4 ms·

Plainly put: cycling in snow and rain and -10° C is not a big deal, once you are used to it. The trick is to start in summer, do it every day and just never sto

by bipson 9y ago

Plainly put: cycling in snow and rain and -10° C is not a big deal, once you are used to it. The trick is to start in summer, do it every day and just never stop for any weather, e.g. for your work or uni commute. Obviously you need something that protects you from occasional rain or at least some dry and clean clothes to change into, but apart from that, the seasonal change will not be harsh. It is usually gradual, and yes, you will at some point want to wear gloves, and long pants, at some point even long underwear (or specific biking clothes), but it is never suddenly cold. Actually you become less sensitive to the cold overall. At least that was my experience. To be fair, I stopped doing that a few years ago, since not having a shower at work makes slightly longer commutes uncomfortable with co-workers and clients, obviously. And I became more and more afraid of my laptop in my backpack, because yes, you will get wet, your stuff will get wet, you will slip on snow, etc.

mc32 9y ago
Is it worth it to get bike snow tires, the ones with knobby studs, for the snowy months, or do you simply get used to the unsteady ground after a while?
- ygra 9y ago
  Tyres with spikes are pretty much mandatory if you're using a touring bike (mountain bikes with balloon tyres may cope fairly well with snow, I guess) on snow and ice. IMHO they're not optional. And you don't tend to get used to slipping on ice. (Edit: I'm in Germany; we tend to get snow and ice in winter and the cycle paths are not always cleared immediately.)
- adrianN 9y ago
  Winter tyres are totally worth the money.
- phicoh 9y ago
  In my experience, ice is the most tricky part. Normal tires have no grip on ice.
- bipson 9y ago
  I never got specific tires, I was riding a MTB with something similar to these back then http://www.continental-tires.com/bicycle/tyres/city-trekking-tyres/speed-ride http://www.continental-tires.com/bicycle/tyres/city-trekking... and it was almost always good enough. Although to be honest, around here we almost never have persistent (packed) snowy streets anymore (those usually have very good grip). The winters are milder with every year, so most snow just disappears in a few hours, and most cycle-paths and streets are salted heavily, so it is just wet most of the times. The only really tricky situations were right in the middle of heavy snow-fall, where a lot of salt was already on the street or being added. The street is soap then, and I don't know if any tire will help you with that. It is another thing if you live where there is a lot of snow, and often fresh powder - let's say more than 15cm soft surface on a regular basis. I guess yes, you would sink with most regular tires there, then you need large balloons and a bike that can take them.
- lower 9y ago
  It depends on how much snow you get. Normal tires are fine on snow once you get used to it. So if you have icy conditions just for a few weeks, it's probably not worth the hassle to switch. (I've been riding a road bike throughout all winter for more than a decade now. Riding on snow is fine. The only dangerous situation in winter is actually on warmer days without snow, where one doesn't expect anything, but when the road has frozen over invisibly in some dark corner.)
  - hcurtiss 9y ago
    As a guy who has commuted by bike for the better part of 20 years, I leave my bike in the house and drive in my car when it's snowing or icy for the same reason that I wouldn't drive a motorcycle. Two wheels in those conditions is just dangerous. Watching the die-hards in Portland slide out and eat pavement on icy roads is humorous every year. While there was a time I relished the adventure, I'm just too old for that kind of risk. I suppose I'd be more comfortable with a 3/4 wheeled bike, but there's still the risk of other car drivers bouncing off you, which they do a lot in Portland in the winter.
    - fulafel 9y ago
      It's best to leave the bike in the cold in freezing months, frequent thawing/freezing will result in water condensing in your cables and elsewhere and then freezing.
    - deleted 9y ago
      [deleted]
- lojack 9y ago
  For me, I'd ride a road bike for cold without snow, and a mountain bike for when it snows. Hard pack and fresh snow are pretty easy on a mountain bike. The days I hated were the ones where we had 6inches to a foot of snow and people had half a day to walk on it so it'd be half packed down.
- Fishkins 9y ago
