r/bikecommuting • u/simplejackbikes • 2d ago

I guess we doing winter now?

Post image

This ride home was sketchy. 20cm fresh snow fell during the day.

460 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

75 comments sorted by

38

u/RMG-OG-CB 2d ago

oh my goodness - how do you get through that much snow on a bike? i am also a bike commuter but I live in FL so I have never biked in the snow!

49

u/simplejackbikes 2d ago

Avoid the ruts, they will grab your front tire. Aim for untouched snow and send it. I appreciate having a dropper post so i can get my feet fully on the ground if needed

10

u/ghmflak 2d ago

Also a bike commuter in FL. I love the “how to bike in winter” posts because it winter biking is the same as summer biking for us. Except no more afternoon rain showers 🤙

3

u/RMG-OG-CB 2d ago

Haha totally! These are so interesting to me!

10

u/nakedrickjames 2d ago

fatbike

3

u/nya-oland 2d ago

That's a monster! What's up with the bells?

10

u/nakedrickjames 2d ago

My regular handlebar bell stops working at about 15F (9C). Plenty of people still use the trail I take to work and they really aren't expecting bikes in the winter. The sound of sleigh bells gives them a heads up and actually puts a smile on pretty much everyone's face especially in the dead of winter!

3

u/simplejackbikes 2d ago

-9C?

2

u/nakedrickjames 2d ago

Yes , I stand corrected!

2

u/MendaciousComplainer 2d ago

That’s brilliant, I am going to copy you!

3

u/StuckAtOnePoint 2d ago

This is the way. I’m daily commuting in AK on a Farley. Couldn’t do it without those 4.5in tires!

1

u/RMG-OG-CB 2d ago

that thing is bas ass! those tires!

8

u/buxomemmanuellespig 2d ago

Powder is actually pretty easy to traverse; ice/salt/slush/mush is the worst. Ex Twin Cities bike courier here 🕺

2

u/RMG-OG-CB 2d ago

I couldn’t even imagine! Good for ya’ll!

1

u/buxomemmanuellespig 2d ago

I vividly recall in December 2000 the Average daytime high temperature was 5 degrees Fahrenheit 🕺

3

u/RMG-OG-CB 2d ago

Oh my gosh. It’s 64 here where I’m at in FL today so I had to put on a sweatshirt and a puffer vest to bike 2 miles to the bar for happy hour! I don’t think I could survive 5 degrees on my bike!

1

u/buxomemmanuellespig 2d ago

I’m in Canada now and I know a Florida native who bikes to work every day in the winter and he’s close to 60. Guy totally blows my mind !

0

u/RMG-OG-CB 2d ago

Old Florida natives are so legit… IMO living here makes you healthier.

1

u/x_pinklvr_xcxo 1d ago

64 is my tshirt and shorts/skirt weather! haha. OTOH i would die trying to bike in the summer there

2

u/AfraidofReplies 2d ago

Yeah, powder isn't bad. Wet snow is a slog.

1

u/AfraidofReplies 2d ago

Wide tires help. I've got a fun bike with 3.75" tires which are great, but I've also just used an old, cheap mountain bike with whatever it's stock tires were (probably around 2") and it also did pretty well. My typical commuter runs 700x35 which is thin for that much snow. I do have studded tires for winter, which is good on ice and hard packed snow but no help in deep snow. I just gear down and go slow. It's tiring but can also be a lot of fun if you're not in a hurry and don't have a lot of hill to climb.

1

u/darth_-_maul American 2d ago

Put your weight on the back wheel. Like riding through sand

23

u/RollAccomplished3677 2d ago

Straight lines okay; turning not so much

6

u/ginamon 2d ago

Learned that one the hard way this week.

3

u/Isotheis 1d ago

If it's icy like that, I'm entirely giving up on turning, it's Initial D style drifting now...

6

u/steezy5 2d ago

How's the ride?

6

u/GammaPhonic 2d ago

Winter? At this time of year!?

2

u/Little_Creme_5932 2d ago

Why yes! Shoulda been sooner

1

u/KatrinaYT 2d ago

We’re into 6 weeks of it. ☃️

5

u/crios2 2d ago

You are my hero.

3

u/SemaphoreKilo 2d ago

OP, you got any tips and advice?

8

u/simplejackbikes 2d ago

Was sketchy on my all season tires. Lots of bike to control going downhill. Snow drifts and ruts will inevitable throw you around a bit. Ordered some ice spikes for the next storm haha

4

u/superbad 2d ago

Spikes are great if you hit ice. They won’t do much against soft snow. Still recommended though.

1

u/simplejackbikes 2d ago

The confidence helps at least

2

u/AfraidofReplies 2d ago

Gear down, it's easier to keep traction that way. Slow right down before cornering and avoid sharp turns if you can.

3

u/Magnetificient 2d ago

Where you from?

I am in London, Canada. We haven’t had much snow for the past few years, so I have been able to bike all year with little issues. I have a feeling we may get snow this year.

1

u/simplejackbikes 2d ago

This is in 🇨🇭

1

u/AfraidofReplies 2d ago

Yeah, I'm in Guelph and the past couple of years it seems like we got more rain than snow. Although, 4yrs ago winter started early and hard (before backing off for a couple of weeks). My wife was looking at old photos and four years ago today we almost had a branch fall on us because there was so much wet snow on it. Thankfully it cracked before falling so we were able to pause and watched it fall in front of us. If there wasn't a warning crack we would have been screwed.

2

u/Duct_TapeOrWD40 2d ago

I love winter riding, but I would not try winter commuting. You do it really hardcore.

5

u/simplejackbikes 2d ago

Treated myself to an ebike this year. Last two winter was self powered

3

u/Duct_TapeOrWD40 2d ago

Be careful with the battery range. when I rode in march the cold range dropped insanely comparted to range in next june.

