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The Long Cold Winter Commuter Support Thread

111K views 1K replies 199 participants last post by  solarplex 
#1 ·
Who else rides through the rain, sleet, snow, cold and dark of winter? We've begun our decent into the cold, dark months, the headlight is becoming a necessity, and it will be April or May before I am wearing shorts in the morning again. This morning it was 39 degrees...chilly, but nothing compared to what January will be like. I've been doing the year-round thing for 4 years now, and I have had no one to share the experience with. I thought it would be a good idea to have a thread where we could share war stories through the winter.

Personally, I'm out there every day that the roads are plowed. I missed 5 days two years ago due to snow/ice, and 41 days last year because I broke my leg snowboarding. I keep track of my 'driving days' to work, and weather is no excuse (unless I use 4wd to get to work, I should have ridden). I always start to wonder during this time of year how cold it will get, and how long and dark the winter will seem. I also never forget the first day in the spring that the sun comes up during my bike ride to work. Glorious.

Who else has made this kind of commitment, and how cold will your winter probably get? I think the coldest I've done is low single digits...I don't think it's been below zero for me yet, but that's a definate possibility. I have done 4 or 5 degrees a couple of times.

Let the winter begin! Who's in this with me?
 
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#672 ·
New to Commuting.

so im just getting into commuting and this winter thing has had me thinking, i will be going to school in idaho in january and wanted to build something up thats a good all around student bike, something that i could use to get to class, cruse to a friends house and go back and forth from work and get errands done. I picked up what I think is a 1992 GT Talera for $5 at a secondhand store (simular to this):

It was a pretty good deal and I had everything laying around to fix it up, and got it in full working order, my plan is to put an xtracycle kit on it, do the home made spiked tires and slap a front fender on it... again since im new to this, would that be a good plan? would it work well and be a good all around or should i do 2 builds?

I'm just looking for opinions and weighing it out... sorry if its a dumb question.
what would be a good full coverage front fender option?

thanks!

(sorry for the huge pic its the only one i could find)
 
#769 ·
Hi all...long time reader, first time poster...

This is my first season commuting through a properly cold, snowy winter; I moved to Sapporo in northern Japan at the end of last winter. Previously, I have toured in cold wintry Turkey (photo below), but it is a whole new ball game commuting here in Sapporo through the city each day.


Just because (near Oltu, eastern Turkey) by Robert Thomson.

So for this winter, I have been working on creating a kind of semi-fat bike which I hope will be a good jack-of-all-trades.

Disclaimer: A lot of this stuff either cost me very little, or nothing at all for this project bike; Surly provided the bike at cost, Schwalbe the tires, Kris Holm the rims, B+M the light, Selle An-Atomica the saddle, Freeload the racks, Planet Bike the fenders, Barmitts the mitts.

It has been great fun putting this bike together (it has only just all come together in the last week), so time to show it off.


Surly Karate Monkey (Sapporo, Japan) by Robert Thomson.

I'm commuting mainly in heavy snow conditions (plowed roads) with temps between -10deg C to 0deg C (14deg F to 32deg F). In some ways it would be nice if it was colder, because the salts put on the roads mean that the snow doesn't compact down at these temperatures, and biking on soft slippery snow no low-PSI tyres can be quite squirrely (although the extra spread of the 47mm wide Kris Holm rims has helped immensely, compared with the 22.5mm Salsa Delago cross rims originally on the bike).


Winter cycle commute in Sapporo, Japan by Robert Thomson.


Winter cycle commute in Sapporo, Japan by Robert Thomson.

It is a Surly Karate Monkey 2011 frame with:

Wheels: Shimano Alfine 8-speed IGH + Alfine dynamo hub + B+M Lumotec IQ Cyo light + Kris Holm 29inch 47mm wide rims


B+M Lumotec ID Cyo on Surly Karate Monkey (Sapporo, Japan) by Robert Thomson.


Kris Holm 29inch 47mm mountain rims with Ice Spiker Pro tyres on Surly Karate Monkey (Sapporo, Japan) by Robert Thomson.


Shimano Alfine 8-speed IGH on Surly Karate Monkey (Sapporo, Japan) by Robert Thomson.

Going from the single speed to 8-speed, especially in snowy conditions, has been like night and day. The shifting of the Alfine IGH is smooth as silk...very nice. It will be interesting to see how it holds up to the rest of the season.

Also the Kris Holm rims really do make a huge difference (when compared with skinnier rims). It is always going to be a moot-point as to whether you're just better off investing in a proper fat-bike, but for a one-bike quiver man like myself, I'm trying to get the best of both worlds between a light, low-resistance tourer and a fat-bike (with lots of trade offs at both ends). The problem is that I love cycling in winter, and I quite like cycling fast on slicks in summer....

Freeload Racks (incidentally a nice place to mount the light)


Winter cycle commute in Sapporo, Japan by Robert Thomson.