  I have metal-studded tires for winter. They make a huge difference on ice, but they make less of a difference on fresh snow. For snow a fat bike is better. If you're doing a lot of winter biking, I'd suggest one or the other. You can get studded fat tires, but they're expensive and I don't usually see anyone with them.
- Finnucane 9y ago
  I live in the Boston area, and the number of days where studded tires would make a difference is small enough that it's not worth the hassle. I ride every day, and I've never bothered. It doesn't take very long to get a good sense of what speeds your tires will handle in bad weather. Fenders and lights are essential.
- alistairSH 9y ago
  It was alluded to in a sibling post, but snow isn't all that bad (at low enough speeds). It's ice that's the problem. So, those treated paths in Finland are almost certainly safer (from a slipping/sliding perspective) than the Mid-Atlantic US, where paths melt and refreeze throughout the day, leaving a slick layer on top.
arethuza 9y ago
Having commuted by bicycle for a number of years (~25 mile round trip) I found high winds to be far riskier and more unpleasant than snow or cold (mind you - being in Scotland its not getting that cold and snow would at most be for a few weeks at a time). I was almost blown off my bike onto a truck once - which gave me a bad scare. Mind you black ice could be nasty.
- bipson 9y ago
  Oh yes, black ice is nasty. But I used to slow down during very cold mornings anyway and only slipped once in a remarkable fashion with rather slim tires. If you're slightly used to biking, you will have a foot down almost immediately (which will also slip, granted), but it almost always becomes a rather comical slip that takes you to the ground rather slowly instead of a neck-breaking action stunt in my experience. I guess it is different if you have full racing gear and a street racing bike, don't want to slip with that.
  - arethuza 9y ago
    I never had a fall on black ice with a mountain bike but I did have a spectacular and very painful fall on ice using a lightweight "racing" style bike years ago that made me very wary.
- auxym 9y ago
  Studded tires, like the Schwalbe Marathon Winter, are pretty popular amongst winter commuters here in Montreal.
  - verisimilitude 9y ago
    I rode a set of Nokian studded tires for three winters, no wear on the studs. I learned: (1) studs are tungsten carbide, which has a Mohs hardness of about 9 (similar to sapphire) (2) most important thing: giant, wide tires will float on the snow and are not as safe as a narrower, touring tire with studs -- the narrower tire won't float on the snow and will give you control
  - 9y ago
lojack 9y ago
Cold is actually a little bit counterintuitive on a bike. Being too warm is actually a greater concern than being too cold. Bundling up too much actually causes you to sweat and the sweat ends up freezing, which is bad. My advice is to usually wear thinner layers, and have more layers that way you can remove layers if you're too hot. My baseline warmth is basically whatever you'd wear if you weren't cycling and then remove a layer or two. The first couple minutes of riding might be a little cold, but you warm up very quickly. Gloves are absolutely a must, even on days that are brisk but not freezing. Beyond that, something to cover your ears on cold days is usually a good idea.
justsomedood 9y ago
I don't agree about -10 C not being a big deal. On my previous bike commute my winter travel time was under 25 minutes. With the right studded snow tires I had enough control over my bike unless snow was very deep. Clothing was manageable, and I could keep temperatures under control and it wasn't a huge deal. My bike commute now is 20+ miles, and takes a little over an hour in good weather on my road bike. Studded snow tires are obviously much slower, and the ride is much longer. It is challenging to use the correct clothing over a longer distance. My core stays warm and i have to be able to vent it so I don't sweat. I can keep my hands from getting too cold, but it is incredibly difficult to keep my feet warm after about 45-50 minutes in. Exposed skin over an hour gives frostbite where at 20-30 minutes it won't. I have since given up on commuting when it's below 20F now.
- bipson 9y ago
  You might want something like this: http://road.cc/content/buyers-guide/214320-best-cycling-overshoes-—-what-look-and-11-great-choices http://road.cc/content/buyers-guide/214320-best-cycling-over... A former buddy of mine would use those for his MTB-Training in Winter. There are options intended for to -20° C IIRC.

