Winter commuting advice

BDFun

Hi,

I recently bought a Trek 1.2 road bike which is great as it makes getting to and from work a lot easier than with my Giant Rock bike.

However I'm a bit concerned about how the Trek with it's very narrow tyres will cope in the winter weather - I don't particularly want to lose grip due to ice, water, etc.

So I have two choices: mod my Trek so that it is winter worthy or fix my Giant Rock (broken bottom bracket) and fit some big knobblies on them.

What are people's opinions? Do people commute to work in the winter with a road bike in the winter or do they switch to a MTB?

Thanks

redvee

I rode on 25s all through last winter, albeit a little slower at times and only had an off when it was icy and on cobbles at 4mph. Luckily my Tricross has the clearance for larger tyres so I kept the CX tyres that came on it originally which I used in the snow.

mjcaskey

Try '25' continental gatorskins, fast rolling and good all weather grip in my view, keep the pressures right or v slightly soft -- VERY slightly, and you should be fine. Crud catcher mud guards should be OK as long as you don't mind adjusting thm now and again -- OK - all the time! -- , this combination fits my Trek 2200 and the bike feels more sure footed and not noticably slower. But the main thing to be safe if is the best front light you can afford, a good back one too, best not to skimp here in my view...

MC

BDFun

mjcaskey wrote:

Try '25' continental gatorskins, fast rolling and good all weather grip in my view, keep the pressures right or v slightly soft -- VERY slightly, and you should be fine. Crud catcher mud guards should be OK as long as you don't mind adjusting thm now and again -- OK - all the time! -- , this combination fits my Trek 2200 and the bike feels more sure footed and not noticably slower. But the main thing to be safe if is the best front light you can afford, a good back one too, best not to skimp here in my view...

MC

I had a look online and I've only been able to spot tubular ones which I believe require gluing and won't fit my wheels

gs3

EDIT = retracted

gs3

BDFun

They can be found here as well as a few other places.

cougie

If its icy - forget the cycling in - its just too slippy, Water isnt an issue - just look at how the tour riders manage - 23mm tyres or less and they cope with the worst deluges.

PBo

agree - ice is bad, water isn't.

Fresh snow is fine - 25s can just slice through it, if you are caught out in it - but obv. problem is as snow gets packed down, so when snow is already down, i switch to mtb.....gives added stability for inevitable chav snowball attack too.....

Aguila

Unless you are off road tread of any kind will reduce your grip as this is determined by the surface area of tyre in contact with the road and the coefficient of friction between the 2 surfaces. So nobbly tyres on road will have less grip than a slick tyre of the same size. The only reason any road tye has grip is to avoid aquaplaning which is virtually impossible on a bike tyre:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_ho-z. ... droplaning

On ice all tyres will fail unless you buy specialist tyres with spikes in them.

So, just stick with the same tyres all year round. Go a little slower when wet, but the grip you get on wet roads is no lower in winter than summer.

Oh and PS Gatorskins are not tubular tyres and fit any normal rim:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Conti ... 360028710/

andy83

i actually commuted through all last winter on my trek 1.2 apart from when it snowed. It held up very well, admittidly i rode loads of miles and i had to replace wheels in june as hubs were dead, but it coped well. Its more about taking it a little easier in the wet etc the bike will be fine