Spoke Fiend

10 Tips for biking in the snow by Jill Homer

This is a direct lift from a 2007 NPR article found here. It may be old, but it's still usefull information.

The article was written by Jill Homer who is a newspaper journalist and cyclist in Juneau, Alaska. Her self proclaimed specialty is riding in horrible conditions - really, the worse the better. I like that. You should all check out her blog which is aptly titled Up in Alaska.

1. Think surface area. If you've ever used snowshoes before, you know that all that mass at the bottom of your feet can mean the difference between coasting atop power or wading knee-deep in it. Snow bikes work they same way. They incorporate wide tires with a flat profile in order to distribute bulk (you) as evenly as possible, allowing for maximum flotation.
2. Fat is the new skinny. As long as there have been bicycles, there have been weight-weenie types trying to shave grams off wheels. Nowadays, it's not uncommon to see a spoke-free wheel sporting tires as thin as razors. But once you slice into snow, skinny tires might as well be razors. Snow-bikers know that fat means float, and have been developing bicycles to accommodate increasingly larger wheels for years. I predict that not too far in the future, someone will build a bicycle frame with room for motocross tires. Look for it.
3. There is no shame in walking. Cyclists hate to admit when they come to a hill or an obstacle they just can't conquer. I have seen cyclists blow out their knees and face-plant over logs just to avoid suffering the indignity of getting off the bike and walking. Snow-bikers have no such pretensions. We know that bikes are not ready-made for snow, and vice versa. If snow is too soft, or too deep, or too wet, we simply step off and amble along until we can ride again. We learn to enjoy it, like walking a dog, but without the constant slobbering.
4. When in doubt, let air out. Often, snowy trails are what we would call "marginally ridable." By letting air out of tires, you can increase the surface area and improve your flotation. Sometimes it means riding on nearly flat tires at a pace a snail wouldn't envy, but, despite what I said in the previous paragraph, it's still better than walking.
5. Learn your snow types. It's been said that Eskimos have dozens of different words of snow. Snow bikers also understand the myriad varieties: powder, sugar, corn, hard-pack, sandy, slushy, and so on. Each type comes with its own challenges. But understanding the nature of the white stuff you are trying to ride atop, you can adjust your riding and wheels to meet the conditions.
6. Don't be disappointed when you fail to set a land-speed record. Snow, like sand, puts up a lot of resistance, and snow bikers are not known for their speed. I have often heard accounts of cyclists who said felt like they were careening down a hill, only to look down and see they hadn't even breached the 10 mph barrier. In snow races, 10 mph is considered fast. Eight mph is average. Six mph is respectable, and four mph isn't uncommon. When asked to describe the nature of the 2006 Iditarod Invitational, which was plagued by cold temperatures and fresh snow, third-place finisher Jeff Oatley said, "It was about as intense as a 2.5 mph race can be."
7. All brakes are not created equal. When contemplating what brakes to put on their bikes, cyclists have all kinds of reasons to choose between disc or rim. But snow bikers, who often find their rims coated in a thick layer of ungrippable ice, have the best reason of all: Rim brakes could mean an icy death by gravity. Go with disc.
8. Re-lubricate and be free. There is nothing that will slow down a snow biker faster than having their hubs freeze up, which is always a possibility when the mercury drops below zero. We have to lube up our moving parts with a special low-temperature grease, sold widely in cold regions like Fairbanks and Minnesota.
9. Stay away from moose tracks. Common injures for road cyclists include road rash and head injuries. Mountain bikers have problems with broken collar bones and bad knees. Alaska snow bikers are always being tripped up by the deep, narrow holes moose leave when they walk through the snow. Avoiding these minefields will help curb post-holing injuries like broken ankles.
10. Stay away from dogs. We talk a lot about fear of angry moose, grumpy bears and rabid wolves, but our most likely animal to have a dangerous encounter with remains the sled dog. They approach so quickly and quietly that we sometimes don't even have time to jump off the trail. A collision can be disastrous -- imagine tangled lines, confused canines and a lot of sharp teeth. Add to that an annoyed musher who's likely packing heat, and you stir up the kind of fear that convinces snow-bikers to give those racing puppies a wide berth.
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Alaska bound

From time to time my job sends me off to some pretty cool destinations. Yesterday I booked a flight to Alaska for an upcoming Deadliest Catch project. I've never been to Alaska so I'm stoked. Now, because I'll be puddle jumping out to Dutch Harbor I will certainly be leaving my bike behind. But, it did get me thinking about how the folks out that way get around on two wheels. It' really great to see how many bike companies have responded to the need for a snow loving bicycle.  Here is a quick list of some of the best of the best 'Fat Bikes'

Wildfire Design's Fat Bike. Built in Alaska

Viscous Cycles Thunderwing

The most popular fatbike out there is undoubtedly Surly's Puglsey

There are certainly a few other manufacturers out there, and there are even some bikes that will accomodate a straight conversion to a fatbike if you're inclined to do so.

