Awesome ride in the snow !

geoinmillbrook

Hi all:

I spent $59 on a Bontrager cross fork that has fender bosses, $5 for some adapters for the rear seat stays, $40 for fenders and viola, I have a bike that is great to ride around here in winter - even in the snowy dirt roads -- thanks goodness I was going crazy ! Was only 36 degrees today (not that cold)

This is what the bike looks like even after 15 miles of hard riding in the snow covered dirt roads and mud around us. Fenders are an awesome thing
No one was on the roads, I saw deer, turkeys, hawks.. what a nice ride (about 15 miles, but after cranking in low gears in the dirt, slush, mud and snow it felt like 30) .. love this bikes geometry too, it can really take the bumps !

So my wife doesn't know it yet, I assembled one for her for Christmas -- just like this one ! She has been dying to ride as well... and as today's awesome ride was a real spirit uplifter, can't wait for the two of us to go out..

Cycler6n

ooh, boy, now i'm tempted to do that to my tarmac, I wonder if the salt they spread on roads would affect the paint? where'd you buy the parts?

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“(Training) doesn't get easier; you just get faster”
-Greg Lemond

Freehub

I wonder how fast the salt destroys chains and gears. they put too much salt out around here. I did ride some this week on some salty roads but I'm trying to make my goal of 5,000 for the year. After today, I have 90 left. Normally, I'll just use my trainer to avoid going out in the "salt flats" i.e. roads.
Ken.

PS. nice fenders dude.

geoinmillbrook

Ebay. This fork retails for way more than what I paid and it was brand new. I will keep my Python fork for the summer. Esge - A Gerrman company makes the best lightweight fenders I have ever found. New on Ebay for $30 plus $10 for shipping. Salt -- yes it WILL eventually do a number on many parts and maybe the paint. Secret: Leave the bike out in the cold until you can clean it. I am a chemist. For every 10 degrees C, chemical reactions (ie corrosion) happens ~2X faster. I left it outside on the north side of the house in the shade, until I could take a bucket of warm water and some soap to it and then rinsed it really well with warm and then cold water (to slow down any reactions that did occur due to heating). Then a quick dry with a rag. I will re-lube it before the next ride. Took all of 10 minutes to do. I feel so great after riding, even ifI hav to replace some parts after a couple years itwill be worth it.

George

Cycler6n

yeah, I bet it'd do more damage to the chain/derailure than the paint. Where I live, sometimes, they won't even plow when we have like 6 inches of snow, just drop salt, sometimes, no salt or plow, they just drive the trucks around. So riding in the winter is not an option for me.

__________________
“(Training) doesn't get easier; you just get faster”
-Greg Lemond

Cycler6n

ah thx for the tip

__________________
“(Training) doesn't get easier; you just get faster”
-Greg Lemond

garage sale GT

Salt did not affect my Deore derailleurs and hubs or my bare aluminum rims when I diligently washed my bike after every ride. However, if you leave it there or don't wash out the frame, road salt will pit aluminum. My Raleigh had a 6061 frame which is more corrosion resistant than 7-series but it still pitted through paint chips when I didn't wash.

Another major trouble area is the steel steerer of a suspension fork. I painted mine.

I think it's worth it, but gritty slush will eat your rims with V-brakes. I upgraded to discs after a season or two.

There's also the option of getting some cruiser bike. The thick, mild steel parts rust surprisingly little and aren't affected as much when they do. I did that for two seasons but let repacking go for too long (they don't have sealed bearings).

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reub2000

Not to mention that V brakes don't work very well with snow on them. The bike does come to a stop after about 1 revolution. This is in addition to shifting problems that I encounter when snow gets on the shifting cables. A couple of weeks ago I was cutting accross grant park, and the thing kept on spontaiously shifting every couple of seconds. For the winter, I get the feeling it's better to stay off the MUP and use the plowed streets.

kdelong

I'm a wimp. When there is snow on the ground, I ride my rollers.

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garage sale GT

get out and ride in the snow. Then, working out won't be such a chore.

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Your mouthwash ain't makin' it.

geoinmillbrook

Can see no visible surface rust at all after these few days --chain/derailluer, nothing-- we are going out again today, I just sprayed all components with dry lube, heading out now...

Geo

Alaskavan

They don't use salt here, just keep shoving the snow into the ocean. My problem is having cables freeze-up when it gets -0 (f).

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He who laughs last, thinks slowest.

geoinmillbrook

Wow -- it's only 8 degrees F here now and I will NOT be out cycling in this stuff. As for freezing cables are they frozen inside the casings ? If it is near the cable ends you could use "ice-off" this paste we use to keep ice out of our line guides while fishing for steelhead. Works pretty well

Have you seen this site ? http://www.icebike.com/
Pretty cool (pun)

George