Re: Winter riding - Clinchers or tubulars ?



A

A Muzi

Guest
Retro Bob wrote:

> Ok... I an NOT looking to start another clincher vs. tubular argument.
> This is a "winter performance" question between _two_ dated
> technologies :)
>
> I am going to convert one of my bikes to a slop handling winter
> machine. I ride in New England where the road may be very messy in
> the Winter. I intend to stay out of snow and off ice, but there will
> be a lot of days with slush, muck, etc since I live in the burbs where
> melting can be slow.
>
> I have a vintage 27" bike which runs tubulars. My first choice is to
> by some cyclocross tubulars. But, this bike will also run 27x1 1/4
> (or 1/8) clinchers. Factory option. So, I was thinking that a set of
> those old heavily grooved lower pressure 27" clinchers might be a
> good choice. Sort of like the (automobile) snow tire idea. I don't
> care if the clinchers slow me down, I'm riding for exercise, not
> time, not going anywhere in particular. The only thing I really care
> about is traction.



Even a sloppy winter usually means only a few hours on a few
days per year of actual sloppy streets. I believe a cyclist
should get out of the road when busses are sliding sideways
and return to the usual commute a few hours later when the
streets are cleared.
Knobby tires slide in fast corners on dry pavement which a
more common situation than snow. I keep my skinny tires all
year round.

(My route is very urban. A cyclist who has something other
than regular city streets will decide differently)

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971
 
On Wed, 22 Sep 2004 21:17:19 -0500, A Muzi <[email protected]>
wrote:


>Even a sloppy winter usually means only a few hours on a few
>days per year of actual sloppy streets.


I lived outside Boston for several years and it was quite remarkable
how bad the roads would be in winter. The problem is snow melt and
also snow on the side of the road constantly getting knocked into the
road by parking cars, people shovelling, etc. If there are a few
heavy snowfalls they can result in crappy road conditions for several
weeks.

Plus there is road salt and sand that remains for weeks too.

>I believe a cyclist
>should get out of the road when busses are sliding sideways
>and return to the usual commute a few hours later when the
>streets are cleared.
>Knobby tires slide in fast corners on dry pavement which a
>more common situation than snow. I keep my skinny tires all
>year round.


But yeah, with a few exceptions, knobbies make no sense, even in the
conditions I describe. The surface being ridden on is asphalt with
"lubricants" on it -- water, little bits of snow and ice, and salt,
and sand. That's not a soft surface like dirt or snow where knobbies
would help. Road tires are best.

JT

****************************
Remove "remove" to reply
Visit http://www.jt10000.com
****************************