It snowed last night so I decided to ride my bike to work today

"valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option" (valsidalv) 12/12/2016 at 14:45 • Filed to: Bikelopnik

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I thought it’d be fun and I was gearing up (literally, having bought warm base layers and pants) for this for a while now. It sucked. Lesson learned.

The problem was that the snow was fresh and quite wet. My attempts at peddling were nearly futile. The bike was fishtailing almost the entire time and I found it easier to ride in the fresh snow as opposed to following footprints because it was bumpy and nearly impossible to control. The ride usually takes me 35 mins but today it was 1:20. Came across a guy on a fat bike and he was struggling too - more tire, more resistance. I’m not really interested in shelling out for a new wheel set with skinnier tires as it’s just too much money. Guess I’ll wait for some of it to melt or get packed down and rely on the car for now.

bob and john > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 12/12/2016 at 14:48

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I saw the name and thought you tried to take the 636 LMAO.

BTW, check the Gap chat.

TheRealBicycleBuck > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 12/12/2016 at 14:52

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“My attempts at peddling were nearly futile.”

Well, there’s your problem. You can’t expect to sell anything while riding a bike!

Perhaps you should try pedaling instead!

:)

On a more serious note, studded tires might help. Or you could go for the cheapo zip-tie version since you have disc brakes.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 12/12/2016 at 14:57

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You crazy, even without the snow. I like to drive around sometimes with the top down in the winter but that’s because I have a heater and the option to put it up if I want to escape the weather. You couldn’t pay me to bike in the winter!

Mercedes Streeter > TheRealBicycleBuck 12/12/2016 at 14:58

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Zip-Tie snow traction has to be one of the coolest bike hacks I’ve seen in a while! Do they actually work?

valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option > TheRealBicycleBuck 12/12/2016 at 15:00

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Hahaha I’ve been pretty out of it all day tbh. Thought about it for a minute... “yup, that’s how you write that...”

I talked to some local bike shops and they said studded tires really help in the ice but not too much in the snow. I was just sinking and spinning all over the place.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Mercedes Streeter 12/12/2016 at 15:02

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As far as I know. The last time I lived in a snowy area, zip ties weren’t a thing.

Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 12/12/2016 at 15:02

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Only fat bikes do okay in snow.

TheRealBicycleBuck > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 12/12/2016 at 15:03

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The first time I rode in snow was on a 12-speed. Everything went great until I got to the top of the hill and hit the ice. I could hardly stand up, much less ride a bike.

Mercedes Streeter > TheRealBicycleBuck 12/12/2016 at 15:06

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Rub it in my face lol :p

Both cars were under like 10 inches this morning. I always forget that the most beautiful of storms have the most annoying cleanups.

OPPOsaurus WRX > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 12/12/2016 at 15:07

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yea, i’ve tried riding in snow, its not easy

The Lurktastic Opponaught > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 12/12/2016 at 15:09

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I’ve been riding three times in the last week in the snow -and just like for cars- snow tires made a huge difference. I’m now running nokians on my car and bicycle. Watch flea bay, they come up used on occasion.

jimz > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 12/12/2016 at 15:11

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that “snow on top of slush” stuff is a bear. I’ve got 4WD and winter tires and last night was still a challenge.

Out, but with a W - has found the answer > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 12/12/2016 at 15:11

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It can be fun, as long as you don’t expect it to be quick at the same time. Packed snow or even thin slush is a lot better than fresh and wet though.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Mercedes Streeter 12/12/2016 at 15:12

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I miss snow. It makes me sad that my kids have only experienced two decent snowfalls in their lifetimes. Neither of these lasted more than two days.

ttyymmnn > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 12/12/2016 at 15:14

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As I keep telling my sons, some lessons are best learned empirically.

MrDakka > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 12/12/2016 at 15:23

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What is this “snow” you speak of? XD

If you have the money, grab one of these.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 12/12/2016 at 15:27

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Came across a guy on a fat bike and he was struggling too - more tire, more resistance.

From my understanding, and I could be mistaken here, fat bikes are more suitable to snow because the wider tires offer better traction in the white stuff.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 12/12/2016 at 15:31

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No two ways about it, ridding in snow is hard. You can air down your tires to 20 psi for better traction but no matter what ice is a no go unless you have studded tires. I find normal offroad tires do just fine in the snow if the pressure is a bit lower.

