Winter Preparations

[Jay]

Winter arrive this morning in the form of 5-10cm of snow so I decided to start my winter preparations.

- Salsa Fargo is my winter bike, I have a second wheelset with 2.2" studded tires; the wheels are not on yet, but will be if needed.  I put fenders on it, added a 1/4 frame bag for carrying extras, plus a different seat post

- Roadini, I want to add softer brake pads that are better when it's under zero.  The Tektro ones don't work great in the winter (I don't ride this when the roads are bad, but I ride it often as they get cleared enough).

- Trainer Bike: Now that I've switched to B17 from C17, I've added one to my indoor trainer bike (old road bike).  That was a chore!  Had some seat post issues: I took the post that was on there and put it on the Fargo, as it had set back and the B17 and how I sit on it wants set back.  I then started seeing what posts I can add.  The kalloy that came with the Roadini, should be 27.2, but drops right into the seat tube.  Curious.  I then tried another post, almost couldn't push it down because a proper 27.2 doesn't fit the seat tube well because it's an old bike / seat tub has some build within.  Finally got it down there and dialled in height, tilt and set back (took a long time).  What's up with the kalloy though?  Nothing slides into that bike's seat tube instantly dropping all the way down.  I'm going to measure it with callipers later.

What kind of preparations to you all make?  Depending on where you live, maybe you just put a light jacket in the closet ;-)

[aeroperf]

Every winter I do what we call in aircraft a “B-check”.
Clean, wax, check alignment of components, lubricate, check fastener integrity, inspect and rotate tires, etc.
This is a lot more thorough than a pre-ride inspection, but I’m looking at the same things.
It takes about a day to do.

Every 5 years (for me about 5000 miles) I do a “D-check”.
Tear it down to the bare frame, fork, headset (including pulling the bottom bracket).
Clean every individual part, lubricate every part that takes lube, replace the cables, wax the frame, put it all back together again, and adjust everything. This is also when I fix anything that’s been bugging me - like moving the bell to a location easier to use, re-wrap loose handlebar tape, etc.  And since the key to the bike is wheels, check the spoke tension, true the wheels, lubricate the hubs, verify the tires are in good shape; that kind of thing.
This generally takes me about a week.

The rest of the year I can just check tire pressure and ride.

[rlti...@gmail.com]

Winters here are pretty extreme so about this time of year I unpack the socks that were put away last year so that my toes don’t get cold wearing the sandals I wear year round. I also check to make sure I have some long sleeve shirts ready to go. 

Winters here do get somewhat cold. I have had morning commutes in the 20’s but that’s about as cold as it gets. Rain is typically not a major part of winter though we do get enough that I have bikes with fenders always ready.

Robert Tilley

San Diego, CA

Sent from my iPhone

On Nov 9, 2025, at 2:18 PM, Jay <jason....@gmail.com> wrote:

Winter arrive this morning in the form of 5-10cm of snow so I decided to start my winter preparations.

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[Will Boericke]

Install the studded tires on the one commuter that gets them, dig out all the layers and re-evaluate what is still serviceable.  Match up the 5000 pairs of gloves, mitts, glo-mitts, etc (always looking for the holy grail, have not yet found it).  Look again for better overshoes for cold rain; still haven't found the best solution there either.

Aside from the drudgery, get the fatbike ready for the 10 days where I can use it :).  Prepare to enjoy some cold weekend AM mtb rides.

[Jason Fuller]

We don't get a lot of snow here (despite what most people expect from Canada) and thankfully our roads are not usually salted (though sometimes they put sand down), so winters here are not too challenging to accommodate for year-round riding.  A few weeks ago I pulled down the bin of gloves and caps and dug out several pairs of gloves of varying thicknesses. My go-to combo is thin merino liners underneath buckskin gloves. I find this works well to a little below freezing, which covers 90% of my needs.  I also pull out the thick wool socks which I wear under my 2-layer Blundstones. 

For bikes, it's just tire swaps and I switch from dry to wet lube.  

My errand bike, a Raleigh Twenty from the early 70s, runs Schwalbe GT365 year round which do well enough in the snow.  
My rigid mountain bike, a Stooge Scrambler, has a spare front wheel with 2.8" studded tire in storage for if things get real icy.  