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SpeedVagen – Built in house, by hand, the Vanilla Workshop

Wow...wow....wow.  I come across a lot of bikes each and every day that are fantastic. I reckon it's inevitable when you log a couple of hours each day looking for them. But, it isn't very often that I'm blown away by one.  Today, I'm blown away by Vanilla Workshop and their racing machines called SPEEDVAGEN.  These are undoubtedly some of the most beautiful machines I have ever seen. You really need to check out their site and observe all the details that go into them. I officially have a new bike crush.

Bad News Brown

Frame, fork, seatpost $2850 for stock and $3450 for custom. Sadly not for the poor. Sadly not for me.

Dear Speedvagen, would you kindly accept my beautiful Ellsworth Flight as a trade?

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Vanilla Bicycles

Judging from the looks of these beauties, these bikes are anything but plain vanilla. Gorgeous. Simply gorgeous. Check them out here.

Love the part paint part chrome look. Might have to try that on my new build.

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Graffiti to love

Came across this one today. I love when graffiti becomes more than just a mindless tag. This was created by the artist Blu.  I wonder if it's available as wallpaper.

blu_bikes_milan_1_1000

Crushing cars like Godzilla. Love it.

Crushing cars like Godzilla. Love it.

The scale of this piece is impressive.

The scale of this piece is impressive.

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Heaven from above

One of the spots I stopped in on while I was back in Boston was a place called Sel De La Terre on Boylston St. It's attached to the incredibly over priced french restaurant called L'Espalier that once took $270 from me for a dinner for two while I attempted to impress a girl.  Sel De La Terre really isn't my typical joint (I prefer Bukowskis' Tavern up the street a way) but, I was really a fan of their decor.  Hanging from the rafters were several old bicycles adorned with festive lights. And actually, the place wasn't that bad...heck, they even sold Narragansett beer which is the New England equivalient of Pabst.

SEL2SEL1

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Merry Xmas to me

It's not entirely a gift to me, because truth be told I sold my DK PRO XL to my younger brother for the price of these wheels (a mere $199)  But, I am excited about them none the less. Ever since I started building up my Dean I've known that my wheels and forks were way behind the curve.  Now these wheels I'm getting aren't necessary world class, but they are a far cry from where I once was.

DT Swiss/Hugi hubs laced to Mavic 317 Rims with Hayes rotors. Love the anodized silver as well. Going to match up nicely on my Dean.

090324e_hugisilver01090324e_hugisilver03090324e_hugisilver05090324e_hugisilver02

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1989 Jansport Bike Swinger

Not sure why you wouldn't be able to wrap any duffle bag around your handle bars if you wanted too. I know I've created similar make-shift setups in the past. But, if you wanted something designed specifically for that, then check out the 1989 Jansport Bike Swinger.

1989 classic Bike Swinger - a petite duffel bag that attaches perfectly to the front of most bicycles, then easily comes off for carrying. Zippered main compartment and side sections; removable and adjustable strap with antiqued hardware; throwback logo patch at the front and Skip Yowell leather tag at the back (Skip's kinda like a JanSport founding father and mountain climber. Pretty rad dude.). Imported. Spot clean.
* 10"w, 5.5"d, 7"h
* Nylon, leather
jansport-1989-bike-bag
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Shogun Samurai “small people version”

When I was home for the holidays I found myself rummaging through the old garage. Hidden amongst a few other bikes (one of which was an old Mongoose M1 bmx that I once pristinely restored, gave back to my sister, and is now rotting away again) was my mothers old Shogun Samurai. What makes this Shogun so interesting is the wheel setup. Now my mom is short, 4'11" short. But, for the life of me, I'm not sure why Shogun built the frame with a 26" wheel in the back and a much smaller one in the front. It's an interesting setup to say the least. It does have pretty nice components though with Nitto stem and bar and Shimano 105 Biospace cranks

I did take it home with me though...so I'll add this to my list of projects to play with.

shogun1

My photographs don't give the paint justice. It's a beautiful torquise color.

My photographs don't give the paint justice. It's a beautiful torquise color.

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Santa isn’t the only Fatty worth celebrating

For some, this post will be old news (really really really old news), but for others...possibly 1 or 2 of you this will be of interest.  Most everyone in the cycling community has heard of the Fat Cyclist. He's mentioned in Bicycling magazine, bike blogs, and often by Lance Armstrong himself. It's an amazing accomplishment for a self proclaimed fat guy (although, he's hardly fat now).  His website is definitely worth adding to your daily routine.  He has amassed a small army of devout readers who shed tears with him when his wife fell ill and help him raise money for important causes. Which incidentally enabled him to take a dream day ride with Team Radio Shack. img-9612

One of my favorite articles from him has to be How to Be a Middle-Aged Cyclist.  It's great fun...and undoubtedly hits a little to close to home for my liking.

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