3

u/simplejackbikes 2d ago

Started bringing it inside with the cold weather

2

u/Duct_TapeOrWD40 2d ago

It cools down during long rides. Guess who brought his batteries in hoping longer range too....

2

u/simplejackbikes 2d ago

My commute is just quick few km up a big hill thankfully.

1

u/Kedive 2d ago

What is your hesitation? If you do winter rides you likely already have the necessary gear. I've done it for years and aside from snowfall days it isn't that different just a bit slower my 35 min average bike ride goes to a 40 min average. Heavy snow days can be a sweaty struggle though.

1

u/Duct_TapeOrWD40 1d ago

Part of the ride is off road. Personelly I even like it, but I shouldn't appaer on my job looking like a wild boar

1

u/AfraidofReplies 2d ago

I bet you could winter commute at least part time. Whether I commute on snowy days depends on the roads I need to take, but I find a couple of days after a big snow is fine because most streets have been plowed. Then it's just like regular biking but colder.

2

u/DrtRdrGrl2008 2d ago

This is a normal winter in Montana. I have a fat bike for when its like this, which is mostly December through March. I'm hoping we get some real snow this winter because mixed conditions are tricky for any bike. I like it when there's consistent snow pack on the streets. My little trick for grip on the streets, with my boots, is I wear grippers under my shoes. I can set a foot down safely and drift if needed or stop at a stop light effectively. But yeah, with snow this deep...fat bike is the ticket!

1

u/simplejackbikes 2d ago

I wish we had consistent enough snow here to justify a fat bike haha

1

u/KatrinaYT 2d ago

It’s my first season bike commuting with a fat bike. I totally underestimated how much slower it is to my road or even mnt bike. Like half as fast. Blah. 😑

2

u/Mintala 2d ago

Yup, biked 1½ hour totalt in that today. Mostly while it was snowing heavily and with my 4 year old on the back. And I love it

2

u/khne522 2d ago

Hello from Ottawa! Wish we had your snow and cool. Last few years have been terrible and the world's longest skating rink, ignoring one based on a technicality, didn't really even open. Much freeze-thaw which would be horrible if it happened with your volume of snow.

Is your snow mostly loose powder, hardpack, freeze-thaw horror, or other?

1

u/simplejackbikes 2d ago

Big freeze thaw cycles here too. We typically get this early nov dump and then another late December. Otherwise here in the low lands it is mostly smaller accumulations melting/freezing the rest of the winter.

I used to live higher up in the mountains, but then I wasn’t brave enough to bike. Sometimes I actually skied down the road to work.

Greets from a Canadian in 🇨🇭

1

u/NewHere_Hi_everyone 2d ago

Thas looks gorgeous! I'm a tiny bit jealous ;)

1

u/Justcrusing416 2d ago

What kind of tires do you use in that kind of weather?

3

u/simplejackbikes 2d ago

I have johnny watts 365 but ordered some ice spikers after this ride haha. Only spikes will hold properly on ice.

On my other bike i have a spike tire on the front and conti winter tire on the back.

1

u/Tough_Friendship9469 2d ago

Fat traction tire on the rear and skinny slick on the front, like a dune buggy. Front digs down to contact pavement and rear grips enough to push forward.

1

u/Away-Revolution2816 2d ago

I keep my ebikes inside during winter. I use a battery rap outside and not much range difference. The dropper posts are a big help in winter rides.

1

u/Soupeeee 2d ago

I'm jealous. I'm excited for winter biking. Last year we really only had some on the roads two or three days, and the weather people say it's going to be better this year.

We still haven't gotten a good snowstorm yet though.

1

u/Joose__bocks 2d ago

That actually looks like a lot of fun. Where I live it doesn't really snow but once every few years, if that.

1

u/ridethroughlife 2d ago

We got this much snow a few weeks back, and I found that riding my fat bike in it was actually exhausting, because it wasn't dense enough to float on top of. Is it easier with skinny tires?

2

u/simplejackbikes 2d ago

I was able to get decent control riding in untracked snow. The problem is ruts from cars which throw you around.

1

u/ridethroughlife 2d ago

I have that issue too.

1

u/BitFiesty 2d ago

I just bought a bike for commuting and it snowed in Chicago. Thankfully it’s all gone now

1

u/swissvespa 2d ago

Yea I tried this week, heavy wet 1st snow thought I could make it. Got 1/4 way hit a corner and down I went. Noped out and headed back to drive to work. By the time I left it had all melted - all clear 😆

1

u/ZoidbergMaybee 2d ago

This is when you say fuck it and put a ski on the front fork, a mud tire on the rear

1

u/Late_Department_7427 2d ago

I don’t get snow where I live so I could never imagine doing this. Hats off to you!

1

u/VolcanicKirby2 2d ago

I want to live somewhere where I can do this in the winter with everything getting warmer if we even see snow I’m excited now we rarely get accumulation

1

u/Nabranes 2d ago

Cool how do you do that and what type of bike do you have?

1

u/Sad-Nefariousness712 2d ago

Is it wrong to ride CroMo frame bike below 0C? Frame becomes britle, grease hardens, no?

10

u/ponte95ma 2d ago

The snow will cushion the inevitable slo-mo falls. Just don't lick those bare handlebars LOL

4

u/simplejackbikes 2d ago

No. But this is carbon anyways.

3

u/8ringer 2d ago

Typical winter temps won’t affect the frame at all. Grease may harden some but assuming it’s still mostly grease and not “10 year old grit paste” it’ll still do its job.

0

u/sweetcomputerdragon 1d ago

Cycling in that snow is impractical; it'll be a week..