Go Back   EcoModder Forum > AltModding > Alternative Transportation
Register Now
 Register Now
 

View Poll Results: Do you bike in bad weather?
No, I only ride when it's warm and dry. 16 17.58%
I'm used to riding in the rain. 10 10.99%
I don't mind the cold, as long as it's not raining. 13 14.29%
I don't mind the cold, as long as it's not freezing. 8 8.79%
Temperatures below freezing aren't bad, it's snow that I avoid. 10 10.99%
A little bit of snow never hurt anybody. 12 13.19%
Bad weather? What's that? 22 24.18%
Voters: 91. You may not vote on this poll

Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 09-28-2012, 09:07 PM   #81 (permalink)
EcoModding Apprentice
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Reno, NV
Posts: 145

Toyota - '94 Toyota Pickup
90 day: 29.91 mpg (US)

Scooter - '06 Yamaha Majesty
90 day: 31.65 mpg (US)
Thanks: 0
Thanked 12 Times in 11 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by Piwoslaw View Post
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)

  Reply With Quote
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 09-28-2012, 10:57 PM   #82 (permalink)
wrx4me...
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: goode, va
Posts: 143

no worries - '91 Subaru legacy L
90 day: 31.45 mpg (US)

weevee - '08 suzuki vstrom dl650
90 day: 61.22 mpg (US)

wrx - '09 Subaru wrx sedan
90 day: 29.8 mpg (US)

Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine - '09 kawasaki ninja 250 se

Connie - '09 kawasaki concours
Thanks: 42
Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by skyl4rk View Post
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.
  Reply With Quote
Old 01-01-2013, 09:02 PM   #83 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Elmira, NY
Posts: 1,781
Thanks: 319
Thanked 355 Times in 297 Posts
Rode today in near freezing temperatures and enjoyed the jaunt. Tires, motorcycle helmet, and front fairing all worked well.
  Reply With Quote
Old 02-14-2014, 04:12 PM   #84 (permalink)
aero guerrilla
 
Piwoslaw's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Warsaw, Poland
Posts: 3,691

Svietlana II - '13 Peugeot 308SW e-HDI 6sp
90 day: 58.1 mpg (US)
Thanks: 1,268
Thanked 721 Times in 458 Posts
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.
__________________
e·co·mod·ding: the art of turning vehicles into what they should be

What matters is where you're going, not how fast.

"... we humans tend to screw up everything that's good enough as it is...or everything that we're attracted to, we love to go and defile it." - Chris Cornell


[Old] Piwoslaw's Peugeot 307sw modding thread
  Reply With Quote
Old 02-14-2014, 04:16 PM   #85 (permalink)
(:
 
Frank Lee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: up north
Posts: 12,762

Blue - '93 Ford Tempo
Last 3: 27.29 mpg (US)

F150 - '94 Ford F150 XLT 4x4
90 day: 18.5 mpg (US)

Sport Coupe - '92 Ford Tempo GL
Last 3: 69.62 mpg (US)

ShWing! - '82 honda gold wing Interstate
90 day: 33.65 mpg (US)

Moon Unit - '98 Mercury Sable LX Wagon
90 day: 21.24 mpg (US)
Thanks: 1,585
Thanked 3,555 Times in 2,218 Posts
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.
__________________


  Reply With Quote
Old 02-15-2014, 12:56 AM   #86 (permalink)
aero guerrilla
 
Piwoslaw's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Warsaw, Poland
Posts: 3,691

Svietlana II - '13 Peugeot 308SW e-HDI 6sp
90 day: 58.1 mpg (US)
Thanks: 1,268
Thanked 721 Times in 458 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank Lee View Post
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.
__________________
e·co·mod·ding: the art of turning vehicles into what they should be

What matters is where you're going, not how fast.

"... we humans tend to screw up everything that's good enough as it is...or everything that we're attracted to, we love to go and defile it." - Chris Cornell


[Old] Piwoslaw's Peugeot 307sw modding thread
  Reply With Quote
Old 02-15-2014, 10:13 AM   #87 (permalink)
Batman Junior
 
MetroMPG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,513

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 52.71 mpg (US)

Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec
90 day: 70.75 mpg (US)

Appliance car - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 60.16 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,058
Thanked 6,957 Times in 3,602 Posts
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.
__________________
Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget
  Reply With Quote
Old 02-15-2014, 12:23 PM   #88 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Ryland's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 3,903

honda cb125 - '74 Honda CB 125 S1
90 day: 79.71 mpg (US)

green wedge - '81 Commuter Vehicles Inc. Commuti-Car

Blue VX - '93 Honda Civic VX
Thanks: 867
Thanked 433 Times in 353 Posts
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.
  Reply With Quote
Old 02-15-2014, 04:04 PM   #89 (permalink)
one of thOOOse people
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: the cloud(s)
Posts: 293

twitchy - '98 honda civic dx + sir + ls
90 day: 30.2 mpg (US)

Norman - '14 Ford E-350 EXT
90 day: 16.18 mpg (US)

Silver - '12 VW Golf Base
90 day: 26.1 mpg (US)

Sparta - '19 Honda CB300R
90 day: 84.07 mpg (US)
Thanks: 0
Thanked 81 Times in 66 Posts
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.
  Reply With Quote
Old 02-17-2014, 06:05 PM   #90 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Elmira, NY
Posts: 1,781
Thanks: 319
Thanked 355 Times in 297 Posts
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.


Last edited by Grant-53; 02-17-2014 at 06:10 PM..
  Reply With Quote
Reply  Post New Thread


Thread Tools




Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2
All content copyright EcoModder.com