Winter bike / Snow bike thread

That's because you're special.

That's because you're special.

TBH, with all the time I've spent conversing with Alaskans, living at around the same latitude as me. I do feel pretty blessed.

We love you gulf stream.

TBH, with all the time I've spent conversing with Alaskans, living at around the same latitude as me. I do feel pretty blessed.

We love you golf stream.

DTm

Pah.

What do you run in your car brake lines during the winter?
Have you ever had a problem?

I have been using hydraulic rim brakes at -15C without a problem.
cables suck

Has anyone ever used these? I'm planning on doing some commuting through the winter up here in Aberdeen so snow bike 1.0 is in planning stage at the mo, although will probably consist of suitable tyres and spinny gear!

My boss commutes on winter marathons. They're great tyres, with quality rubber, and carbide studs.

What do you run in your car brake lines during the winter?
Have you ever had a problem?

My car has a hot internal combustion engine in it. Although it might run on fairy juice for all I know about cars.

Swinging back to hydrolics somewhat TBH.

It's common practice to mix some gasoline with Diesel to stop it freezing in colder climates.

Also, a lot of Swedish cars have a plug socket in the engine bay where you plug the block warmer in- basically an electrical heater which you plug in overnight to stop the engine getting so cold that it cannot be started due to fuel refusing to vaporise, oil being as thick as tar etc etc.

With regards to brake fluid I would imagine that it will warm up pretty rapidly in an automotive situation- it's power assisted, and the compression of the fluid would heat it.

The engine being where it is with regards to the front wheels (in most cars) will warm that area through pretty fast once it has fired up.

Also, a lot of Swedish cars have a plug socket in the engine bay where you plug the block warmer in- basically an electrical heater which you plug in overnight to stop the engine getting so cold that it cannot be started due to fuel refusing to vaporise, oil being as thick as tar etc etc..

Popular up here too.

I have 2 long leads, a timer plug, and dedicated car heater. Last winter I drove to the post office with 10m of lead still hanging out of the passenger door. Embarressing, plus I had to look for the other end at home under 120cm of snow.

#dontusuallydrivethepeskycar#

Hope brakes. M4 or X2?

I thought you chaps might do the same, but had no knowledge of Norweigan practices.

In other nnews I just ordered those Schwalbe studded tyres.

Come at me winter!

schwalbe winter marathon

Page 9 on this thread has some ppl's experience.

I'm not saying that Dot oil brakes wont work for my use. Just that they might not work as well as simple mechanicals

Cable disc brakes failure mode in cold/snow:

Snow accumulates on caliper
Brake heat melts snow
Water enters between cable and outer, and into caliper mechanism
Water refreezes due to sub zero ambient
Cable is firmly stuck in outer, caliper mechanism blocked by ice, brakes stop working.

I'd go hydraulic, and if you're worried about really low temp go for something using DOT fluid, not Shimano mineral oil.

anyone got any leads on Nokian 294 29er spike tyres? seem to be out almost everywhere listed

Cable disc brakes failure mode in cold/snow:
I'd go hydraulic, and if you're worried about really low temp go for something using DOT fluid, not Shimano mineral oil.

Hope then.

X2 or M4. Probs X2.

http://www.allweathersports.com/winter/winter.html#Miscellaneous

Nothing about brakes.

http://www.arcticcycles.com/Bike%20Rentals.html

These use avid, but don't say if mech or hydro.
Drop them an e-mail.

The Iditarod Trail show a varies of mechanical and hydraulic, so the disadvantage that mdcc_tester mentioned didn't seemed to put them off.

How do I know? photos;

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5098/5495539147_c719ab0b47_b.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5256/5496130884_53c903a94c_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3558/3380384658_d339d1eb5c_o.jpg

The Alaskan crew run BB7s mostly.

Not sure I can judge my bike use up against them though ;)

Does look it, you should read Jill Homer's book called Ghost Trail, it's about her ride during the Iditarod Trail, really interesting insight to the race.

there was a moment where her bike got caught in a river and froze her drivetrain, luckily it was on the granny gear that got her going till she managed to bring it indoor to let it melt near a fire.

I stupidly went out with quattro cleats during winter once. Frooze my shoes to the pedals. When I fell the force required to free them near snapped both shins. In fact my cleats snapped in the end. The ice was solid.

Water is pretty destructive stuff when the ambient temperature is -25.

You know looking at the photo i saw a handful of normal flat pedal, some powergrip, and few spd/flat.

Has anyone ever used these? I'm planning on doing some commuting through the winter up here in Aberdeen

Hi Bernhard, I'm up in Aberdeen(shire) and used these tyres all last winter. And will be using the same set this winter. For me they are a great compromise: I commute from out in the sticks into the Bridge of Don. So near home they aren't quite good enough, but in the suburbs they are overkill. I got mine from Bike24 last year as it was cheaper than getting them from the UK (might not be the case now).

You know looking at the photo i saw a handful of normal flat pedal, some powergrip, and few spd/flat.

Big flats seem to be most popular. Mainly because it allows for massive winter shoes to be worn. Another good point, is the fact that being conected to your big metal bike via metal bolts mere millimeters from your feet. Is not a great situation in terms of heat preservation. You see a lot of carbon bars too, and believe me, its not because these folks are weight weenies.

I'm going with Crank Bros candys. Which I have on the 29er. So I can get dedicated winter shoes for the Fatbike, and use my nice NWs if I take it out outside of winter. Means I should put some on the CX commuter too. So I can use the winter shoes for ice road rides.

Fatback even do their own fat-flats.