Advice for Cold Weather Commuter Bicycle
I have been commuting in cool through Hot weather (essentially April to Late November) on a series of 1970's vintage Road Bikes (when they break in an accident, I replace them rather than repair them). I currently use an early Trek with a Reynolds Steel Frame. It does not have the geometry for anything larger than the current 27 by 1 and 1/4 inch tires. Its pretty clear that I need to get another Bicycle for Ice and Snow. Its hard to teach an old dog new tricks, and I really like the older style large frame size (the Trek's a big frame) and I don't want to go single speed. I purchased a Trek "city" bicycle about 10 years ago and I shortly thereafter got rid of it. It didn't feel like I could ride it efficiently and I hated the "index" shifters. Its a short commuter run (about 12 miles in each direction) so I don't need to go over the top for a "super bicycle". What should I be looking for.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Crazy David 84 Furlongs on
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I might add, I am over six feet tall and I am a Clydesdale. And I carry a bunch of stuff on the commuter runs so I need a bicycle that takes a Rack and panier.
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Permalink Reply by Duppie on
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give yourself some credit, please.
12 mile one way is not a short commute.
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Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on
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Curse you, Duppie! You beat me to it.
Duppie said:give yourself some credit, please.
12 mile one way is not a short commute.
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Permalink Reply by Tricolor on
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Where does your commute go? Will it be on streets or paths that may or may not get attention? I've been going up and down the lake on a road bike through all seasons as long as it's dry and someone plows the Lakefront path.
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I have options. Mostly its west northwest from Wrigleyville out to essentially O'Hare/Park Ridge/Norridge/Harwood Heights.
My primary roads are Grace, Lincoln, Wilson, Lawrence, Higgins and Bryn Mawr. I can divert some on to the North Shore Channel trail (and I often do to add some mileage) and often I veer onto side streets to avoid Lawrence and Higgins. Those, I assume will not be plowed. The bigger problem is not going to be snow, I think, but the crappy pavement. (That's already the big problem with Higgins).
It seems short. On the most direct route its well under an hour door to door -- and that's with all of the traffic delays.
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Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on
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Those of you commuting in the winter time: do you feel like you have better luck regarding snow and ice clearing on the streets or Lake Front Trail? Is it typically colder/windier on the LFT?
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Permalink Reply by Lee Roy on
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I understand your love for all things steel and vintage.
I have a 1988 Schwinn Prologue 62cm. I am 6'6" tall.
You certainly have a very respectable "short commuter run".
...The perfect bike for you, IMHO, is the Cannondale Quick CX 4
http://www.cannondale.com/2012/bikes/recreation-urban/recreation/qu... Yeah, I know it's all modern and fancy with click shifters and all that. But it's a great commuter bike. It will take fenders and racks, and anything else the road can throw at. Take it without a shock fork for simplicity, light weight, and responsive steering. It's not over the top. I don't own this bike or stock in Cannondale.
Otherwise find an old touring bike with cantilever brakes, put some 27x 1 3/8" on it.
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I agree with keeping narrower tires with fenders for cutting through the slush. Your street route should be cleared most of the time following any normal snowfall. Running wider tires just slows you down which can make your "short" commute more of a chore.
Cameron Puetz said:You may find that the 1-1/4 in tires aren't that bad. On plowed and salted streets I prefer skinny tires because they cut through the slush to the pavement below. I've commuted year round on 700x25 tires, and have only had problems on days with fresh snow when I was ahead of the plows. The one must have on a winter bike is fenders, if your tires are throwing cold slush at you, it's going to be be bad ride.
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Once the areas at Fullerton and Oak get iced over, it can be a long time until they clear. Plus I tend to avoid the path after snows even after they've been cleared just because of patchy ice where the melt run-off refreezes.
Adam Herstein said:Those of you commuting in the winter time: do you feel like you have better luck regarding snow and ice clearing on the streets or Lake Front Trail? Is it typically colder/windier on the LFT?
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Permalink Reply by Sarah D. on
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+1 (or is that 2?)
Duppie said:give yourself some credit, please.
12 mile one way is not a short commute.
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Permalink Reply by Allen Wrench on
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Look at bike winter for much more advice. If you choose to use the fancy bike you should really keep the salt cleaned off it daily and strip it down and regrease it after the season so it doesn't rust away. The best winter bikes have brakes that work in the frozen wet and gears that won't clog with ice (internal hubs for example). Fenders. Lights. Have fun.
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Permalink Reply by Legacy Frameworks on
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I just had a project for a winter commuter fall in my lap, so this got me thinking. It is good to see some of the suggestions here.
I'm looking at a budget bike being a single speed with canti brakes.
The upper end would be internal gear hub and drum brakes.
My frames have room for a 50-60mm tire, but sounds like thinner might be better. But I guess you might want to biggest fenders you can get.
Chainguard Maybe? Or would that pack with snow?
I'm guessing cartridge bearings all around would be best, right now my bikes come with 2 of 4 sets of bearings are cartridge.
Anything else I should think about?
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