I want to hear from the hard core Winter commuters

[KevinK]

I mean clothes shoes pedal systems studded tires the whole works!
I am still commuting in Wisconsin right now with nary a problem but when the snow fly's? Now that's another story.
I need to learn from who is doing it and has done it to make some informed decisions about clothes and equipment for a 60 plus round trip commute from work.
I am looking at this as sort of an adventure and at the same time saving a bunch of money.
BTW night time temps have been in the upper 20's for my return commute with no problems at all.
I am looking for tips on how to overcome snow covered roads and any engine starting problems in cold weather.
I would like to here about anything and everything on this topic.

Thanks

Kevin

 

[Wheres my dog]

Wait... are you saying 60 plus mile commute????

Holy cow, in the snow????

 

[KevinK]

Wait... are you saying 60 plus mile commute????

Holy cow, in the snow????

I have 1500 miles now on the GEBE/Gary Fisher system. 67 miles per day.
Its really no big deal at 25 plus mph average speed!
Now in the snow its a big deal. I am just kicking it around!
Is it possible? I think that it is. The question is do I just want to park the bike when the snow hits....I am really kicking around this kind of commute this winter!

Kevin

 

[Pablo]

Search for AlaskanVan's posts. Snow, rain, etc....the guy keeps going.

 

[mlcorson]

I've seen students riding in Boulder Co. on snow covered streets. I have never done it myself. I would be concerned about plowed snow on sides of road restricting the roadway as it is in our town after heavy snow. Not a question of can it be done in an urban environment, but is it safe? Maybe as a winter recreation activity out in the country?

 

[jacks_bike]

Winter is unpredictable. You commute to work in morning - by the time u go home there could be a white out and you'll find yourself sleeping in the janitors closet. Have a back up plan - and have a back up for that back up.

 

[RedBaronX]

Winter is unpredictable. You commute to work in morning - by the time u go home there could be a white out and you'll find yourself sleeping in the janitors closet. Have a back up plan - and have a back up for that back up.

no kidding-- way back in college at UW-Stevens Point, I left for class in the morning, and the ground was clear; four hours later when I left the Fine Arts building, there was nearly a foot of snow on the ground.

Back then, I would ride in the winter, but rarely in the falling snow-- that was just a pedal mountain bike... and since I was young and "invincible", winter gear rarely included gloves and a hat. And I wasn't going more than a couple miles at a time, if that much.

 

[wileydavis@gmail.com]

I've commuted year-round in Bozeman, Montana on regular, electric, and gas-powered bikes. As far as clothes go, just wear lots of layers and ski goggles. Hard-shell mittens are nice as well. One often overlooked thing on a motorized bike is underwear. All that cold wind has the habit of making one's junk quite numb. Seriously. I'd often stuff a wool sock into my long johns to ward that effect off. Felt kind of silly doing it, but a numb penis is no laughing matter.

And studded tires are a plowed-road commuter's best friend. Schwalbie makes the best, Nokian's are good too. The more expensive brands will save you money in the long run because they have carbide studs which will last many seasons. The cheap ones lose sharpness in a few months. $50 a tire seems expensive, but it's cherap compared to an emergency room visit and they really do work wonders on slick, icy roads.

For pedals, I used long-strap Power-Grips with a pair of Sorel snow boots. But if you're motoring most of the time, you can just use a large platform pedal, the kind they sell for dirt-jump bikes.

 

[Virginian]

I just wouldn't try that long a distance on snowy or icy roads. The speed of a motorized bike could turn a little skid into a nasty accident.

 

[ibdennyak]

I ride in winter. Studs are a must. Black ice is a killer on a bike. Another problem is slush jamming up chains, fenders, and other things that need to turn. Also, your ride can be delayed until the snow removal service takes care of the foot of snow in the bike lane or shoulder. Frozen tire tracks are treacherous also.

Clothing is pretty well covered by adapting snowmobile technology....adds a little padding for WHEN you do go down too.

Good idea to be even more aware of cars too. They can loose control in slippery conditions as well as you. Last winter I was blown off the road by a state plow truck plowing about 4 inches of wet heavy snow. Amazing how heavy the bow wake of four inches of slush is at 20 mph.

Years ago, I rode a motorcycle in the winter on a 120 mile round trip commute in Wisconsin. Snow mobile clothing, full helmet, and electric socks and gloves plugged into the charging system made it reasonably comfortable. Biggest problem was when they shut down I 94 because of black ice. Trucks were sliding off the roadway just from camber and the vibration of the engine running. I was putting along at about 20 mph with both feet down. A trooper fell down 3 times trying to stop me. Did wear the soles off a pair of perfectly good snowmobile boots. The situation seems a lot funnier in retrospect.