>> An older photo of the bike in summer, showing the racks <<

2011 Surly Karate Monkey by Robert Thomson.

To be honest, I haven't found all that many uses for the front rack in every day life so far, apart from hauling some rice and some extra sleeping bags. The rear rack has seen plenty of use though (I always have a pannier attached with extra clothes/tools etc when commuting).



I've been enjoying the Barmitts; they do what they say they do, at least down to -10deg C (14deg F).


Yakult lady during winter cycle commute in Sapporo, Japan by Robert Thomson.

Ice Spiker Pro 29inch 2.25 Tyres

With the price these retail at, you'd expect them to be amazing, and they are. Very light (lighter than 29inch 2.35 Big Apples), amazing traction on ice (we get quite a lot of that here), and not too much trade-off in terms of width (still quite wide).


Schwalbe Ice Spiker Pro (29 inch x 2.25) in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan | アイススパイカープロ(29インチ x 2.25)(札幌) by Robert Thomson.

That should do for now...thanks all for the inspiring thread!

Rob Thomson
14degrees.org | Cyclist and longboarder Rob Thomson's webspace
 
#877 ·
Just thought I'd drop a 'HI' on this thread. As of about a month ago I have started commuting to work 3 days a week. Since I'm at 42 degrees North latitude this means that it's getting cold and I'm just starting to commute. I figure that if I can make it through the winter, I'll be ready for anything!

Now I will have a nice bike to commute on; I started off on my POS Mongoose bike that I got in college over a decade ago. Now I've got a nice new big dummy; but I'm dreaming of a cross check.
 
#1,036 ·
I'm starting to seriously think about winter and winter riding. Last year, I believe, we got our first big snow storm of the year on Halloween. The year before that we had snow as well. No snow this year, yet. But it's coming. It is coming.

As a primer for the winter I've created a list of my winter riding clothing for a variety of temp ranges. That can be viewed here. It's funny how every year I seem to try to relearn everything I learned the year before instead of recording what worked and sticking with it.
 
#1,240 ·
This thread helped motivate me to ride all winter. My coldest so far has been -4 with a -15 windchill. I've ridden in a blizzard and almost got plowed over by a deer. Riding in the blizzard was pretty stupid and I probably won't do that again. But this thread has helped me realize that it's your attitude not the weather that sucks. So thanks guys.

Also, the cold ride isn't the horrible thing. Getting changed in our unheated,un-insulated shop is horrible.
 
#2 ·
Today is the first rain of fall here in the Puget Sound lowlands. Right now I am dealing w/ mounting a headlght around a handlebar bag. Later hassle will be deciding when/if to bother w/ mounting studded tires for the black ice season between Thanksgiving and New Year's (went on for months last year, usually it's only a week or 2). I know cry me a river it's not quite Duluth (pretty much never gets down even to the teens F) but...
 
#3 ·
You guys have my deepest respect! I just started commuting around Phoenix....the cold days are in the 60's....and it doesn't really rain. Not sure if I could hold onto my dedication in other parts of the country. Our calendar is kinda flipped...riding thru the 110 degree days in the summer are the big challenge.
 
#4 ·
I'll be commuting by bike for the first time this winter. It was pretty cold this morning...almost frost cold. My toes were very cold all the way in (12.5 mi). Time to get some neoprene booties. I also need some full-finger gloves and a balaclava. The rest of me was okay. Rain shell and long sleeve poly shirt worked well enough and my Pearl Izumi AmFIB tights were awesome. Here in Oregon, we get a lot of rain so that's my primary concern. I'm not going to ride 25 miles on ice.
 
#5 ·
me too!

i have made it a goal to ride at least 4 out of the 5 days of the work week to work... it's 17 miles one way... so it's great for saving gas, staying in shape, and getting the message out to others that there are other ways of expending energy in a friendly, non-war for oil type manner... anyway, my question, and i'm sure this is not new... is how do i stay warm and dry on the bike through the rains here in oregon... i have rain gear now... but i still get some bleed through onto my pants and shorts... my upper body too also does not stay perfectly dry... and my gloves, which i've tried neoprene and others, once wet and with the wind.. are freezing... i just switched to gortex socks and they're a little better on my feet.. but my toes still get cold about 30 minutes into the ride...and pointers, words of wisdom?
 
#6 ·
Going on four years havn't missed a day....unless I go out of town, maybe 20 days in total.

It is faster to ride in then fight traffic on a cold snowy day..

Coldest -35 C without wind chill, had a 40 km/h wind in my face down the hill at 50 km/hr...

But really if your dressed right it isn't too bad.

The toughest part is fighting the car snot snow with deep ruts, gotta sit back and use your hips...
 
#7 ·
fredfight said:
anyway, my question, and i'm sure this is not new... is how do i stay warm and dry on the bike through the rains here in oregon... i have rain gear now... but i still get some bleed through onto my pants and shorts... my upper body too also does not stay perfectly dry... and my gloves, which i've tried neoprene and others, once wet and with the wind.. are freezing... i just switched to gortex socks and they're a little better on my feet.. but my toes still get cold about 30 minutes into the ride...and pointers, words of wisdom?
The right fenders make a huge difference. Also anything that you can afford with goretex (pants, jacket)...there's nothing better in terms of being waterproof and letting you breathe, so you're not a sweat fest underneath. I've been through several sets of gloves...my current ones have gore windstopper fabric...they are like softshell material...they do get wet in a nasty rain, but they still block the wind, so it's not cold like it would be. They are Manzella brand. I wear snowboarding shells over them when it's below about 20 degrees.

