Tips for Riding in Snow/Adverse Conditions

[Tim Kelley]

I’m putting together a piece for winter riding, with a focus on how to ride when it’s snowing or when there is snow or ice on the ground.

I’d welcome any suggestions you have for your favorite tips. Like:

-If you are riding through slick areas, try to apply pressure to the pedals evenly. Don’t mash the pedals up and down or else the rear wheel can spin out.

-If you see a short slick patch ahead, enter it with your front wheel pointing straight and don’t turn while you’re in the slick patch to keep from losing your balance

-Wider tires, or tires with studs in the can provide more traction on slick or loose surfaces

-If it’s really icy, sometimes the best course of action is to get off and walk your bike.

Anyone got anything to suggest?

Topic

[dasgeh]

Oh, and dress appropriately. If you find you are too cold or too warm, find a nice coffee shop and regulate your temperature. People that are too hot or too cold make stupid decisions.

Stay hydrated on longer rides, which may mean pulling over to sip water. Thirsty people make stupid decisions too.

[Dirt]

Smooth, steady riding works best. Ride in a way that avoids the need to accelerate, decelerate or turn quickly or abruptly.

As for a rear brake, my favorite snow/ice bikes are my fixie mountain bike and my fixie cross bike. Leg braking works much better than using a brake lever. I know most people aren’t going to have a fixie with clearance for fatter tires.

Not all studded tires are equal. Tread pattern moves and turns you in snow. Studs move and turn in ice. Tires exist that give you both.

[Dickie]

– As many have already suggested; dress appropriately…. this should also include an emergency plan in case you have to stop for a mechanical or any other issue. Even for a few minutes, stopping in sweaty clothes can be very dangerous.
– If you get trapped in ruts or bad surfaces, try not to fight the bike and tense up. Although counter-intuitive, loosen your grip a little (not enough obviously to lose contact) and ease the bike rather than force it.
– Try to keep your body and bike as close to 90º (perpendicular to ground) as possible when crossing over suspicious areas, debris, ice, etc. This is even possible through a corner if you take a straight line through the corner’s apex.
– Don’t be embarrassed to clip out and coast through very bad sections. Last year I did this on the 495 and 66 WOD crossings…. having a foot ready for balance is never a bad idea (just remember you’re putting your foot down on a slick surface)
– Watch out for painted surfaces in rain and ice conditions, especially cornering. Rain beads up and pools on these surfaces and can catch you off guard.
– Same as driving, the roads are at their worst during the first few minutes of rain when all the oils and debris are raised to the surface before being washed away.
– It’s tempting to use the trail’s shoulders during snow storms as the powder seems more forgiving and easier to ride on, just don’t forget what is hidden beneath that snow…gravel, branches, debris, and possibly steeper drop-offs than you realize.
– It’s better to brake early and then coast through a hazard. This only works if you have time to react…. so slow down…. a lot!
– Remember, Brakes ONLY stop your wheels from rotating, Its your tyre’s friction and contact with the road that slows down the whole bike. If your tires do not have good contact with the ground your brakes are essentially useless.

[Harry Meatmotor]

Don’t ride with a white-knuckle death grip on the bars. Ride relaxed and let the bike go where it wants to. Steer the bike with your hips, knees, and feet.

[mattotoole]

Roll straight on the slippery stuff, aiming for the next drier patch to do your braking and steering adjustments.

Use drier patches to scrub speed off and ra-aim to roll straight through the next slippery patch.

[dkel]

@mattotoole 96835 wrote:

Roll straight on the slippery stuff, aiming for the next drier patch to do your braking and steering adjustments.

I swear I read this as “aiming for the next rider.” That would also work: slide straight through the slippery stuff, and use the next rider to cushion your imminent crash…

[Greenbelt]

@mattotoole 96835 wrote:

Roll straight on the slippery stuff, aiming for the next drier patch to do your braking and steering adjustments.

Use drier patches to scrub speed off and ra-aim to roll straight through the next slippery patch.

I did this technique quite successfully several times this last winter — ended up rolling straight off the trail, but better than crashing trying to turn. Of course that one time I got perilously close to going straight off the trail and into the NE Branch creek, but there were no witnesses…

[Arlingtonrider]

Fogging of cycling glasses – a lot of new cold weather riders get perplexed by this issue and, like I once did, wonder if there are products to prevent it. Glasses generally do not fog up while you’re underway, but then will when you come to a stop.

The solution is incredibly easy and does not require buying anything. When your glasses fog up, just push them down your nose about an inch and leave them there until a couple of seconds after you are underway and moving and they will be clear again. It’s that simple.

[W Odie]

@Arlingtonrider 96846 wrote:

Fogging of cycling glasses – a lot of new cold weather riders get perplexed by this issue and, like I once did, wonder if there are products to prevent it. Glasses generally do not fog up while you’re underway, but then will when you come to a stop.

The solution is incredibly easy and does not require buying anything. When your glasses fog up, just push them down your nose about an inch and leave them there until a couple of seconds after you are underway and moving and they will be clear again. It’s that simple.

You could also try dishsoap before you head out into the cold. Use a drop (no water) and smear a thin film over the whole lens on both sides. Wipe clean with a soft cloth.

[Terpfan]

One tip I didn’t see or maybe missed in here was take your time. The only time I have fallen in the snow was when I was trying to rush back to beat most of it. It was a stupid small fall that could have been prevented had I not been so careless.

With that, all the above advice is good. I generally try to avoid riding in serious snow conditions except on treated roads. And I always expect ice everywhere because it is everywhere.

[jnva]

If you ride like me, wear your helmet!

Remember the wall of ice at Gallows road, and the frozen canal? Ahh yes fun times.

[mstone]

@jnva 96906 wrote:

If you ride like me, wear your helmet!

Remember the wall of ice at Gallows road, and the frozen canal? Ahh yes fun times.

needs more studs

[dkel]

@mstone 96908 wrote:

needs more sense

Ftfy

[Phatboing]

@W & Odie 96855 wrote:

You could also try dishsoap before you head out into the cold. Use a drop (no water) and smear a thin film over the whole lens on both sides. Wipe clean with a soft cloth.

Also handy if your bathroom mirror is all foggy but you need to shave.

[NicDiesel]

I didn’t ride this past winter (worst winter in modern history in the Twin Cities) due to leg and back injuries, but having ridden a little during the “spring” here are a few things I’m doing this winter to stay on the bike:

– Everything MUST be breathable and have vents. Do not go cheap on this unless you like being miserable. I ruined two winter jackets in April when I got back on the bike.
– Vented cycling glasses are good down to about 20°, below that it’s time for goggles.
– Get winter cycling shoes that are breathable, waterproofed, and comfortable. The Wolvhammer SPD boots (http://45nrth.com/products/footwear/wolvhammer) are a bit of overkill for anywhere south of Chicago but here, where you have snow/slush for at least four months out of the year, they’re perfect.
– If you ride 100 miles a week between December and April expect to replace your chain every five weeks if you don’t clean it after every ride and every eight weeks if you do.
– Wide, low pressure tires are your friend. Get a fat bike if you can.
– N+1 definitely is a rule you must follow. I’m building up a second Cross Check so I can have one with wide studded tires and another with just super wide tires.

[Author]

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