PotbellyJoe and 42 others > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 12/12/2016 at 15:46

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It’s totally dependent on the snow. Shown here, last year’s very fluffy, but excessive, amount of snow and the bike that could pilot it “well.” That being that I could make it to the store and back without having to put down more than a foot occasionally.

As for the heavier, wetter stuff, I have a bike with very wide (for the size) 2.35" tires and with very chunky knobs. It is happier when it slushier than this city/path tired bike.

Skinnier tires work when you are trying to get down to the pavement, wider tires work when you want to float on the surface.

A fat bike is great, but the tire pressure has to be low for snow, like really low, too firm and you may as well stay on your 2"+ mtb tires.

Run a fat bike around 8 psi and you’ll love it in the snow. Run it at 15 and you’ll wonder what all of the noise is about for fat bikes and bad conditions.

Justino6969 > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow 12/12/2016 at 15:46

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Fat tires float on top, skinny tires dig in.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Justino6969 12/12/2016 at 15:52

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That’s what I thought.

I’m just getting back into riding, haven’t really done any since living in AZ (so over 3 years ago), and originally being from AZ I’d never heard much about fat tires. They seem far more popular in the snowy expanse of Chicagoland.

Chasaboo > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 12/12/2016 at 16:02

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Some of my most painful falls have been in the snow covering ice.

valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow 12/12/2016 at 16:32

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Depends on the type of snow. LOTS of nice powdery stuff requires those wider tires. But for the “city snow” - slushy, wet, bleh - a skinnier tire cuts through it much easier. I didn’t really believe it when I first heard that but I’m a believer now.

valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 12/12/2016 at 16:34

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Once you get going you stay warm. I was introduced to merino wool which I have as base layers now and I get to stay nice and toasty the entire time.

valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option > The Lurktastic Opponaught 12/12/2016 at 16:34

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During the commute I was wondering if snow tires exist. Thanks, I’ll look for em now!

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 12/12/2016 at 16:37

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Ah gotchya.

I suppose it’s inconsequential to me, since I only plan to take my 29er out if we get an unseasonably warm day this winter. I did my first, and only so far, ride on my bike a few weeks ago. 23.5 miles in 32-40 degree weather (it was only 40 for maybe a half hour or so) after not having even sat on a bike in years was pretty killer. Particularly since I’d been told the ride would be 10 miles, which I’d dressed appropriately for. My fingers and toes were absolutely frozen by the end of it. haha I plan to keep my bike inside for most of this winter, working on upgrading a few components so I’m ready to hit the trails when it warms up.

Frank Grimes > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 12/12/2016 at 17:41

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i heard zip ties around the wheel and tires helps. I have never ridden a bike in snow because when the wheels randomly come out from under you its terrifying.

The Lurktastic Opponaught > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 12/12/2016 at 19:12

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You’re welcome. I run center studded front and unstudded rear. The big difference is in how they shed snow and (if studded) ice safety. The lugs are farther apart, so you wind up with fewer snowy klingons. I’d imagine the compound is also different, but I don’t know that for sure.

cluelessk > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 12/12/2016 at 21:52

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I see a bunch of the wide tire bikes around Winnipeg. They’re supposed to be great in snow.

Stephenson Valve Gear > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 12/12/2016 at 22:55

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Snow can be a lot of fun on a mountain bike. I’ve done it on a normal bike with 2-ish inch tires, and on my fat bike. The fat bike does a LOT better. Either bike will wear me out in the snow...

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 12/13/2016 at 06:54

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Oh yeah, I am big into skiing so I am all about base layers and am a follower of the church of Anything But Cotton. I am just saying that I dont normally go to work after a ski run lol. I dont mind skiing through a rain storm because I know at the end of the day I can sit by a fire, eat 8000 calories of just meat and vegetables, and then sleep for 11 hours. But yes, merino wool is like gold to me. If I could, I would have 100% of my clothing items made from that stuff.

Professor Infinite Scroll Troll, Master of the Blogosphere. > valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option 12/19/2016 at 18:20

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Life hack: