I hope it snows, it snows and snows this winter ........

[hennbell]

With all this huffing and puffing do you think Drago will break out an " I must break you". God I hope so, I am ready with " A Burning Heart" and "The Final Countdown".....

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Are there any tyres that'll cope with thick snow?

Do we ever get thick snow here?
If it falls it maybe stays one day, next day you have an ice rink instead.

 

[Hawk]

Do we ever get thick snow here?
If it falls it maybe stays one day, next day you have an ice rink instead.

It was nearly thick once a few years ago. I obviously need to stun everyone by still taking on the commute even if we get a blizzard

 

[slowmotion]

We seem to manage in London without this excessive hardware. Would you plebs please shut up?

Thank you

 

[shouldbeinbed]

I ride in snow a fair amount, my preferred tactic is cyclocross bike.
Keep the cadence high, do not lean into corners, and never use the front brakes. And ever once in a while go very hard and fast and jump into a big fat snow drift.

When dealing with snow you have 2 options try to float on top of it or cut through it.

To float on top you need a wide tyre that spreads out the pressure exerted on the contact patch between tyre and snow. You need a snow specific bike, not a cheap option.
http://moots.com/afternoon-ti/moots-frosti-snow-bike/
http://salsacycles.com/bikes/mukluk

To cut through and compress the snow you want a thin tyre so you don't have to much snow to compress, cyclocross works best and you can get studded cyclocross tyres.

Try using zip ties, works a treat, but you better have disk brakes.

and not get a puncture


+1 to anyone that has said bed the stud tyres in first on regular roads, 30-50 miles at very slightly lower pressure than your usual road/tyre combo and you should be away. You will lose a stud or two but if you write nicely to schwalbe then they will invariably send you some more. Bit of decent waterproof (or super) glue and some pliers to fit them back in properly and jobs a good un.

Clas Olsen(?sp) do some surprisingly competent 700c stud tyres too, deeper tread than the marathon winters so they handle squidgy melting slushy CX type conditions slightly better than the marathon winters.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

We seem to manage in London without this excessive hardware. Would you plebs please shut up?

Thank you

You live in the Big Smoke - we live in the Big Freeze

 

[mcshroom]

I'll take studded tyres and ice over gritted city roads any day. The black salty slime that comes off of salted roads seems to attack everything it hits (bike or clothing). Anyway, the studs allow me to use the back roads that are deserted as all the cars are queueing on the gritted main road

 

[GrasB]

To be honest, the same is true of the majority of bicycle riders I see. It's not a concept that's mutually exclusive.

Anyway, to topic... Will any recumbent riders be riding in the snow. Low C of G would be handy, but never having ridden one I don't know if they'd be any use. Recumbent trike perhaps?

You need something with big wheels for proper snow. Smaller wheels produce too high an angle of attack to the snow so the bike tends to stall. Also it's best to have a really skinny slick front tyre & wide, textured + studded rear tyre.

On ice with studded tyres there's virtually no difference between a recumbent & upright.

 

[caesar]

This is what you want for proper snow:

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/CBOOFATX5/on_one_fatty

 

[Crankarm]

The tyres are now fitted. No fitting issues. Ready to be run in over the weekend. Will then remove and fit Nimbus Armadillos to see how they go or refit Marathon XRs. Will put the winter spike tyres back on when it is icy/snowy having been run in.

I can highly recommend Park Tools blue tyre levers - x3 for £2.99. The ones I had before the Park ones were el cheapos from Wilkinsons which snapped trying to get the Marathon XRs off.

 

[potsy]

Look forward to reading your opinion once you've been out on them a couple of times, the 'snap, crackle, pop' noise as you ride along is something that takes a bit of getting used to
Think I'll stick mine back on over the weekend.

 

[Crankarm]

Yes I don't know really what to expect, except to leave an extra 20 mins earlier for work to allow for any issues/fettling/mishaps should there be any on the way and of course slower speed. Once in Cambridge my bike will be going with me INTO work and not left outside as usual. Looking forward to the sound of snap crackle and pop! I wonder if I will scalp anyone? Just have to avoid the horse sh1t.

 

[Matthames]

The tyres are now fitted. No fitting issues. Ready to be run in over the weekend. Will then remove and fit Nimbus Armadillos to see how they go or refit Marathon XRs. Will put the winter spike tyres back on when it is icy/snowy having been run in.

Judging by the medium range forecast, you might not need to wait that long. First taste of winter could be at the end of this month.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

This is what you want for proper snow:

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/CBOOFATX5/on_one_fatty

Let's not exaggerate here: we are going to ride to work on icy roads in Glasgow city, not going touring with Santa in Lapland

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Yes I don't know really what to expect, except to leave an extra 20 mins earlier for work to allow for any issues/fettling/mishaps should there be any on the way and of course slower speed. Once in Cambridge my bike will be going with me INTO work and not left outside as usual. Looking forward to the sound of snap crackle and pop! I wonder if I will scalp anyone? Just have to avoid the horse sh1t.

Not fitted mine yet: they are staying on when I do, as I got a cheap MBSO for the purpose.
Do you think, Crankarm, the winter bike will be attractive to thieves for the marathon winters?