Winterising Your Bike

XTC2009

"Don't be put off by the weather, turn your bike into the perfect winter bike."

That's what it says in the latest catalogue from Evans Cycles. It then goes on to say that you should ditch the knobblies and fit a set of proper road-going tyres. This has left me confused, because every winter I've ridden through so far - on the road with my MTB - I would never have dared stick slicks on! Possibly down to a bad experience with some old Specialized Nibus-Ex tyres in the rain...

What do you think of this new idea? Or is it not so new after all, and actually everyone who gets stuck to riding their local country lanes when the winter draws in has been switching their tyres like this for years?

Briggo

Yeah go on, fit some road tyres on your bike and do some 7Stanes, see how you get on, its awesome fun.

stephec

It's Evans code for, "let us fool you into buying something that's totaly inappropriate, that way you'll have to come back and buy the right thing again sometime."

cooldad

Slicks will be just as good as knobblies, possibly even better if you just ride on the road. But why would you?
Bit of mud and snow never hurt anyone.

tiger2

I commute all year round on 700x25 Continental ultragators and in my opinion are excellent whatever the weather and they have minimal tread. You learn to trust them even when it's wet.

antfly

Knobblies aren't meant for the road, slicks are. They are much better suited to the road.

Eyon

tiger2 wrote:

You learn to trust them even when it's wet.

aquaplane speed of MTB slick will still be at 60mph or so at 40psi, road tyres at 100psi will need to be doing just over 100mph to aquaplane! Tire tread is a sales myth!

That saying, i agree, ride a decent trail on slicks....make sure you have a camera rolling

Stevo_666

If they want you to turn your MTB into a road commuter, OK. Slicks for the road make sense. Otherwise they need their heads examining.

wordnumb

Does anybody make a heated saddle? Grips?

Re slicks. One of my favourite moments of last winter was riding past a brand new Jag that was slipping backwards down an icy hill. I was on a '97 Stumpy with medusas wearing a big grin. Wouldn't have worked with slicks.

hoochylala

antfly wrote:

Knobblies aren't meant for the road, slicks are. They are much better suited to the road.

Agreed, but, I think the issue here is - why move to the road on your mtb when its winter? Some of the best riding is to be had in the winter - none of this fair weather only rollocks!

bluechair84

wordnumb wrote:

Does anybody make a heated saddle? Grips?

Re slicks. One of my favourite moments of last winter was riding past a brand new Jag that was slipping backwards down an icy hill. I was on a '97 Stumpy with medusas wearing a big grin. Wouldn't have worked with slicks.

Plenty of beans for breakfast and you'll get that saddle nice and toasty.

I noticed the Evans recommendation of roadie tyres for winter use. Maybe they think that cutting through the mud will get you to the firm pack below 8)
That age old question, fat n float, or skinny n dig in.

antfly

hoochylala wrote:

antfly wrote:

Knobblies aren't meant for the road, slicks are. They are much better suited to the road.

Agreed, but, I think the issue here is - why move to the road on your mtb when its winter? Some of the best riding is to be had in the winter - none of this fair weather only rollocks!

I couldn't agree more but it sounds like the advice is for people who use their mountain bikes on the road anyway, although I don't know why anyone would want to do that. :?

ollie_lucas1985

Least when you fall and its very slippery out you have an excuse!!

chedabob

antfly wrote:

hoochylala wrote:

antfly wrote:

Knobblies aren't meant for the road, slicks are. They are much better suited to the road.

Agreed, but, I think the issue here is - why move to the road on your mtb when its winter? Some of the best riding is to be had in the winter - none of this fair weather only rollocks!

I couldn't agree more but it sounds like the advice is for people who use their mountain bikes on the road anyway, although I don't know why anyone would want to do that. :?

Can't afford or don't have space for more than one? I ride my MTB everywhere, but the last thing I'd do would be to put slicks on it.

Mental Mickey

Hoochylala has it right, Evans quite clearly sat down and discussed possible ways to make more money out of gullible people now that 'fair weather riders' season has officially closed.
I've only been into this hobby for just over 18 months but I instinctively knew last winter that it is important to not only keep the fitness going, so to the enthusiasm and to learn new skills ie: how to handle Autumn/Winter riding conditions.

Apart from dealing with the temperature change, the average winter ride in the woods gave me wet n' slippy trails instead of dry n' dusty, lots of sloppy winter mud and roots like bars of soap, frozen rock hard ground which makes you adjust your fork and shock pressure, the challenge of riding through sections with deep frozen puddles, breaking the ice as you go as well as icy ground, and last but not least, the challenge of riding in snow covered areas and trying to actually pick out where the trail is underneath, plus getting a few surprises when your wheel suddenly disappears into a hole or deep rut you couldn't see due to the snow covering.

Like night riding, it's a whole new world and challenge, it's a must and anyone who stays in this winter with choccy hob nobs and a mug of cocoa is a big girls blouse.

Anonymous

Meh, good. Get the fair weather bunch out of the woods and onto the tarmac with the rest of the lycra loving bunch and leave the muddy hills to the rest of us with our knobbly tyres

T1berious

Winter tyres to most is either a set of Trailrakers or Medusa's surely?

broken weeble

T1berious wrote:

Winter tyres to most is either a set of Trailrakers or Medusa's surely?

My winter tyres are exactly the same as my wet tyres, my dry tryes, my muddy tyres etc...

Im poor, whats on my bike now is what i use till they need replacing

bluechair84

/\ that

Highrollers all year round.

Northwind

wordnumb wrote:

Does anybody make a heated saddle? Grips?

You could fit motorbike heated grips. Then all you need to worry about is the 12V battery it'll need

gtd.

Don't need to Winterfy Your Bike... Just MTFU!!!