompson x2 stem 110mm, 100deg

any help would be a appreciated Especially with the disc brakes!

You absolutely want to pick up a pair or fenders. Prolly one of the most important aspects of a winter commuter.

ooops forgot about those. Yes for Sure! thanx

studded snow tires and fenders

mud flaps for the front fender.
lizard skin seal or piece of rubber tube for the lower piece of the headset

avid BB7 is not a bad choice for disc brakes and they are available in both road and mtb lever configurations.

You talking about about wrapping a tube around the lower headset circumferentially or trying to make a seal with the rubber tube somehow? I've heard about doing this but never seen it/tried it. You have any pics?

Omniums seem like overkill for a winter commuter. I'd go with the SRAM s300's. They have the same external bb design but are 130 bcd which gives you more chainring options.

do doubt.

I commuted for 3 trouble-free Northern MN winters on a bike that cost as much as that crank.

i like omniums that is what i run on my other commuter, but I will look into the 300s. Yes, you are probably right about ove- kill, but on the other hand I should have the money on hand I might invest in the beefier crankset which I could potentially switch out to one of my track bikes during the summer. Otherwise, i'll probably end up spending the extra on beer!

like this
http://www.mtbr.com/cat/accessories/...64_117crx.aspx

i prefer risers or straight bars in low traction conditions.

Or, wide, flared drop handlebars. Dirt Drops give great control, if you can get them set up right.

Also, might need different tires depending on the weather. For deep fluffy snow, thinner tires can actually work better. They cut through the drifts. For ice though, nothing can compare to studs.

once that fluffy snow really piles up, fat tires work way better as the snow gets compacted.
plowed, salted and sanded roads narrow works fine.

Avid BB7. They even come in a road version to match the cable pull of drop bar brake levers.

the BB5 are way cheaper but far more problematic, they stick and have a hard time in general.

On One Midge Bars (would require a 25.4 Clamp Stem) w/ESI Road Grips covered in thin bar tape, Cane Creek Drop V Levers, Avid BB7's and definitely some studded tires. Perhaps studding your own with some stainless screws for something a bit more hardcore.

This is a fantastic set-up.

PF

you can get midge bars in 31.8mm as well.

In my experience skinny tires are useless in anything but the lightest amount of snow. If you plan to ride over more than half an inch of the stuff, I would strongly recommend a MTB tire at least 1.75" wide with a good tread pattern on it. As for the handlebars, I guess drops would be ok but I prefer straight bars.

For me, tires made a world of difference...
Wide MTB tires are good for tractoring through snow and car snot/car vomit.
Studs are good for gripping ice and other unsavory stuff that's below snow, ice, and car excrement.
This winter, I had a very successful experiment with another device that's super cheap...homemade tire chains! It's the same principle as car tire chains, but on a bike.
For my next winter build, I'm going to make a fixed gear MTB; opinions vary, but I find that fixed gear gives a lot more traction on snow and ice.