Riding In Snow



BobCochran

Well-Known Member
May 3, 2015
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Anyone have advice about riding on a road with at least a partial coating of snow, ice, and/or slush with the usual salt chemicals that sanding trucks spread around?

Thanks a ton

Bob
 
Studded tires, wash the bike really well after each ride and use moisture displacing lubricant to help prevent rust/corrosion.
 
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Go for good chunky tires and reduce your overall pace.

Also keep a watch on the road ahead a lot more and trust your gut instinct. Riding in snow can be seriously fun :)
 
Try to relax your body, hands and arms like you are riding normally, since most are tense when riding on ice; always be prepared to press on the brakes. Sudden turns and steering can be risky for sliding incidents, so use the handle bars gently. There is an increase risk of slipping so wear a helmet for safety and precaution.
 
goldenmaine said:
Try to relax your body, hands and arms like you are riding normally, since most are tense when riding on ice; always be prepared to press on the brakes. Sudden turns and steering can be risky for sliding incidents, so use the handle bars gently. There is an increase risk of slipping so wear a helmet for safety and precaution.
I'd also recommend on easy movements on the handlebars. Especially on roads

Also as a small tip, not sure if it's useful or not, but when going on roads in the snow, try to ride in between or off to the side of the tracks left in the roads by cars. Where the snow has been pressed down it becomes sort of slick, at least that's what I've found, and where the snow is more fluffy might offer a little more stability.
 
You will have to invest in some good tyres, and always make sure that you leave plenty of time for your journey so that you're not tempted to rush. Personally, I try to avoid cycling when it is snowy, because I always worry that I wouldn't be able to stay on my bike without falling off, and if I was in an accident it might put other people at risk who would have to swerve to avoid me. My country rarely sees snow, so I can usually simply avoid cycling during the days when it falls.
 
MotownBikeBoy said:
Studded tires, wash the bike really well after each ride and use moisture displacing lubricant to help prevent rust/corrosion.
Can't over-emphasize the lube, I learned this the hard way. I usually dislike riding when the road is icy or has snow on it or whatever, but if you really, really want to do it, then put on some warm clothes and take care of your bike.
 
Anticipate turns, if you need to brake - do it before the turn and make the turns gentle.

Minimize braking, you can be more agressive braking the rear wheel than the front.

Don't use your prized ride - have a winter / rain bike. I ride way too much to clean an lube the bike after every ride. I wipe off the snow and let drip dry. To lube, I use a good heavy oil based chain lubricant. I buy cheap cassetes and chains and replace after the snowy / muddy season.

The winter snow and grit is not all that hard on the bike. I find my summer sweat to be just as corrosive.
 
Winter is the time for beer, rum and pizza.

Also: Cross country skiing, downhill skiing, snowshoeing and telling lies about your epic warm weather rides last summer.

Light snow is not much of an issue, other than for hard braking and fast turns, as Maydog stated. Heavier snow cover can be tricky on skinny tires and thus the reason to own and use a cross bike, a mountain bike or a fat bike.

Ice? While ice is capable of being conquered, it is tricky. I recommend staying off the ice unless wearing skates and especially around vehicular traffic if the roads are at all icy. Unless, of course, you are on some form of studded or compounded ice tire. Crushed walnut shells at a minimum.
 
Look at the Craigslist and other classifieds for a cheap 80s-90s vintage beater bike with 32 mm or 1-1/4" wide tires. Rinse the chain after a really messy ride.

You know what'll hurt you more than anything else? Black ice. Glare ice, you'll see it beforehand. Black ice looks like run of the mill wet pavement.
 
Everyone, thanks for the great advice.

@mpre53, I'll see if my local bike shop has some bike that hasn't been picked up after repair and is ready for a mechanic's lien sale. Or, I'll try the thrift store just down the road. Or I'll look at the local pawn shop. For me, the issue is one of cautious negotiation with my spouse. I need to talk it over with her prior to purchase, to see whether 2 bikes are permitted or not.

Thanks a ton

Bob
 
I've not thought of venturing it. Reading all of this makes me want to try it out. Beer, rum, and Pizza. He says. Lol I guess between thanksgiving and the rest of the holidays. The idea that winter means all of that. Its probably why so many people gain weight in the winter time. I use to watch this guy who was a friend of a friend ride his bike in the snow all the time. He would wear shorts. It was his only form of transportation.
 
I think the best approach is to take it easy, go slow on the turns, don't brake too hard and give yourself a bit of extra room to come to a stop. You can get studded winter tires as well which give you a bit of extra security.

Personally I don't like riding in the snow, but that's because it usually gets to be at least a few feet around here with very poorly cleared sidewalks and roads that are extra narrow due to all the snow pushed off to the sides. As long as the road conditions are decent where you live though you shouldn't have too much of a problem :)

One other thing to be aware of is that some people are nervous or inexperienced about driving in snowy weather, so keep on eye on the traffic and be extra cautious on the road.
 
I have a pair of new winter tires however I ride less in the winter season. If it is really cold and slippery I prefer walking to avoid any injuries or accidents.
 
Ensure that your bike tyres have more treads since the more treads the better. You should also ride slowly and steadily, don't ride at high speeds. You are also supposed to monitor your body position to shift your weight back hence keeping the rear wheel down.
 
I've never had the opportunity to ride in snow, but I've always wanted to have the opportunity. Unfortunately, it only snows every 20 years here where I live. I'd assume you'd need a different set of tyres that would offer good traction on snow. It will won't be possible to ride at high speeds, but then again it's best to ride cautiously.
 
I have a pair of new winter tires however I ride less in the winter season. If it is really cold and slippery I prefer walking to avoid any injuries or accidents.

That's what I think is the best way. Why risk your well-being in the snowy road? I was born and raised in a topical country and I had seen real snow only last year when we went to see the Great Wall of China. The snow was sparse but the roads and pathways are slippery hence the vendors in the entrance of the Great Wall warned us of the risk of slipping. And they were right on that. I wonder if I could ride for 100 meters on that kind of road condition without crashing.
 
I always make sure that I wash my bike properly when I have been riding in the snow, because you can pick up a lot of grit from the roads which can damage your bike if you don't clean it off. However a lot of the time now I just don't ride in the snow at all, because I have seen several of my friends have accidents whilst doing so, and this is not something that I would like to happen to myself - so I always try to wait until the ice has melted and the roads are clear again.