bikes for ice?

[heckler]

OK, we all seem to agree that Nokes are the tire choice for ice riding. I am curious though about people's choice of bike. Personally, since I ride on trails that are frequented by hikers who posthole all over the lovely trail, I can't imagine riding without my fully. I see others posting hardtails. Are you guys just that much tougher (and younger) than I am that you take/like the abuse or am I missing something?

[rigidhack]

Check out the Surly Pugsley. There is a non-suspended ice bike if there ever was one. (Assuming you discount the suspension offered by 4" tires.)

[AA]

Suspension sure does smooth out the trails that are full of holes from other trail users, there is just more stuff to get gummed up w/ snow and ice. Some air shocks perform poorly in the cold and some shock seals get temprimental. It's a total crap shoot if your equipment will be effected.

It's basically a choice between comfort and simplicity. Hardest to ride but easiest to maintain in the winter is a rigid single speed.

[fvh420]

The biggest factors in my experience that make winter riding more challenging are braking and cliping into my pedals. I have a hard tail that in non-disc so I have V-brakes which become all but useless in snow/ice. So I ride on of my fully's (Heckelr and /or Bullit) I find disc brakes to be crucial. I rode with some friends on Sunday, those with the new version of Shimano SPD pedals had no problem, those with the older style had great difficuty clipping in. If you are riding at a location that forces you to put a foot down or walk, I would go with flats (which still can have issues) or the new version SPD - I imagine The Time pedals might be ok as well, but I have no experience with that.

I use a lighter oil in my fork in the winter (7.5 instead of 10). I also find my Fox vanilla air shock on my Hecker gets weird at low temps (low teens and below). The lighter oil seems to help, but even at the lowest temps it starts to act like it is full of sticky syrup instead of oil. Disc brake oil also gets a bit funky at the sub teen temps.

And Yes Nokian's are great.

Hope that helps.

FVH

[bdee]

29er Singlespeed, Rigid and disc. I'm hoping that's the answer for snow this season. I ordered some 700x40 Nokians for the Surly KM. I rode in 2" yesterday and the bike rode great in snow. We'll see how the larger contact patch handles a little more snow later in the week (thinking Wed or Thursday AM at Foxboro - like 7:15AM if anyone is interested).

I won't be mounting the new Nokians until (if) it gets icy enough. Oh, yeah and I can't wait to break 'em in on the road :P - at least I can use the 'cross bike for that.

The less stuff to freeze up the better IMHO. But whatever gets you out there, that's what matters most.

[Baconman]

I'm thinking the real issue is keeping moving when the snow gets deeper. Fat knobby tires are good. The snow smooths out the trail so suspension is option. Low bottom bracket may be good too so you don't fall as hard. But there's only so many times a year that there's snow and it's not too deep to ride so just put the Nokes on your regular ride and have fun.

[imploded]

I was thinking about this yesterday while shoveling around my car.

I figure a low BB, downhill crank / single speed or very few speed rear end coupled with a larger coil suspension, plus a lighter weight oil AND a stiffer spring to compensate, would be a pretty nice winter FS ride. 2.5 rear tire, properly tapped out and a relaxed cockpit would probably be the best bet. Comfort, power, wheel stays on the ground, simplicity. Spring rates are affected by the cold, but not like air/oil shocks are, and a low BB would keep your CG low enough...

Cheers,

-Andrew

[fisherking]

Rode for the second time today in the snow and it was great. Didn't have a problem with the SPD's but wondered about the egg beaters? They seem like they would work pretty well and I plan to give them a try.
Did have a problem with my rear disc brake cable froze up due to what is a low point in the cable, must have some water in it. Didn't loosen up until the bike was inside.

Also My camelbak froze up a lot faster than I expected... oh well.

The two rides were with my full today and my hardtail last time. Both seemed to go well but the fully definitely smoothed out some hiked trails better.

[Baconman]

Eggbeaters are unaffected by snow. Two thumbs up.

[heckler]

Until it thaws and refreezes, the Nokes will stay in my garage. I have yet to try them but I suspect my eggbeaters will do fine with snow. My new (less old) ride has an air shock, front and rear while the old one was coil. Time will tell how much of a mistake THAT will turn out to be. ::). I guess I could alway pick up an old coil shock if the Fox gives me too much grief.

Thanks for all the input! Keep those toes warm.

[Quo Fan]

I rode an air shock all of last winter with no problem. I switched forks in the spring to coil/oil/air and hopefully there will be no problems. Being a Marzocchi fork, I don't forsee any.

[minkhiller]

Tuck the drinking tube from your hydration pack into your jersey/jacket to keep the tube from freezing, the blatter should not freeze as it is bounching around. I choose to ride a fully rigid with hydo disc and they seem to work for me.

[chqm8]

also in re to the camelbacks freezing up....they sell insulated sleeves for the drinking tubes.....and it helps to blow air through the tube after drinking to force the water back into the bladder....and this may also be worth a shot....take a couple of chemical hand/toe warmers and stick them directly to the outside of the bladder......

[minkhiller]

I forgot the blow back issue, very key, thanks for reminding me.

[Slider]

My Dean Colonel, rigid in the rear, suits me for evey application, short of hucks over 3 feet, winter or not. I run a 2001 Marzocchi Bomber, spring only, and it is incredibly reliable. I did get some seal leakage one really cold day, sub 5 degrees, but that went away and I never even had to rebuild. The rim brakes suck in freezing snow, though.

Rigid rear, non-air fork, and disk brakes are the way to go in the cold. Just be sure to WD-40 derailers, pedals and cable ends.

I do have a Rock Shox suspension seat post, and that takes out the shock from those unavoidable square-edge ruts that the snow obscures. They wear out fast, but are cheap enough to be considered disposable.

Slider

[heckler]

Rode to work on the Minuteman yesterday. Figured it was cold enough that the studs would be perfect. They were but...

The path is so walked on that it is about as rough as any trail one might ride on off road. Some regions had been driven on my a truck so they were smooth. Very nice. Sort of like riding a 10" bridge- stay in the groove and you are fine. Hit the edge and look out! Other sections just sucked, grinding through 3" of crusty snow.

I was on my Superlight w/ air shocks front and rear. Half way up the path I felt like I had just gotten beaten to death and decided to think about letting some air out of the shocks to soften things up. Imagine my surprise when I found the rear shock was locked out! ::). The increase in control and comfort from that moment on almost made up for the previous beating. Almost.

I know snow machine paths are smooth and might work with a hardtail but I will NOT venture out on foot paths without the fully again this winter! That was just stupid.

[radair]

I forgot the blow back issue, very key, thanks for reminding me.


Don't blow, the CO2 helps stuff grow in your tube & bladder (er, I mean in the Camebak's T & B). Lift the bite valve straight up and squeeze it, gravity will drain the line. Drink (and drain) frequently.

I've had problems with both front and rear shocks not holding air when temps go to single digits. Really sucks to ride home on a bottomed out fork. I think coil shocks are the way to go. I'm going to try this winter with front & rear shocks that are coil with air assist. Wish me luck.

[pk]

OMG, what a miserable ride we had last night.

I was on my fully rigid SS, and we were on snowpacked trails that were full of DEEP and hardened footprints. Truly nasty. Even the folks with front shocks weren't too pleased. After an hour of torment, we bailed.

Can't wait for Santa Cruz to send me a new rear swingarm so I can get back up and running on a dualie again. Only way to go, IMO.

pk