My Morning Commute

[Geoff]

Call me a wimp but a day like this takes all the joy out of the ride. I took Metro.

Those of you who use studs, what do you do, keep a second set of wheels? Or do you actually change the tires when you need studs?

[ShawnoftheDread]

I switched to the studs and was glad of it. I could have gotten by without, but in several spots on both the trails and the road I was a bit more confident because of them. I’ll just be extra slow going home.

I got replacement wheels a few months ago, so the studs are mounted on my stock wheels. That would have made for a very easy switch if the old wheels weren’t slightly narrower, requiring a brake adjustment too.

[DismalScientist]

After sleeping in,:rolleyes: the roads were fine on 28s. I was going to go over the Key bridge because it is shorter, but force of habit put me on the TR bridge. The troll bridge was a mess but OK at 10 mph. Not many had passed over the TR bridge since TwoWheels.

[DismalScientist]

@Geoff 71378 wrote:

Or do you actually change the tires when you need studs?

It’s a lot easier just to change bikes.:rolleyes:

[aguy7]

Around 7 A.M. this morning, when it was time to bike to work, it was raining. I’ve got spandex shoe covers but they keep my feet dry for maybe five minutes when it’s raining before I start to feel the water soaking my sock and shoes. This morning I had a breakthrough. After putting on my cycling shoes, I put each foot in one of those thin plastic produce bags from the grocery store. Then I pulled the spandex shoe covers on over the bags–instant waterproof layer. The tops of the bags were secured under the elastic cuffs of the rain pants so my shoes and socks were all waterproofed. Clipping into the pedals punched holes in the thin plastic, but only at the clips. It worked–when I took off the rain gear at the office, my shoes and socks were completely dry.

[Tim Kelley]

@aguy7 71383 wrote:

Around 7 A.M. this morning, when it was time to bike to work, it was raining. I’ve got spandex shoe covers but they keep my feet dry for maybe five minutes when it’s raining before I start to feel the water soaking my sock and shoes. This morning I had a breakthrough. After putting on my cycling shoes, I put each foot in one of those thin plastic produce bags from the grocery store. Then I pulled the spandex shoe covers on over the bags–instant waterproof layer. The tops of the bags were secured under the elastic cuffs of the rain pants so my shoes and socks were all waterproofed. Clipping into the pedals punched holes in the thin plastic, but only at the clips. It worked–when I took off the rain gear at the office, my shoes and socks were completely dry.

Just make sure not to sweat too much, because then you’ll get wet from the inside out!

[OneEighth]

@Geoff 71378 wrote:

Call me a wimp but a day like this takes all the joy out of the ride. I took Metro.

Those of you who use studs, what do you do, keep a second set of wheels? Or do you actually change the tires when you need studs?

Different wheel sets for different tires.
But then, I also switch cranks and chains because the gearing changes based on the tires and intended use. Pedals change, too, and the oh-sh*t brake comes off to accommodate the fat studded tires.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@Geoff 71378 wrote:

Call me a wimp but a day like this takes all the joy out of the ride. I took Metro.

Those of you who use studs, what do you do, keep a second set of wheels? Or do you actually change the tires when you need studs?

Yep, second set of wheels.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@OneEighth 71387 wrote:

Different wheel sets for different tires.
But then, I also switch cranks and chains because the gearing changes based on the tires and intended use. Pedals change, too, and the oh-sh*t brake comes off to accommodate the fat studded tires.

Isn’t riding fixed supposed to simplify things?

[vvill]

I have a second wheelset too, on my beater 26″ MTB. I converted the front brake to a BB7 but haven’t done the back so it still needs adjusting when I switch out the wheels (studded set rear wheel is a wider rim). I put the studded set on 2 days ago though and don’t plan to change it back until March or later. The studs don’t wear easily and it’s a good workout.

[consularrider]

This morning I was very glad the feds had a two hour delayed opening. When I went out to get the paper at 5:30 am, there was still lots of ice on our neighborhood streets. By 9 am, most of that had melted, the rain had stopped, and I only had to contend with the slushy ice on the bridges and overpasses of the W&OD/4MRT/MVT combination into Rosslyn.

I have three bikes that I can choose from. I’ve been riding my twenty year old Raleigh rigid mtb with 26 x 1.75 tires for commuting since this summer. Sunday morning I took off the pavement tires and put on my Schwalbe Marathon Plus Winter studded tires. I expect I’ll leave them on until March. I also ride a Giant Transend hybrid with 700 x 32 pavement tires (I also have the Marathon 700 x 35 studded tires for them). For the rest of the winter the Transend will be my regular commuting bike except when there is a good chance of ice or snow.

My third bike is a Salsa road bike with 700 x 25 tires. I will ride it for longer rides and occassionally for commuting. It’s only been out in the snow once, last January when I was heading out to Purcellville on the W&OD a week or so after the post Christmas storm. Between Ashburn and Leesburg there were spotty snow/ice patches, and then at Clarks Gap westward there were major portions of the trail that had not melted off. I bailed at Paeonian Springs.

Also, only saw one other person out on a bike between 9 and 10 am.

[hozn]

I have a second set of CX wheels that I’m going to put my studded tires on tonight. In the past I’ve just changed my normal commuting tires; that only takes a few minutes (much less than the time I need to remove my fenders) and I only use studded tires a few times a year. This year I’m thinking I can put CX on hold for awhile. I’ll try running the Nokians tubeless; apparently that works.

[OneEighth]

@TwoWheelsDC 71391 wrote:

Isn’t riding fixed supposed to simplify things?

It only gets complicated if I decide to match the bar tape to the tires ‘cuz then ya gotta match the saddle, too, and that can throw the whole kit-coordination thing into flux. And what shoes would I wear?

[mikoglaces]

@Geoff 71378 wrote:

Call me a wimp but a day like this takes all the joy out of the ride. I took Metro.

Those of you who use studs, what do you do, keep a second set of wheels? Or do you actually change the tires when you need studs?

I usually ride a road bike. I have a cross bike I mount studs on (just mounted them last night) and have that available in the winter. On a day like today, or if the forecast calls for precipitation and below freezing temps, I ride the cross bike. Otherwise I ride the road bike. Seems like a great expense, but the studs give me peace of mind on a day like today when you could ride on roads with regular tires by you might regret it. They also allow me to ride on those days (few last year, but more some years) when you just can’t ride without them.

[culimerc]

@OneEighth 71405 wrote:

It only gets complicated if I decide to match the bar tape to the tires ‘cuz then ya gotta match the saddle, too, and that can throw the whole kit-coordination thing into flux. And what shoes would I wear?

Black matches everything, jus’ sayin’

[Author]

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