My all-road bike, the Hillborne, goes from slick tires to G-One knobbies. 

The Bombadil stays the same, it's pretty much always ready for anything. 

And my last bike was the Crust Wombat until a week ago, but now I'm mostly done building a Crust Evasion with 26x2.8 WTB Rnagers which will make a damn fine winter bike!  I am quite looking forward to having disc brakes in the bad weather, as much as I prefer the look and modulation of rim brakes. 

[Jason Fuller]

Regarding staying comfortable in cold rain:  for commuting or slower pace recreational rides, I find the cycling specific rain cape / poncho to be a game changer. It covers your hands so your gloves stay mostly dry and wind-protected, and it keeps your feet pretty dry as well if your fenders have good coverage. These go a long way to keeping the extremities warm!   Above about 13-15 mph it gets pretty flappy though. 

I only run flat pedals anyway, but I'd switch to flats for winter if I was a clipless guy. Wearing roomy shoes and gloves is key to keeping them warm - that bit of air is important.   

[Patrick Moore]

Our climate changes from hot and dry to cold and dry, so even an 18*F morning start won’t be as painful as in a high-humidity climate. And at 5K+ feet, we have huge and quickly changing differences between early morning lows and late afternoon highs — 30* is common, I’ve seen over 40*, and temps warm up very quickly as the sun rises — so you have to be prepared to jettison and carry outer layer tops and gloves as morning temps quickly rise — even my gofast bikes have seat bags big enough to carry rolled up gloves and outer garments.

It’s about the start of November, here in river-level North Valley ABQ, NM (av el 5075 feet per random website), when morning temps start dropping to 40* and lower, that I start pulling out the winter hats, first the PI and Walz, and then as morning temps drop toward freezing, the Raphas with better ear coverage. I have OR thin fleece skull caps to wear under those other caps when temps get toward my low-temp limit, about 20*F +/- 2 degrees depending on wind, sun, and humidity. I do have a balaclava but don’t like having to continually adjust the fit over my mouth.

Shoes: I have toe covers for my Shimano mesh-front SPDs, but I also have a couple of other pairs of SPD shoes made without mesh; all are roomy enough for a thin liner under a thicker merino sock and, for temps below say 25*F or for longer rides much below 32*F I have a pair of Lake SPD boots that, unfortunately, are a pain to put on; but they are warm.

Fingers are the biggest problem, and I’ve evolved a layer system, starting with the wonderful and apparently indestructible DeFeet knit wool gloves at about 40* and down to mid 30s, depending on sun and wind and length of ride, and then a lovely pair of soft lined leather gloves, Bundeswehr surplus courtesy of Verusteleka; these I buy 2 sizes large, both to keep ~1 cm air gaps between end of gloves and beginning of my fingers, and also to accommodate silk liners or/and the DeFeets. With both, down to low 20s. For ultimate cold, which I’ve not yet experienced, I do have a very nice pair of fleece-lined leather mittens into which fit a pair of thick ragg wool mittens.

I do have PI lobsters, but those are good only down to about freezing; their big benefit is that they are warm down to say 30* without having to hassle with putting on multiple layers.

Tops: Wool jerseys, ss +/- arm warmers and neck gaiters, then ls wool, then ls with neck gaiters or scarfs, the Ibex wool vest, then full-zip heavier ls wool over jersey, then an even heavier wool full zip, all intermixed with layers of different weights of gilets and shells, finally with a nice very lightly lined Leatt shell to which I had pit zipps added.

Bikes: My bikes remain the same, only I choose one of the 2 with fenders (IGH custom Riv Road clone or road bike for dirt) for messy weather.

The big hassle with winter riding is all the layers that you have to put on and take off; and here again, hands are the big problem, since to check your phone or find your keys or blow your nose you have to remove one or more glove layers.

BTW, ISO/WTB/WTT black or gray or burgundy (preferred) or “black with flag” Carradice Barley, for the Roadeo — the Carradice Zip Roll is very good for summer but I had a hard time cramming a wadded wind shell, rolled up leather gloves, and a small pouch of personal stuff into it on top of the rather (by necessity) bulky repair kit. Still, the Zip Roll is a keeper, for sure.

