Do you bike in bad weather?

[bdesj]

Originally Posted by Piwoslaw

I repeated that when talking to people about biking when it's not warm and sunny, but recently I read about a guy who decided to bike across Siberia. In the winter.

Similar ride, S-N winter transcanada:
Bicycle Touring: Forum: Weather: #568: "Canadian Arctic in Winter", posted by David Cambon on Mon 14 Nov 2011 09:40 (US/Pacific)

[thomason2wheels]

Originally Posted by skyl4rk

I used to commute on my bicycle all winter, riding in the tracks of cars when the snow got high. Unfortunately, I fell on the ice a few times, and the last time I fell I decided I would not ride when there is ice on the road. Luckily I live close enough to walk to work, so that is my winter option.

Yeah i used to do the bike to work thing and rode anytime it w wasn't raining at my departure time, unless it was below freezing and there was a chance of ice. I didnt do snow or ice, but even at that logged almost 12k miles one year on the bike. The car saw half of that that year. If the rain caught me, i would just ride it out. Life was good then.

[Grant-53]

Rode today in near freezing temperatures and enjoyed the jaunt. Tires, motorcycle helmet, and front fairing all worked well.

[Piwoslaw]

Since mid June I've been riding to work, 38-40km per day. Until mid January I rode every single day except maybe 3-4 days when I had a few other errands to take care of.

It would take me 45-50 minutes on average, with a nice tailwind I once returned home in less than 40 minutes (taking the tram + train is ~90 minutes, so that's a no-brainer). On the other hand, my worst time (not counting when I got hit by a car and had to carry my bike to work) was over 70 minutes, which was the third day with a very strong headwind, rain and temperatures near freezing.

I stopped a month ago when we got snow. I can ride in snow, but an hour/20km each way is starting to ask for trouble, and riding such distances in temps below -10°C can be dangerous.

A few observations:

• You shouldn't ride during heat waves: I drank up to 2 liters of water per 20km when the temperature was 34°C, and would not stop sweating even 20 minutes after getting to work. And I was lucky enough to be riding in the morning and late afternoon, without too much exposure to the sun.
• I stay more or less dry only when the temperature is around 12-15°C, below that I have too much on me to allow enough cooling or evaporation. When I walked into work and someone commented on me freezing because it is -5°C, I could only reply "Cold? Gimme some that! I'm feeling a bit overheated at the moment"
• No matter the weather, I saw other bikers every day. It's a strange feeling when you are fighting the elements for an hour, getting stares from pedestrians and drivers, and arrive at work to find that your 3 favourite parking spaces are already taken by other bikes.

The snow is melting, so on Monday my bike-vs-car stats will start going in the right direction again.

[Frank Lee]

I stopped winter riding. The road salt is too tough on the equipment. But I went from Thanksgiving to this last Wednesday without starting an engine... lots of walking.

[Piwoslaw]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

I stopped winter riding. The road salt is too tough on the equipment.

Exactly! I decided that buying a mass transit ticket for a month, or even 2, will still be cheaper than replacing corroded parts.

[MetroMPG]

That's what a winter beater is for! (Free 'garbage' mountain bike.)

My front derailleur is currently either frozen or corroded in place, and has been for several weeks. The range of motion on the rear derailleur is shrinking. Losing gears! And the chain is solidifying.

But spring isn't far away. I'll get some penetrating oil on it soon enough.

[Ryland]

Worst part of biking in the winter is people who drive while texting.

Replacing rusted bike parts is still cheaper then driving in the winter, it's cheaper then a lot of options.

[hamsterpower]

I prefer a single speed or even a fixie as my winter beater. No derailer problems and a stronger, simpler chain. Disk brakes also last better as they are out of the slop.

[Grant-53]

I was riding a Jamis Aragon this last week here in the snow on 700C x 42 tri cross front and chevron tread rear tires. The fenders were not long enough so I made an extension from a quart plastic oil container. The Slop was building up on the rear wheel at the chain stays and V brake arms. Definitely be generous cleaning as often as possible. A spray can of 30w chain lube works wonders. A gallon garden sprayer with warm soapy water or a rag soaked with WD-40 or light oil does help. A few years ago I came across a product from CRC for coating marine fixtures. It was a clear spray and has kept the aluminum rims free of salt corrosion. Any good quality automotive clear paint would help metal components.
My coroplast fairing has held up well and keeps much of me out of the wind. The winter helmet is the full face Bell motorcycle unit with a flip up visor. I wear long underwear under work pants and two pair of socks inside rubber barn boots or water proof shoes. The lowest temp I chose to ride is 10F for my 40 minute commute. I use my mirror more since the driving lanes are narrower due to the snow plowing.