Well, I survived Minneapolis’ third snowiest winter on record bike commuting daily without studs.
Only fell once.
While I know my fellow midwestern brethren often do the same, I want to point out that MPLS is significantly snowier, icier, and colder than Chicago.
Don’t stud shame me.
This year I only rode studs one day this winter when I was intentionally under biking on ice and snow for a couple hours.
Last year I rode studs for a couple weeks and they were very useful because I was absolutely riding the wrong bike for commuting in the ice and snow.
What is your winter setup?
the winter cycling thread is dead, long live the winter cycling thread!
Curious how much more hambikeing I can fit in. There’s still plenty of snow up there, just a question of how consistently it is freezing temps overnight, and how early in the day I can manage to get up to the trails.
Silver lining is that hero dirt season is right around the corner, some trails are already drying out.
you gonna go to the cross country ski world cup in minneapolis next february? i’ll be there. we can hang out.
I used an early 2000s raleigh mtb with surly ET tires. I really find that extremely cold ice isn’t too hard to ride over as long as you’re careful.
Sounds cool, see you there
I see an old mtb as being way more stable in slippery conditions than a track bike.
I rode an old Marin with ETs for the beginning of last winter and it did pretty great on the snow and slippy stuff.
Those tires are way better than they should be.
Those tires do seem fine but I’ve had two of them split at the bead.
Didn’t expect to be posting in this thread or riding on salt so dang early. I’m happy(?) to report that the only road salt I saw today was on the LFT and the actual streets were just icy as fuck.
Really love how that camera distorts your arms and bar mitts.
Picked up a bunch of pants and outer layers for winter commuting from a recent Backcountry sale. My WFH days I’ve got a 3 mile round trip school pick up but my in office days I’m up to about 16 miles round trip.
Hoping to do some real riding one of these days (bike camp trip planned in 2 weeks in the DC area if anyone is interested), but with baby 2 coming in Jan I’m assuming it’s just commuting for me for God knows how long.
also picked up a very nice active insulation jacket from mountain hardwear during a backcountry sale. it’s made the sub 40f commutes sublime. This is my favorite time of the year to commute.
If anyone is considering a new jacket for riding, consider something like the MHW kor airshell warm or Patagonia nano air hoody. arcteryx makes some really good ones too, if your budget allows.
Winter approaches and I haven’t done all the maintenance to the hambike that I told myself I’d do over the summer, doh! At least the garage is insulated now.
Which Showers Pass gloves were you PNW people liking? The wool or the normal ones?
I’m also in need of knit gloves with touchscreen tips that actually work.
I use the normal ones.
My new winter commute is 9.5m (one way) which seems to be at the end of what I’m able to do 20-32*, face and feet were too cold at the end of both ways of the commute yesterday, I know how to get my feet warmer but if my balaclava is failing after 45min, what do about face
dam that’s a long commute…I know people do that and even longer ones fairly regularly, but hard for me to imagine 45mins-hr each way every day…blessed (but also paying a premium) for a 4mile commute each way. don’t have any advice for you except to maybe smoke some weed with your morning coffee to dull the senses.
Yeah I’m thinking it might be too far with the weather, especially the riding home in the dark portion. Having trouble admitting it because 19m a day has done wonders for my mental health