by bipson 9y ago

mc32 9y ago

Is it worth it to get bike snow tires, the ones with knobby studs, for the snowy months, or do you simply get used to the unsteady ground after a while?

ygra 9y ago
Tyres with spikes are pretty much mandatory if you're using a touring bike (mountain bikes with balloon tyres may cope fairly well with snow, I guess) on snow and ice. IMHO they're not optional. And you don't tend to get used to slipping on ice. (Edit: I'm in Germany; we tend to get snow and ice in winter and the cycle paths are not always cleared immediately.)
adrianN 9y ago
Winter tyres are totally worth the money.
phicoh 9y ago
In my experience, ice is the most tricky part. Normal tires have no grip on ice.
bipson 9y ago
I never got specific tires, I was riding a MTB with something similar to these back then http://www.continental-tires.com/bicycle/tyres/city-trekking-tyres/speed-ride http://www.continental-tires.com/bicycle/tyres/city-trekking... and it was almost always good enough. Although to be honest, around here we almost never have persistent (packed) snowy streets anymore (those usually have very good grip). The winters are milder with every year, so most snow just disappears in a few hours, and most cycle-paths and streets are salted heavily, so it is just wet most of the times. The only really tricky situations were right in the middle of heavy snow-fall, where a lot of salt was already on the street or being added. The street is soap then, and I don't know if any tire will help you with that. It is another thing if you live where there is a lot of snow, and often fresh powder - let's say more than 15cm soft surface on a regular basis. I guess yes, you would sink with most regular tires there, then you need large balloons and a bike that can take them.
lower 9y ago
It depends on how much snow you get. Normal tires are fine on snow once you get used to it. So if you have icy conditions just for a few weeks, it's probably not worth the hassle to switch. (I've been riding a road bike throughout all winter for more than a decade now. Riding on snow is fine. The only dangerous situation in winter is actually on warmer days without snow, where one doesn't expect anything, but when the road has frozen over invisibly in some dark corner.)
- hcurtiss 9y ago
  As a guy who has commuted by bike for the better part of 20 years, I leave my bike in the house and drive in my car when it's snowing or icy for the same reason that I wouldn't drive a motorcycle. Two wheels in those conditions is just dangerous. Watching the die-hards in Portland slide out and eat pavement on icy roads is humorous every year. While there was a time I relished the adventure, I'm just too old for that kind of risk. I suppose I'd be more comfortable with a 3/4 wheeled bike, but there's still the risk of other car drivers bouncing off you, which they do a lot in Portland in the winter.
  - fulafel 9y ago
    It's best to leave the bike in the cold in freezing months, frequent thawing/freezing will result in water condensing in your cables and elsewhere and then freezing.
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]
lojack 9y ago
For me, I'd ride a road bike for cold without snow, and a mountain bike for when it snows. Hard pack and fresh snow are pretty easy on a mountain bike. The days I hated were the ones where we had 6inches to a foot of snow and people had half a day to walk on it so it'd be half packed down.
Fishkins 9y ago
I have metal-studded tires for winter. They make a huge difference on ice, but they make less of a difference on fresh snow. For snow a fat bike is better. If you're doing a lot of winter biking, I'd suggest one or the other. You can get studded fat tires, but they're expensive and I don't usually see anyone with them.
Finnucane 9y ago
I live in the Boston area, and the number of days where studded tires would make a difference is small enough that it's not worth the hassle. I ride every day, and I've never bothered. It doesn't take very long to get a good sense of what speeds your tires will handle in bad weather. Fenders and lights are essential.
alistairSH 9y ago
It was alluded to in a sibling post, but snow isn't all that bad (at low enough speeds). It's ice that's the problem. So, those treated paths in Finland are almost certainly safer (from a slipping/sliding perspective) than the Mid-Atlantic US, where paths melt and refreeze throughout the day, leaving a slick layer on top.

arethuza 9y ago

Having commuted by bicycle for a number of years (~25 mile round trip) I found high winds to be far riskier and more unpleasant than snow or cold (mind you - being in Scotland its not getting that cold and snow would at most be for a few weeks at a time). I was almost blown off my bike onto a truck once - which gave me a bad scare. Mind you black ice could be nasty.

bipson 9y ago
Oh yes, black ice is nasty. But I used to slow down during very cold mornings anyway and only slipped once in a remarkable fashion with rather slim tires. If you're slightly used to biking, you will have a foot down almost immediately (which will also slip, granted), but it almost always becomes a rather comical slip that takes you to the ground rather slowly instead of a neck-breaking action stunt in my experience. I guess it is different if you have full racing gear and a street racing bike, don't want to slip with that.
- arethuza 9y ago
  I never had a fall on black ice with a mountain bike but I did have a spectacular and very painful fall on ice using a lightweight "racing" style bike years ago that made me very wary.
auxym 9y ago
Studded tires, like the Schwalbe Marathon Winter, are pretty popular amongst winter commuters here in Montreal.
- verisimilitude 9y ago
  I rode a set of Nokian studded tires for three winters, no wear on the studs. I learned: (1) studs are tungsten carbide, which has a Mohs hardness of about 9 (similar to sapphire) (2) most important thing: giant, wide tires will float on the snow and are not as safe as a narrower, touring tire with studs -- the narrower tire won't float on the snow and will give you control
- 9y ago

lojack 9y ago

Cold is actually a little bit counterintuitive on a bike. Being too warm is actually a greater concern than being too cold. Bundling up too much actually causes you to sweat and the sweat ends up freezing, which is bad. My advice is to usually wear thinner layers, and have more layers that way you can remove layers if you're too hot. My baseline warmth is basically whatever you'd wear if you weren't cycling and then remove a layer or two. The first couple minutes of riding might be a little cold, but you warm up very quickly. Gloves are absolutely a must, even on days that are brisk but not freezing. Beyond that, something to cover your ears on cold days is usually a good idea.

justsomedood 9y ago

I don't agree about -10 C not being a big deal. On my previous bike commute my winter travel time was under 25 minutes. With the right studded snow tires I had enough control over my bike unless snow was very deep. Clothing was manageable, and I could keep temperatures under control and it wasn't a huge deal. My bike commute now is 20+ miles, and takes a little over an hour in good weather on my road bike. Studded snow tires are obviously much slower, and the ride is much longer. It is challenging to use the correct clothing over a longer distance. My core stays warm and i have to be able to vent it so I don't sweat. I can keep my hands from getting too cold, but it is incredibly difficult to keep my feet warm after about 45-50 minutes in. Exposed skin over an hour gives frostbite where at 20-30 minutes it won't. I have since given up on commuting when it's below 20F now.

bipson 9y ago
You might want something like this: http://road.cc/content/buyers-guide/214320-best-cycling-overshoes-—-what-look-and-11-great-choices http://road.cc/content/buyers-guide/214320-best-cycling-over... A former buddy of mine would use those for his MTB-Training in Winter. There are options intended for to -20° C IIRC.