Winterizing your bike ideas needed...

[fabiosav]

I want to ride deeper into a New York fall/winter. Clothing is not an issue, but I would like to improve grip and stability. Wiping out on leaves is no fun. Can one mount cyclo-cross tire on a road frame? What else should do? lube changes? Brake pads? All you hard guys who ride 24/7/365??

Thanks!

 

[PeterF]

I want to ride deeper into a New York fall/winter. Clothing is not an issue, but I would like to improve grip and stability. Wiping out on leaves is no fun. Can one mount cyclo-cross tire on a road frame? What else should do? lube changes? Brake pads? All you hard guys who ride 24/7/365??

Thanks!

I ride year round here in Massachusetts (please no Red Sox jokes..), and my winter bike is really not much different than my summer bike. I use tires with a little bit more tread than my summer slicks, and my b-bike is all aluminum (my summer bike is steel). I snap a rear fender on the seatpost and for lube I use Ice Wax (but I use it in the summer too). If it snows, I'll wait for the streets to be plowed. Lot's of guys I ride with use cross bikesin the winter. Personally, I would rather spend the money on improving my road bikes. Cross tires might not work, it really depends on how much clearance you have. I know on my Pinarello road frames, there's not enough clearance to put anything bigger than a 25mm tire on.

 

[capwater]

I ride year round here in Massachusetts (please no Red Sox jokes..), and my winter bike is really not much different than my summer bike. I use tires with a little bit more tread than my summer slicks, and my b-bike is all aluminum (my summer bike is steel). I snap a rear fender on the seatpost and for lube I use Ice Wax (but I use it in the summer too). If it snows, I'll wait for the streets to be plowed. Lot's of guys I ride with use cross bikesin the winter. Personally, I would rather spend the money on improving my road bikes. Cross tires might not work, it really depends on how much clearance you have. I know on my Pinarello road frames, there's not enough clearance to put anything bigger than a 25mm tire on.

Not much difference between winter and summer riding (aside from clothing). No can do with the cross tire, but you might get something with a bit of tread, maybe more durable, instead of race level tires. One suggestion would be to pay a bit more attention to cleaning your bike as you're liable to pick up some nasty road jizz being in a snow climate. Go Sox!

 

[531Aussie]

I hereby grant you permission to buy another bike for winter riding. Feel free to imform your spouse or life partner, and mistress

Make it alu, so it won't rust, and grease all threaded parts.

 

[PeterF]

I hereby grant you permission to buy another bike for winter riding. Feel free to imform your spouse or life partner, and mistress

Make it alu, so it won't rust, and grease all threaded parts.

Pay close attention to the wheels too. I pull the tubes and tires off and give them a good cleaning after the really messy rides. The road salt is a real killer, even on aluminum if you ignore it too long.

 

[PeterF]

...Go Sox!

Yeah, pitcher's and catchers report in a little over 4 months...

 

[fabiosav]

Pay close attention to the wheels too. I pull the tubes and tires off and give them a good cleaning after the really messy rides. The road salt is a real killer, even on aluminum if you ignore it too long.

really? after all messy rides? what happens if I don't? excessive wear I can live with, catastrophic failure is not so good...

re Sox 1918, the Bambino says hello...

 

[capwater]

Yeah, pitcher's and catchers report in a little over 4 months...

Raising your kid to be a red sox fan is considered child abuse! I speak from 46 years of experience (although there was something very weird up in MA from Feb 2004 through Feb 2005 ... 2 super bowls and a world series).

Of course the correct answer is always "Buy another bike". I'm currently building a winter beater bike with a generic AL frame and left over parts that I have scrounged from mates who have wrecked bikes over the past season. Road salt is about the only change the season brings. Of course you don't want to be riding when it's ice and snow covering the roads.

 

[fabiosav]

actually, it is the wet leaves that spook me most. I was hoping for some better traction ideas...

 

[PeterF]

really? after all messy rides? what happens if I don't? excessive wear I can live with, catastrophic failure is not so good...

re Sox 1918, the Bambino says hello...

Ok, maybe not after every messy ride, but I keep them pretty clean in general. Spokes are often steel and should be rinsed off and dried periodically. I wouldn't say neglect will lead to catastrophic failure, but why not spend a few extra minutes and get a few extra winters out of your hoops.

re Yankees 2004, Dave Roberts says hello...

 

[curby]

i know of no 'cure' for wet leaves in a corner... they have dumped me on my road, cross, touring and mountain bikes with all sorts of tires... just ride straight when you encounter them and hope for the best, oh, and don't touch the brakes!


wet rims stop better with cantilever style brakes... and they are easier to clear gunk out of than sidepulls too... full fenders make the whole experience a LOT cleaner! (it's true)

i agree a winter bike is in order... but what style? used touring is a good option, that type of bike often gets one tour of duty then shelved... i wouldnt be so concerned about frame material if you get a workhorse used bike... of course if you find a vintage classic that deserves better care perhaps its not the right bike for your nasty winter rides... single speed is a great option too! less stuff to get gunked up...


all's'miles

curby

 

[DMF]

Make it alu, so it won't rust,

Ever seen what salt does to aluminum?

 

[aa9t8]

my wife and i use mtn bikes for our winter bikes. i put a piece of extra fender on them to stop guck from flinging onto the front derailer. and if you are really worried about traction you can get studded tires. we live in canada where there is 9 months of winter and 3 months of bad sledding. kidding i think it snowed once last year. this year i have ordered new x-country tires for them.

 

[fabiosav]

To be honest, I would have thought "not much". Steel, yes, but Aluminum?

 

[garage sale GT]

Salt pitted my aluminum Raleigh M50 pretty bad wherever there was a rock chip on the paint, and it may have harmed the insides of the tubes.

6061, the grade used in my frame and wheelset, is known to be a corrosion resistant grade. The 7 series aluminum grades are stronger but not as good with respect to corrosion.

Wash your bike regularly if you can. In the spring, wash out the inside of the frame as well as taking your tires and rim strips off and making sure there's no salt in your eyelets.

BTW I found a fairly low end fork would not keep out salty water. I'm guessing you have a road bike but in case you have a hybrid, rebuild the fork after your last salty ride.

I have not found a substitute for washing and lubing. Oil or White Lightning will protect bare steel parts from rust for a while.

 

[garage sale GT]

I have no firsthand knowledge of this but it may be a good idea to carry an animal repellent during deer season, from late October to mid-January. The bucks are supposed to get aggressive and I saw a video of one attacking a game warden.

 

[chero]

My brother in Minnesota commutes all winter. He puts on studded tires in November and finds that the only way to cope with ice (no tread patern or depth is much help). But, you may be packing it in by the time ice comes, and studs probably don't help much on leaves, at least anything but a thin layer. Anyone with experience with studs and leaves?

Ditto on the benefit (necessity) of fenders, at least if you are commuting. Get get full fenders fore and aft. (If you are just out for exercise you can wait it out until it is dry and forgo them.)