On Mon, Nov 10, 2025 at 10:35 AM Jason Fuller <jtf.f...@gmail.com> wrote:

… A few weeks ago I pulled down the bin of gloves and caps and dug out several pairs of gloves of varying thicknesses. My go-to combo is thin merino liners underneath buckskin gloves. I find this works well to a little below freezing, which covers 90% of my needs.  I also pull out the thick wool socks which I wear under my 2-layer Blundstones. 

[Mike Rossi]

I’m fortunate to have multiple bikes. One has the sole purpose of ice/snow commuting. Studded tires, fenders, and a low fixed gear (43/21).

It stays that way all year long, so that all I have to do is oil the chain, inflate the tires, and make sure the front brake is working.

I wear thermal under my clothes, a big ole jacket, a ski mask type of toboggan (Carhartt) some merino lined Geier deerskin gloves, and some rain/mud boots when the snow is heavy(which here isn’t often, but I use them in rain as well). I also put some plastic bags over my feet before I put on my socks. Keeps the toes from freezing!

Mike

On Nov 10, 2025, at 1:04 PM, Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Jay]

Lot's of good info here!  I don't want to go N+1 but I have a couple of ideas in mind.  Will post under separate thread.

[Guy Jett]

Thinking back to my days at the University of Wyoming in Laramie -- mid-80's.  The record for 32 straight days with high temperatures below zero while I was there still stands.  Morning temps from 25 to 40F below zero.  I rode my Raleigh Competition year round though with few longer rides.

Preparation:

*  Long underwear top and bottom base layer -- I prefer cotton fishnet which is now very hard to find;

*  Flannel lined khakis;

*  Ski goggles with

    -- thin beanie, under helmet, with front pulled over the goggles;

    -- knit scarf pulled up over the nose and held in place by the goggles.

*  Heaviest ski gloves I had (and barely sufficient);

*  L.L. Bean bootes with fleece insoles and two layers of socks;

*  Heavy Eddie Bauer down jacket rated to -40

    --  Jacket is now 54 years old and still going strong  It's in use by my son in Montana.

Worst part of the year was early spring with daily freeze-thaw cycles.  For two or three weeks it was distinctly unsafe to bike.  OMG, it was hard to just stand and walk across the ice!  The rest of the winter was usually so cold that riding was not really a problem.

A favorite memory was one afternoon on untracked powder about 8 inches deep.  At the bottom of each pedal stroke the powder exploded over my boots as they entered the light snow.  It was just magical.

GAJett

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[Mathias Steiner]

I had my first ride on the winter bike yesterday. Some ice on the road, 22 F, wind from my back most of the time, which helped. I've got an early-90s Rockhopper for this purpose, with most parts changed.. I built a cheap set of wheels with a Shimano dynohub in front and Shimano Nexus 3spd/coaster brake in back. Schwalbe winter tires with studs, 1.5 inches wide. I do basically no maintenance on this bike except to put on a different used chain at the start of the season and oil it occasionally. They get rusty and stiff by the end of winter, from the salt. The hubs seem impervious, and the only other moving parts are in the front V brake. It works well, mostly because my "commute"  is 2.5 miles each way.

Speaking of dynohubs, here is a PSA:
https://secure.campaigner.com/csb/Public/show/4rbx-2zl58e--1bihfu-kwn5zb15

Somafab is brooming out Kasai dynohubs for $56 and up. I just put a couple in my cart; be aware that the sale ends today.

[Jay]

I had my first ride this morning.  My street had a thin layer of ice/snow.  Ice Spiker Pro was overkill.  I then hit the trail behind my house for a couple laps.  The foot/paw prints made it slightly bumpy but no complaints.  The wooden bridges had deeper snow and I had to get off the bike on the long section as I was swerving and came to a stop.  Bonus was the family of deer running 20 feet from me, alongside until they out-ran me and cut across the trail to safety.  That was awesome.  Same deer we feed in the winter (throwing veggies over the fence).  I do look forward to all this melting so I can go out on the Roadini and her new Quill wheels I've had built up (RH Hurricane Ridge tires).