Tips for Riding in Snow/Adverse Conditions

[OneEighth]

Tread is sometimes more important that tire width. I’ve found that, in wet conditions, tires with any kind of knobby tread are far less sticky than road tires. I’ve lost the front end in wet corners far more frequently on cx tires than on thinner road tires.
I also think studs in the wet are about the least grippy tire you can run.

[Phatboing]

Wider tires yes, and on snow, run em at as low a pressure as you dare.

[dbb]

I find fresh snow easier to ride in than the rutted icy sections. Choosing your line is much more important in snow.

Flintstoning works for short stretches

[DismalScientist]

Studs work on ice, not any slick surface. They are no help at all on loose surfaces.

[Geoff]

@Tim Kelley 96714 wrote:

…try to apply pressure to the pedals evening.

So, don’t ride in the morning?

[vvill]

Use the rear brake more than the front brake, and keep weight back more than you usually would.

Also:
http://www.icebike.org/Articles/techniques.htm
http://practicalpedal.com/winter2008/feature2.php

[Tim Kelley]

@Geoff 96729 wrote:

So, don’t ride in the morning?

Got it. Thanks.

[Arlingtonrider]

Capital bikeshare bikes have nice wide tires. Also, multi-modal transport.

I used bikeshare bikes a lot after last winter’s multiple snows, and several times would use bus, metro and bikeshare to come into town, then bikeshare to get all or part of the way home, depending on conditions. (This also eliminated the need for constant chain and drive train cleaning for my own bike. Hiking boots and bikeshare ‘s flat pedals for the win too.)

[hozn]

Personally I like riding through rutted snow in a tall gear (and with studded tires). I imagine this is similar to why it is recommended to use a big gear for cobbles — easier to keep pressure even and on back wheel when not spinning at high cadence.

And I’m not sure I would exactly call this “good advice”, but I find that going fast / with confidence also means less turns of the wheel, which are always disastrous on ice. Of course playing chicken with the snow/ice like that can be a little terrifying. I would say, though, that riding with consistency and confidence — and not making any sudden braking or steering changes — is really the most important thing.

[TwoWheelsDC]

Memorize the bus schedule…

[Phatboing]

@vvill 96732 wrote:

Use the rear brake more than the front brake, and keep weight back more than you usually would.

Also:
http://www.icebike.org/Articles/techniques.htm
http://practicalpedal.com/winter2008/feature2.php

And don’t forget the painful re-orienting of your braking brain once the ground’s clear. It’s like you’re still turning on the hot water tap in June.

[OneEighth]

@vvill 96732 wrote:

Use the rear brake more than the front brake, and keep weight back more than you usually would.

Also:
http://www.icebike.org/Articles/techniques.htm
http://practicalpedal.com/winter2008/feature2.php

Rear brake…hmmmm.

[Greenbelt]

Fresh untrodden snow under an inch or two is really fun to ride in with MTB-ish or gnarly CX tires. Don’t miss those days! You’ll track fine. I promise. Unless there’s ice under — remember where the puddles were.

One of the nice things about snow days lately is that they’ve been shutting down the government commuters/requiring telework for even small accumulations. So there’s more room to ride on the treated (usually) streets if the trails are too rutted up for comfort/safety.

Don’t forget to unclip, run flat pedals, use your hiking boots for better and quicker Flintstoning as needed.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@OneEighth 96776 wrote:

Rear brake…hmmmm.

5 bikes in my shed, but only 3 rear brakes…

[dasgeh]

Major roads get cleared first, then secondary roads, then neighborhood roads, then trails. On road, insist on taking the lane — if you slip, you don’t want to slip beside a car. Where appropriate, it’s nice to pull over and let a line of cars built up behind you pass — keeps heads cool, and people sane, especially if you smile and wave as they pass.

[Author]

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