xyz

Does this mean I should take off my stuffed tires or are more big storms coming?

KPREN

I just pop on my second wheelset until it gets cold again.

Hypno Toad

Take off your studded tires and make sure you get a good blizzard with 2 more weeks of winter

I'm gonna get the beater bike ready to go for the mild/melty days and keep the fatbike rolling on studs ... by the time June rolls around, I'm fairly confident I won't need studded tires again for a couple months. MinnesotaLife!

gecho

Some warm weather this week so I'm going to do my first non-fat bike ride since November 7th. Studded mtb tomorrow, and gravel on the non-studded cross bike Friday / Saturday. Main streets are mostly clear, but ice will be around on the side streets / MUP for a while yet. No proper drainage on MUP so water flows across the path and freezes every night.

No Mojo

Same here, studs stay on the fat bike for at least another month and the beater is ready to go. March in New Hampshire can bring two feet of snow one day and summer like weather the next. Keeps things interesting and bikes dirty.

gecho

Just 41 here today and it was enough to be very sloppy. The bike gets so dirty and sandy during the melting days that it needs more cleaning after every ride than I care for.

I load a pump up chemical sprayer with hot water and spray off the sand. Then I use some solvent on paper towel to wipe down the chain, chainrings and jockey wheels before relubing with a good amount of wet lube to displace water in the links. Typically the rotors need a wipe down too, though that is much less effort than the cleaning rim braking surfaces and pads.

Maybe another 2 days and the bulk of the road melting will be done and the bike will stay cleaner.

gecho

Sudden forecast change. 8C tomorrow, then upwards of 10cm of snow tomorrow night through Tuesday. Will keep things wet for a while. 14 day forecast shows more next week, but that forecast is never accurate.

gecho

Most of the snow missed us, which is good because the forecast had bumped the total up to 15 cm. It was the fast melting type of snow, I shoveled the driveway after the first wave, and even though we got another 3-4 cm the remainder melted on the concrete as fast as it was falling. Much of the on street stuff should melt today, a below freezing day tomorrow, then back to warm on Friday.

_ForceD_

Well, it depends, xyz. If you live south of the ‘cotton curtain’ you’re probably safe. But the groundhog saw his shadow. So, we up here in the north probably still have Arctic temps and snow in our near future.

Dan

Hypno Toad

Minneapolis has been up to the 60s a few times this month, last Wednesday I rode in my summer kit ... and now we have 4+ inches of snow. Glad my fatbike is still good to go and my winter gear isn't packed away. IME snow is going to be possible well into May ... never get too excited for spring when March hits 60.

gecho

We had a surprise 70F day yesterday. Back to just above freezing highs most of next week. Took the studded tires off my mtb yesterday since most of the ice is gone. Bought some cheap tires since 26" are hard to come by. I think they weigh as much or more than my Ice Spikers and might even be slower. Makes you appreciate a good quality tire.

parkbrav

I leave the studs on for 14 consecutive days after the first day the low is above 32F so as to counteract black ice.

If the low dips below 32F, I start the count over.

gecho

After 18C yesterday we are in for one last blast of winter tonight. Up to 10 cm of snow and 100 km/h winds. Tomorrow looks miserable. Warm Wednesday onwards. Maybe I'll get one more fat bike ride in if it isn't slushy.

Hypno Toad

Sounds like the weather in Minneapolis (AKA South Canada) - We were over 70F (21c) yesterday; woke up to freezing temps and high winds .... but no snow [/knocking on wood], and into the weekend we'll be sunny and perfect temps.

Hypno Toad

Minneapolis 'spring': Today (Thursday) morning 18*F (-8*C) ... forecast high of 78*F (25.5*C) on Monday. LOVE IT!

gecho

It got up to 20C twice in the past week, 15C for today. Now there is snow in the forecast for the next 3 days, upwards of 20 cm. After today, below freezing until next Thursday. I may need to pull the fat bike back up out of the basement.

I'm a bit concerned about the fabric cover I put on the gazebo, I hope the snow just blows off it. I really don't want to take it off considering how much effort it is to install. I might need to keep knocking snow off it with a broom.

gecho

We ended up with a fairly good dump of snow. I was going to take the fat bike out, but there would likely have been a lot of slush and there is no point destroying another bottom bracket for one last snow ride. I should finally be able to safely get back to riding tomorrow. Much needed moisture should green up the lawn and put an end to the recent grass fires.

Hypno Toad

In Minneapolis, we are slowing getting into the 50s ... We hit 85F a couple weeks ago, then dropped back into March weather.

I'm clearing my schedule to spend Sunday outside, and spend Monday crying in my beer.

parkbrav

9:15am April 16 here, Boston got .75 inches of rain over night and now my area NW of Boston is getting heavy wet snow showers (that ARE accumulating)!

This is why I keep those winter tires on well in to April!

Hypno Toad

This damned fool took the studded tires off yesterday. Now it's 34F and flurries in Minneapolis.

Oh well, I haven't washed and stored the winter cycling kit ... I'll bundle up for today's ride.

xyz

More snow coming here to, but it's won't sick around very long.

gecho

Its depressing that the temperature is just above freezing, yet I need to wear sunscreen if I ride during the day. I can't get away without sunscreen very long when the UV index is over 4.

ropetwitch

Me too!!! Sunscreen is important since the ozone layer is depleting. We need to keep our skin tone.

noglider 

Late in the winter, I finally spent some real money on winter cycling shoes. They're excellent. They're so comfy that I regret having to put them away, but they will be too hot. Yesterday, I rode with shorts and a short jersey. I think I'll be mostly in short clothes until the weather changes to colder again. Yay.

Riding in cold weather isn't as nice for me as in warm weather, but it's better than not riding. I tend not to lose much conditioning in winter because I keep riding, though not as much.

gecho

April was a real dud weather-wise, we had more warm days in March. At least the forecast is double digit Celsius going forward with tonight the last below freezing low, with some no-jacket days coming up. I can plant the potatoes in the garden any time now.