I wear a goretex jacket with a hood, and I wear the hood under my helmet. I have goretex pants, which work well, but still dump water onto your feet. I use neoprene socks...my shoes get soaked, but the feet stay dry, and they do a good job cutting the wind. I think they're warmer than the booties that go over the shoes.
 
#8 ·
Ah, I remember riding in that kind of stuff in Colorado. I'll still be commuting this winter, but in Vegas I guess that isn't such a big deal. I agree with bigdudecycling though. This summer was not much fun. I think the hottest I commuted in was 115. Ugh

Stay warm and dry out there guys!
 
#11 ·
UP, Michigan

I've been commuting averaging 4-5 days a week since March of this year. Here in Marquette, on Lake Superior, it's not unusual to have winters of 200" to 300", possibly up to 400" of snow on a really heavy year.

I'll probably commute into December, but will probably not make it all winter. Our second kid is due at the end of the year, and shuttling a newborn and a 2 year old around in the chariot won't really work in deep snow..

I have to second the fenders though, they really make wet or snowy commutes 100% better. A few wet toes is a lot better than wet pants, wet shirt, etc. With the right layers, riding all winter isn't too bad. It sure is hard on drivetrain parts though, with all the wet/dry freeze thaw cycles.

Plum
 
#13 ·
Been commuting since winter of '01/'02, and only the too-slick road conditions get me off the bike. Usually, that costs me a month or so over the period of mid-Dec. to mid-Feb. Snow too deep, or icy surfaces, just don't get it for me. That's what buses are for.

Winter-weight tights under the work clothes, and the nylon rainsuit over them, at least the lowers -- all-weather jacket down to about +10F; layered coat below that. Poly winter socks, sometimes over my wicking Starter ankle-highs, keep the toes good. Ski mask and/or microfiber balaclava under the helmet.

Fenders, absolutely!
 
#14 ·
Three years here in lower SW Michigan. Yeeuppp, fenders are a must. IMO, so is a winter beater bike if you do a lot of commuting. Something with midrange level components like Deore or Alivio. They're heavy but they're dependable and they work. Most important for me, replacement parts are just a lot cheaper.
 
#16 ·
I'll keep it up through the winter, though I'll have to get up earlier with the slightly slower commute times and the possibility of having to shovel the walk before I leave. My winter beater is my year-round commuter so I'm all set!

I expect to have dark commutes on the way to work and temps in the teens and twenties for the norm and 30s and 40s and twilight for the way home for the majority of winter.

The coldest I've commuted in was low single digits, my hands got pretty cold that day and I was screaming every once in a while to make them feel better (hey it made me feel better a least),

I have ridden in sub-zero weather, but it was also sunny, so it wasn't nearly as bad as my 5:30 a.m. single digit rides.

I've got a few new pieces of gear for this winter so I'm looking forward to trying them out when the cold comes.
 
#17 · (Edited)
admittedly a short commute....

only 30 minutes when dry, more when wet/slippery, so I'll be trying to ride as much as I can this year.
Helps to clear the noggin before I get to work too. :D

Down to -10 celsius is easy, past -20 gets really hard, more because of driver hurry (read: not paying attention and not expecting cyclists).
(between -10 and -20 is a toss-up depending on personal factors :p )

We'll be above -20 most of the time this year but quite frankly, when I see a windchill wanting of -47 degrees I just bundle up and suffer on public transport!
Tires seem way more damaged at the end of a season, between the temperature shifts, the salt damage, and getting to sit outside in the snow all day while I'm at work... sure it's not good for them. :D

EDIT: so shortly after reading through several of these "winter commuting" threads I got the urge to make myseld a nice mint tea with honey... which bring me to a question, I've jury-rigged a coffee cup holder on my bars, anyone else have good suggestions for warm fluid intake while riding?
I've heard that you can fill a camelback with hot coffee (or whatever) and there's an insulatable tube covering or something, anyone know how well it works below -20 celsius?
any home-brewed solutions?
 
#18 ·
while I won't be doing it this year, I may try it next year. Bought 2 gary fisher hkek mountain bikes and have slowly been moding them to make them useful for commuting. My issue this year is I'm about 20 miles from work (one way) and it's a lot of hills to contend with. In normal weather it's about an hour and a half. In the snow I'm sure it could be add an hour or so. I also work a late second shift which means my entire commute is in the dark...Something as simple as a light bulb burning out could make my commute even longer.

In the spring though, I'll be about 10 miles from work - closer if I can find a place with decent rent in town. Even in the dark, 10 miles isn't that bad...Under a half hour if I push myself.
 
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