More Sam Love--and do you ride your Riv through winter?

[murphyjrfk]

I didn't want to hijack a thread so I figured I would start another.

I bought one of the last Sage Sams. Hot damn I'm glad I did.  I've ridden lots of bikes and have access to lots of cool bikes but man this one is special.  Of all the Riv's I've ridden and I've seen this is just by far my favorite.  It's so perfectly--well I don't know--neutral.  I have ridden it every day and lots o miles in the past month. Only bike I have ridden.  It's a super typical nothing special build.  Velocity Synergy (which I hate-anything better?) Deore LX hubs rear der blah blah.  The 9 speed Microshift Thumbies are the best and I really like the Surly Knard tires as jack of all trade type. Actually I really love them they are nothing special but good at lots o things and not crazy expensive.  

But alas--do you ride it through the winter?  Not California winters. More like nasty rust belt Cleveland winters with salt and brine and crap everywhere and tons o snow.  I normally just ride a different beater every winter and junk it--but man I don't want to stop riding the Sam.  I ride a lot in the winter too so I'm usually thinking about it. I really don't care about scratches paint chips bits o rust--can always repaint it I guess.  Just curious how you handle the really bad stuff--but not give up that Magic Riv Ride.

Attached is a picture.  I stink and pictures and computer stuff so I hope it shows up.  

[Deacon Patrick]

I ride through Colorado winters, but that's low humidity generally. Though this year's spring was wet and humid (and summer so far also). I usually just use a stiff hand broom brush to brush off the drive train when it's below freezing. Above freezing, I just let it drip met/dry, then brush off the mud.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/32311885@N07/16937815641/in/dateposted-public/

With abandon,

Patrick

[Pondero]

Wonderful build to my eye. The sage Sams are my favorite. Maybe I'll use that color on a repaint one day. I hope you find a way to ride it in winter.

If not, you can send it down here and I'll ride it for you 😉

Chris Johnson
Sanger, Texas

[cyclotourist]

No complaints on that build!

What do you not like about the Synergies?

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Cheers,
David

Member, Supreme Council of Cyberspace

"it isn't a contest. Just enjoy the ride." - Seth Vidal

[Zack]

I rode my sam through vermont winters.  I had this same dilemma, was thinking about finding a winter beater, then figured why ride a bike i don't love in the winter?

I frame-savered the frame, wiped it off after riding, and then gave it a deeper clean every once in a while.  i would say it probably made the drivetrain age faster, but the frame and everything else is fine.

good luck!

[Thomas Lynn Skean]

I ride my Hillbornes through winter and do nothing special except to have one with Nokian Hak....ita W240 (studded) tires mounted.

I framesavered each Sam when I built it up. Probably worth doing that again now for at least the 5-year-old.

Yours,
Thomas Lynn Skean

[murphyjrfk]

Regarding the synergies- tires are a pain to seat-all of them it seems.

I hope there is a better selection of 650b studded tires this year- I'd love a marathon winter in a 42 that would be perfect. I'll probably just end up riding it all winter and deal w the salt and drivetrain stuff as it happens. Certainly worse problems than that!

[Philip Kim]

Very awesome build! Love my Sam as well. I have a pair of Dyads built from Rich that are much better than Synergy hands down. Just a bit heavier, but also tougher, not the box type rim. Easier to mount and seat tires.

For winter, I plan on putting on a cheap Altus and maybe studded tires. I rode my XT RD through one winter, and had to junk it and get another.

[cyclotourist]

OK, I've read about that, was just wondering if it was something else.

On Tue, Jul 21, 2015 at 5:12 AM, murphyjrfk <murph...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Regarding the synergies- tires are a pain to seat-all of them it seems.
>
> I hope there is a better selection of 650b studded tires this year- I'd love a marathon winter in a 42 that would be perfect. I'll probably just end up riding it all winter and deal w the salt and drivetrain stuff as it happens. Certainly worse problems than that!
>

[Surlyprof]

I had similar difficulties but thought it was the Compass tires (which I had heard were tough to seat).  Didn't think to blame the wheels.  Thanks for the insight and congrats on the new Sam.  Looks great.  How do the Knards ride on roads?  I've been using Smart Sams and was surprised how smooth they rode on roads (less so in the turns of course).

John

[Mark Reimer]

I ride my Atlantis all winter long, no problems at all. I might get a touch of surface rust here and there on a steel bolt, or bit of exposed frame where the paint is worn off, but it is so thin it comes off easily. I should apply a new layer of frame-saver this fall though. Don't want a surprise hole appearing from the inside.

I believe that if you have good quality components, they should easily last the winter. I have a Phil rear hub, SONdelux front hub, Phil BB, XT derailleur. All those parts handled the winter no problem. And I've got a real NASTY winter where I'm from (Winnipeg, Manitoba. Winter is six months long, dips down to -40 for a while). I always lock my bike indoors as well, so there are many melt/freeze cycles happening. Giving the bike a good shake before bringing it in (or brushing the snow off with a nylon brush or something similar) is a great idea. The riv's are real tough, don't be afraid to get it a bit cold!

