The Chainlink

Winter 2015- who's still riding?

Traffic 'round these parts dropped off pretty dramatically a few weeks ago... hard to tell from the "I rode today" thread who's still riding, as one would have to conclude that Gene is the only one out there most days by reading it....

Who's sticking it out and plans to continue to ride pretty much every day regardless of weather?

(Was winter 2013;   2014 starts on p. 36;   2015 starts on p. 61)

 

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Permalink Reply by The Grizz on January 31, 2014 at 9:02pm
I finally got some studded tires. Slower going but the stability is sooo nice. Can't believe I didn't have them before. No more falls.
Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on January 31, 2014 at 9:07pm

Careful with that- you can absolutely still fall.

The Grizz said:

I finally got some studded tires. Slower going but the stability is sooo nice. Can't believe I didn't have them before. No more falls.
Permalink Reply by Joe Guzzardo on January 31, 2014 at 9:41pm

What did you get? I got a pair of Schwalbe Winter Marathons but I haven't really ridden much on them yet. I rode some last Saturday and was very pleased. Not once did I ever feel a loss of control along the lakefront path between Foster and Oak. There was plenty of snow but not much ice, though. On at least one occasion, when my rear wheel began to fishtail, I could almost feel the studs biting into the snow, negating the effect.

The Grizz said:

I finally got some studded tires. Slower going but the stability is sooo nice. Can't believe I didn't have them before. No more falls.
Permalink Reply by Steve Weeks on January 31, 2014 at 9:57pm

Yes, you can. But falls are **MUCH** less likely. Common sense is required, and there is a learning curve to explore the limits of traction. But riding in the winter with studded tires means that instead of expecting to fall a few times each winter, you can expect *not* to fall. I haven't fallen in 4 or 5 years of regular street riding in the winter. I have fallen during recreational-type riding, usually trying to ride through deep snow drifts. Frozen lakes are fun, but don't take corners too fast!

Steve

h' 1.0 said:

Careful with that- you can absolutely still fall.

The Grizz said:

I finally got some studded tires. Slower going but the stability is sooo nice. Can't believe I didn't have them before. No more falls.
Permalink Reply by The Grizz on January 31, 2014 at 11:06pm
They're schwalbes, & yes I still take care. Snow is still slippery & I don't go cornering on ice like I'm in a track race. "Hey guys, check this ou-waaah! Ooof!" :-)
Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on February 1, 2014 at 8:02am

Yes, I know, been using 'em all winter, thanks. 
For the record I went years without falling in winter before the studded tires, riding pretty much daily.

I would hope those that don't have studded tires could set their expectations a bit higher than "a few falls each winter."


Steve Weeks said:

Yes, you can. But falls are **MUCH** less likely. Common sense is required, and there is a learning curve to explore the limits of traction. But riding in the winter with studded tires means that instead of expecting to fall a few times each winter, you can expect *not* to fall. I haven't fallen in 4 or 5 years of regular street riding in the winter. I have fallen during recreational-type riding, usually trying to ride through deep snow drifts. Frozen lakes are fun, but don't take corners too fast!

Steve

h' 1.0 said:

Careful with that- you can absolutely still fall.

The Grizz said:

I finally got some studded tires. Slower going but the stability is sooo nice. Can't believe I didn't have them before. No more falls.
Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on February 1, 2014 at 8:02am

:-)

The Grizz said:

They're schwalbes, & yes I still take care. Snow is still slippery & I don't go cornering on ice like I'm in a track race. "Hey guys, check this ou-waaah! Ooof!" :-)
Permalink Reply by J.P. on February 1, 2014 at 1:33pm

Today, I saw this poor schmuck on (unplowed) Western (just south of Foster) at like 8.45am in the morning, snow/slush everywhere, traffic wasn't going very fast, but he was really struggling staying on his bike. You gotta know when to call it quits.

Permalink Reply by The Grizz on February 1, 2014 at 3:55pm
Never! Waaheee! My pride took me out in the freezing rain through 8" of slush. It was ridiculous. Still got to work on time, though.
Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on February 2, 2014 at 7:18am

The groundhog saw his shadow!

Permalink Reply by Alex Z on February 2, 2014 at 9:04am

Anyone have any report on Milwaukee/Kinzie/Dearborn today? I took the bus this morning and the big roads looked pretty clear but I didn't get to see those three streets. Thinking of Divvying to Logan Square in the late afternoon.

Permalink Reply by Joe Guzzardo on February 2, 2014 at 9:17am

Groan.... http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-groundhog-day-20140202,0,625...
Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

Punxsutawney Phil!

Lisa Curcio 4.1 mi said:

I am usually in the animal rights camp, but under the circumstances I might be willing to help out here.

Crazy David 84 Furlongs said:

I am too busy issuing the following death threat to ride.  

Dear Mr. Groundhog:

Your day is coming up in 9 days.  If you see your shadow and claim that we are going to have six more weeks of winter, I am going to hunt you down, kill you and serve you as stew.  You had better not see your shadow, and if you do, you had better pretend that you did not.   And if we have six more weeks of winter as bad as the past several weeks, not only are you going to be stew, I am going to make a fur hat and gloves out of your family.

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