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 » Looks like I may just need to suck it and see, switch some stuff around and find out for myself what works for me.Amen to that.
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.
700c, 35mm, fenders, cx and/or studded, front brake, fixed is fine.
you will get into it gradually, don’t worry.
stay keep calm, play darts.
A freewheel may or may not freeze
They freeze if you neglect service.
Fixed is good and it isn’t
Rear brake always works, freewheel never freezes. Takes less maintenance. Riding in the winter is tiring, though. Also, you’ll need straps or winter SPD shoes (or thick socks). Getting your feet into straps can be infuriating when the pedal’s grease hardens in the cold.
Big tyres or small tyres are fine
Knobby tires can have more friction, unless there is ice - then only studs work. In light snow narrow tires work well as they cut through the snow. Problem for narrow tires is when snow starts packing on bicycle path (because of bad winter maintenance).
I need studded tyres or I don’t
Having a studded front tire is great. Player would have a second front wheel with a lighter tire for more pleasurable weather.
Full fenders are great and terrible
Snow packs in them but when the weather is wet nothing else will save your back and feet from getting wet and cold.
Winter is never just a winter - every day is different and no advice is perfect. Riding in winter is slower, tougher, hotter, colder and generally just more uncomfortable so you’ll wan’t to have the best bike possible.
I’d recommend a MTBish or Cyclocrossish bike. Recycled 26" MTB is a good budget option. You can find them at Kyläsaari Recycling Centre (aka U6).
Your toes, fingers, face, balls etc. will probably freeze way before your freewheel, I wouldn’t worry too much about it.
Studs can make riding a lot of fun or not. If you’ve never ridden them then maybe they’re worth a try. Extra front wheel with studded tyre is probably a good idea. Last winter there wasn’t much use for studs but you’ll never now. I’d say bigger is better when it comes to tyres.
Full fenders are ok but so is beaver tail, most of the time.
Pompino
Smart sam 35c
Brakes or no brakes
My commuter:
Hub dynamo with proper lights. See and be seen!
Full fenders with extra long flaps keeps you dry and the drivetrain clean.
Tires that keep that nasty gravel on the outside (Vittoria Randonneur, Schwalbe Marathon Supreme, Maxxis Overdrive etc) .
Studded tires when needed. (Schwalbe Marathon Winter, Schwalbe Ice Spiker etc.)
Disc brakes.
And don’t just think about the bike. Clothing that works for you is as important as the bike.
Start with good gloves, warm shoes, something on your neck and a hat that fits under the helmet.
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.I agree with others that conditions vary, especially since each winter is somehow different.
It’s not something to be afraid of - You get the hang of riding in different conditions quite fast, just be careful and pay attention to what you’re doing and you’ll figure out what works for you.
My suggestion is to simply ride whatever you got and fix problems when needed. I suppose if these ideas, preferences and suggestions had to be somehow summed up, these are the things you want to look for in a winter bike:
Or don’t know
ritari_s - 15:36, 26.8.2015 » And don't just think about the bike. Clothing that works for you is as important as the bike. Start with good gloves, warm shoes, something on your neck and a hat that fits under the helmet.Mein kompf
i like plastic riser it keeps hands warmer somehow
Mull Dundane - 18:43, 26.8.2015 » i like plastic riser it keeps hands warmer somehowthis and foam grips = bliss
thefootdown - 14:35, 26.8.2015 » 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.There's this basic thing, that you will be running on various kinds of snow, various kinds of ice and plain tarmac, so no wonder if anyone has different opinions which is the best compromise as a tyre.
Full fenders are great but then there’s slush and there’s this other kind of fresh, fuzzy snow (no idea what they are called in English) but the end-game is that if you a planning to run the full fenders through all winter you need shitloads of clearance, several millimeters more than when you run fenders on summer and there’s just water going there.
The whole mechanics of a side pull rim brake come into play here: if you need to have a 35mm tyre with knobs and studs, some extra clearance and a fender all under the brake – i’m not sure if such long brake calipers and such frame even exists and if they would give any braking power.
If you don’t have a rim brake in the rear, just put the fender over the bridge and ride like boss even though it looks ridiculous.
Next year I’m going to make a phony new account and ask about winterbiking. In german. It will be hilarious.
^Lol, in Finland we have this thing called “vieraskoreus.”
I’ve noticed it before and I don’t think I’ll ever seen such quick, polite and thorough answers here in finnish. Good for you!
And don’t worry about the winter cycling too much. At times it can be a total bliss, sometimes it’s the total opposite.
best winter fenders ever.
Good 99% of the time. a 29er for the 1%.
zee winter is coming
Yeah have a old 26" mtb frame, use it with 26", 650b or 28" (all of them fit), get a flip flop hub so you can try it with freewheel or fixed and slap a nice disc brake on front. And depending if you want to use a rear brake, that is up to you. You can use a canti-one or a u-brake if you have a rim that works with that. Here is an example of a such bike: https://www.yksivaihde.net/old/25745
^ That’s an great example for a frame I think. But because it is possible with mtb, I’d rather suggest to use more reliable components: some sturdy cassette hub with iso-6 disc threads and maybe also a 6-bolt fixed cog. We had somewhere here quite strong opinions about cheap bmx freewheels…
no matter what you choose, you’ll manage it you are careful. rest is about best possible compromise for different weather that cannot be predicted accurately enough. personally cx w freewheel, ss, full fenders and disc brakes is best I’ve come up with. and two sets of wheels: studded and knobs. sometimes you curse the icy car tracks when you struggle to keep up, but then you can switch to studded tires in 15 minutes and vice versa when weather changes again.
edit: and absolutely weight back in slush. unless you want to struggle with the steering and bike travelling to random directions all the time…
edit edit: I had a frozen freewheel once in my life. cheap shimano bmx freewheel.
^What the man say
For me it’s generally discs both ends and studs too - lots of 'em. Because I’m a wimp. But I don’t usually see many a räädistelijä around here in the suburbs anyway so who’s there to know. Also, I’m too lazy to be changing wheels on a regular basis even on the best of days, not to mention those dire winter mornings.
But then again.