[jpp]

I have a surly LHT that I commute year round.  I am on year 6 of using it.   I figure ride a bike you like, even in winter, just wipe off when it is nasty.  So far no negative consequences from the use.   I figure a new bike even being ridden in the winter should last many years.  I used to work at a bike shop and never saw a frame that rusted from inside out from winter use.  Plus in the event it was unrideable after what I would guess quite a few winters, you would probably have reach the point of wanting a new bike anyways.

On Monday, July 20, 2015 at 9:08:36 PM UTC-4, murphyjrfk wrote:

[Liesl]

My proto-bleriot has seen plenty of Minneapolis/St. Paul urban winter riding.  set up as a single with a White Industries ENO hub and DOS.  Soma Xpress tires.  I don't have it out in the gloppiest stuff; for that I use an old 620 Trek (pictured here).  But as others have said, wiping it down is the key.  Also chain lube designed for winter.  Studs?  That's between you and your god.

What to wear?  I'm partial to anything that you'd wear for cross-coutnry skiing circa 1935.

good luck, Liesl

[Mark Reimer]

Liesl, your clothing description is the BEST I've ever heard, I'm going to have to use that!!

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[murphyjrfk]

I'll probably just end up riding it all year. My problem really is pure and utter laziness. I can't remember the last time I cleaned any of my bikes. I figure it'll probably rain soon-it always does. That's cleaning. And in the winter I'm even less likely to bother.

@surlyprof I love the knards they buzz a little on the road but they really seem to do well in almost everything. I have smart sams too on another bike- like those as well. The knards are light enough cheap enough and tough enough and that's good enough for me. They maybe don't corner the best but for all around they really have been my favorite. No flats and wearing well. I'm curious to try the R and Roads but I'm not unhappy enough to spend the money right now.

[Steve Palincsar]

Perhaps when you become the owner of a nice new Rivendell you'll feel motivated to give up your wicked ways and take better care of it than you're used to. That happened to me after I got a new Titanium Spectrum in 1991: utterly abandoned my slovenly ways, got a portable work stand and started getting serious about taking care of the bike.

[Ryan Fleming]

What Mark said:)...and yes, our winters are harsh

 

Also , fenders with  mudflaps keep a lot of nasty shit away from you and your drivetrain. That is a good looking Sam; I really like the color

[murphyjrfk]

I'm going to start. At least I say I am. It's awful I really have zero excuses-I happen to work in the "industry" and have access to the best mechanic and a whole shop yet my bikes always take the very backseat as long as there is air in the tires I figure I'm good. I'm the worst kind of bike hypocrite. But I can't afford SAMs on a yearly basis so I'm gonna be super good to this one! It really is just such a special bike. If I've ridden hundreds of different bikes this is by far the best one. It's simply so unremarkable and predictable it's remarkable!

[Clayton]

I live in Central Oregon and I ride year round on my Atlantis. I hate cars, and I am car-less. We get snow, and it gets pretty cold. Winter before last, it hit twenty below. Crazy weather warming weirdness. Anyhoo, here are my tips: I run fenders with lots of clearance and ensure that the bottom of the fenders are closer to the tire than the top. This ensures snow does not get packed into a narrowing space between the tire and fender. I made long fender flaps from medium weight leather that gets neatsfoot oiled yearly. A Son hub with a Luxo U light, is mounted on the front rack. I took an old fender and pop riveted a short extension onto the existing fender on the front to prevent water from splashing up onto the light and vent hole. I use studded tires and run pressure low enough to ensure the studs make contact with the ice, and to provide a small amount of comfort for the battering of riding over auto-chewed-chunks. 

    I treated the inside of the frame with Frame Saver, twice. I keep the scratches touched up and wax my bike three or four times throughout the year. Waxing helps     the crud to fall off and helps preserve the finish. I had my Atlantis powder coated to give it a little more armor compared to the stock paint. 

    Waterproof panniers and a Ortlieb handlebar bag carries stuff. 

    

[Marc Irwin]

I ride my Hunq  during the winter here in Michigan, but we only get around 8' of snow during the year.  I use 45mm Nokian studs on it from December to March.

I leave Sam in the garage.

Marc

On Monday, July 20, 2015 at 9:08:36 PM UTC-4, murphyjrfk wrote:

[LeChameau]

Stunning Sam!!

I ride year-long in Ottawa. The roads are white over here, not just because of the snow... 

Because of the salt.

Fellow riders in the area swear by this product called "Salt-A-Way". Seems to be marketed as a boat cleaning product, Put it in a spray bottle, spray away, let it dry. The end.

I can't vouch for it. But the internets say it's wonderful :)

[Matt B.]

Here's my rivendell getting me to work last winter.  It fits large studded tires.

On Monday, July 20, 2015 at 9:08:36 PM UTC-4, murphyjrfk wrote:

[murphyjrfk]

Love that picture!

[Kellie]

JP Wiegle frame saver for the inside of the tubes to deter rust.

[Lungimsam]

What can be put on bolt heads. I find that they get rusty.

I ride my Sam in the winter. Full Fenders. Components seem to be fine but seems like the chain and bolt heads get rusty. Frame still looks great.
But I usually don't ride in the snow/ wet in the winter. Just on dry days when the salt seems to be fading from the roadways.

[Matt B.]

Anti-seize compound works well on bolt heads and nuts to keep corrosion away
.