talked to my local bike shop. biggest tire I can fit is 28s. so ill just find some good grips for my bike and do my rides like that. so to further this post...how should I layer my body gear. temps should be 10 to 30 degrees. im gonna rock good thermals with another cheap basic thermals, a hoodie and a good winter snowboarding type jacket. and gloves face mask etc. is this good enough? or should I look for something to add? I know bout overdressing due to the heat and sweat build up. whatcha think...

Sounds decent enough, I always like to overdress then when I start riding take off a layer if it's too much, but I'm a sissy and hate being cold.

lose anything in there thats made of cotton and replace them with wool, youll only need the jacket when its <25

key areas: feet, hands, face

if you dont wear glasses the cold air is gonna make your eyes tear a lot, and sucking in huge gulps of dry cold air burns your lungs, so having a scarf or bandana or something over your mouth to warm and humidify the air helps immensely

i wear wool mountaineering socks and my feet are still a bit cold in anything <20 after about half an hour, wind/waterproof booties will help that a lot

if the gloves you have arent cutting it try some lobster gloves, the less isolated your fingers are the warmer theyll stay when theyre essentially punching the wind the whole time

you want to be cold when you step out of your house but not freezing, the work you put in will keep you warm

Just to remind everybody, there's a whole forum for winter riding.

how do you figure that black ice isn't actual ice? it's just thin, and dark. still a solid, though. Nothing will do well on ice but studs are your best hope on a lake or even a layer of thin ice, i'd think.

I'm usually on campus pretty late and have a 30 minute commute home on city streets well after dark to give some perspective. You just have to be smart. If you know it hasn't snowed, and roads are plowed and salted, you can ride pretty quick (as quick as studded tires will allow, anyway). Otherwise you slow down and take it easy. Studded tires won't let you magically ride on ice as though its normal pavement, but they make a world of difference in terms of traction.

Layering is a personal thing op. While I agree that wool is probably the best choice, I've gotten by on the cheap without it. I typically rock under armor under my clothes, and if its around 30 degrees F a hoodie is all I need--you are on a bike, and assuming you have a commute over a mile or two, will warm up. When it gets down to 20 wear the above with a winter coat and scarf. Below that I tack on a sweater et cet. A hat under your helmet is great, but you'll sweat an awful lot if its above 20, so consider a headband or those behind-the-head style earmuffs, and wear some gloves. I'm sure that bike specific gloves (lobster claw style et al) are awesome, but I've gotten by with cheap mittens. I know a lot of people swear by goggles, but I wear glasses and they fog up enough to impede vision under them, so its never my cup of tea unless its below zero. Experiment a bit, be more cautious because of the ice, and have a few dollars for the bus if you are under prepared and you'll be fine, and might find yourself enjoying it. Winter riding sounds tougher than it is, I usually actually really enjoy it.

Edit: If you really don't have clearance for 32c, you could consider finding a cheap winter frame if UT gets enough snow. I guess I'm maybe a little over-cautious, but as I ride in a lot of traffic, I would not want to do without my studded tires. I haven't had fenders because I definitely do not have the ideal bike for winter commuting, but if you layer right (and wear a waterproof back pack or mess bag if for no other reason than to absorb the water your rear wheel throws up) it really won't be that bad.

Actually, good studded tyres do amazingly well on ice. Both the lake / sea and the black kind. I've ridden in conditions where my biggest concern was staying upright after stepping off the bike, and getting on the bike again. My winter boots provided very little grip on the ice, compared to studded tyres. Once I got on the bike and moving, all was well.

I agree on the Winter Cycling forum, anyone interested should take a look in there. Quite a few threads about studded tyres, their pros & cons and whatnot.

--J

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI-fR2tXR_8 I don't know if this video can help you at all, figured i'd post it anyway.