My winter has always gone like this: First ill go with just wide knobby tires. I ride carefully couple days and fall anyway. Then i install spikes on the front, and on the next day ill install spikes on the back too.
Next winter i plan to install spikes on both wheels right away. Good spikes on heavily knobbed tires will let me ride almost like it is summer. I can enjoy the speed and do jumps and stuff, only heavy banking is still a thing to be avoided.
I have had freewheel frozen couple times, most of the time it will unfroze with just sitting on your bike, holding the balance with the help of a wall or something and pedaling like an idiot for a minute. Once i had to heat it with the chemical finger heating device i carry with me in my tool bag. I carry it with me so i can melt my frozen fingers after changing a tire.
Properly lubricated freewheel will not freeze.
Good weather is below zero. Good weather is old snow packed tight and hard.
Bad weather is fresh snow above zero.
Death weather is water on top of smooth ice.
Edit: And ppl who say you can drive a track bike in the winter live in the city centre where you can drive on the road that is free of snow beacause of all the cars.
No matter how you set up a winter bike, there will be days when it sucks. Things I’ve found out:
-Studded tires are worth their weight in gold on ice. Have a set available or at least a front wheel with one.
-Brakeless fixed is just fine, if it’s your thing. You should know what you’re doing but that goes in the summer as well.
-Freewheels can be flushed with solvent and lubed with light gun oil. Probably wears faster but will positively not freeze.
-Full fenders are the shit, but try to figure out a way to remove them with reasonable effort, if necessary.
-CX knobbies are fast and fun on packed snow, but prone to flats.
kim - 23:35, 25.8.2015 »
pics are nice, but it totally depends on the winter. Last couple I've had cyclocross tires like kenda happy medium, more snow 35c:s with bigger knobs and normally a couple days each winter with spikes - I usually have a second front wheel with mara winter. Spikes won't help you with the black ice though.
And steamroller is the best, UGH!
edit: And if it gets Mayhem, you’ll need a MTB
Pretty much this. I've survived last 4 winters with my Goldsprint with 32mm Kenda SB8 and few days/winter 35mm MarathonWinter in front.
The 26" studs were great, the coaster brake bike was suprisingly ok I suppose and Snow Studs worked better compared to the knobs IMO. Only thing I always found myself cursing I wish I had were the fenders and, in all honesty, disc brakes and gears.
I’ve since hardened up, so I’d say fenders and decent tyres will do, and fixed if the canti’s will not do the job.
Tompsukka - 22:35, 25.8.2015 »
^^What he said. Fixed is not only fun as shit in winter but you also have so good connection to the road that you know the second you start losing grip.
Oh not this goddamn bullshit again.
Fixed gear = no way to ride sideways on ice
Freewheel = cornering like a fucking bad ass
Now that you’re going to ride on ice, ask yourself do you want to be able to put your foot down and ride it out when your rear wheel loses traction or do you want to slow down like a fucking nanny until you eventually eat shit?
valttu - 8:28, 26.8.2015 »
How about...
http://www.vastavalo.fi/albums/userpics/10119/normal_rollattoriliukas.jpg
That's your brain on fixed gear. Shitting your pants trying to keep balance.
http://greenplanetstream.org/ARELOAD321/wp-content/uploads/550x350_klunkerz.jpg
This is your brain on a freewheel.
Not this goddamn bullshit again.
Would like to see you cornering in those conditions. No doubt freewheel is faster but thats not what i was talking about.
Tompsukka - 10:07, 26.8.2015 »
Would like to see you cornering in those conditions. No doubt freewheel is faster but thats not what i was talking about.
Im allways driving like a granny anyway...
Well you can try to follow me, but since you're riding a fixed gear like a fucking granny I doubt that you're anywhere near when the fun starts.
Tompsukka - 10:07, 26.8.2015 »
Would like to see you cornering in those conditions. No doubt freewheel is faster but thats not what i was talking about.
Im allways driving like a granny anyway...
Well you can try to follow me, but since you're riding a fixed gear like a fucking granny I doubt that you're anywhere near when the fun starts.
I rode two winters in Helsinki, one on mtb and next on my “all year round fg bike”. Mtb is useful only in a deep snow imo or to fool around. Fixed gear brakeless is alright if you know what you are doing. It a lot depends of your route. I had ~25km daily commute and my road was almost always well taken care of, 2-3 stops and pretty flat, that makes the difference.
Since first snowy day - 35mm tires with spikes and it felt really safe and good to ride. I have leader 722TS with steamroller forks. I think fixed gear is good because spring time you just change chain and you will be good to go.
If I would be buying steel frame for multipurpose it would be steamroller, you will use it winter time and later summer time, it does it all.
It was like that back then
Now I live in Tampere and wide riser works for me
Hachio - 0:10, 26.8.2015 »
front brake for slowing down.
manuelkala - 23:55, 25.8.2015 »
for maximum finnish winter cycling bliss
get:
-26" fixed gear w/ front brake
Front brake on ice? I'd steer away from that.
Set the cockpit so that you can put more weight over the front wheel when riding through slush, and move the weight over to the rear when surface gets more slippery.
Lower tire pressure for more traction when needed and learn to take corners steering, not leaning. You’re going to fall a couple of times anyway, so just take it easy.
Narrow tires with spikes, rolls faster and stops faster, and has better traction sideways.
There’s a reason why rallycars have wide wheels when the tractions is good, and narrow when it’ s not.
There are no real winters anymore so no need to worry about rolling in the snow. I have nokia w106 which is a trekking tire.
Don’t use the front break when you ride.
When the time comes that you need to stop for that truck running red lights,
you will panic break on the front and fall, which is a good thing cause sliding on your side stops you faster.
Gears or not, better have everything enclosed, derailleurs will just clog up. I would not ride fixed on the ice but I’m a pussy.
Now I’m even more confused about what to do. It would have been much easier if nearly everyone had the same advice but nobody seems to agree on what is best.
A freewheel may or may not freeze
Fixed is good and it isn’t
Big tyres or small tyres are fine
I need studded tyres or I don’t
Full fenders are great and terrible
Looks like I may just need to suck it and see, switch some stuff around and find out for myself what works for me.
thefootdown - 14:35, 26.8.2015 »
Now I'm even more confused about what to do. It would have been much easier if nearly everyone had the same advice but nobody seems to agree on what is best.
A freewheel may or may not freeze
Fixed is good and it isn't
Big tyres or small tyres are fine
I need studded tyres or I don't
Full fenders are great and terrible
Looks like I may just need to suck it and see, switch some stuff around and find out for myself what works for me.
Well, we are looking at Finnish winter here. Mileage will vary.
