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OK, so to combine the two most discussed (but getting boring) subjects on STW, how the hell do you guys climb with the SS in the snow? It's ko in light dusting, but we had a few inches last night and I was either sat down with my knees screaming but maintaining traction, or stood up spinning like a loon and getting nowhere, and you couldnt get a run-up due to the fact that a face-plan rapidly follows a grin in the snow!
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On the plus side, no gears to clag up!
Left the singlespeed at home this morning and took the full susser. 8)
That pic is what you missed out on! Shame on you 🙂
Singlespeed and rim brakes in the snow 😯 😆
Combine it with the 3rd most discussed thing. Put decent tyres on.
🙂 They work, after about 10 seconds of application! HS33s - rock 'ard!
Combine it with the 3rd most discussed thing. Put decent tyres on.
I had my most grippy mud tyres on, big spikey creations, 2.3 wide at low pressure!
Weight further back than normal, more over the back wheel and a smoother stroke. 😆
Couldnt really get any further back, it put my legs all out of whack and my arms were at a stretch already. I must improve my stroke, hard to get a smooth one when you have to start in snow on a hill though!
I just stuck my saddle up a bit higher than usual and that seemed to work OK. Oh and rim brakes were fine but my freewheel froze!
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Yeah, the tiny rotation slip puts it all out of kilter. Sometimes the amount of power/torque you put through due to the ratio will always cause slippage, gears would temper this obviously. 🙄
Looking good there Mr Agreeable, where was that?
Singlespeeds dont work anywhere bar the track......
On the way to Bath, via the hill near the racecourse. Bit of a 'mare going up, but lots of fun coming down.
Singlespeeds dont work anywhere bar the track......
Nice try 😉
On the way to Bath, via the hill near the racecourse. Bit of a 'mare going up, but lots of fun coming down.
Excellent, looks good!
The key is finding the right density of snow.
To dense = slippy
Not dense = too draggy.
If it all goes wrong, relax and get pushing.
Sometimes having the correct balance of weight over the back wheel has no real benfit......however, with gravity on your side, the return home was fantastic!!!!
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Gee.
That snow must be deep if it comes that far up your bike mate.... 😛
Your problem is that you're riding SS. It's a stupid idea. Gears were invented to solve this among other problems.
Sorry, that was meant to be a jokey troll. I seem to be coming over rather miserable today.
Aren't the SS purists just wanting to re-live their BMX days? If yes then fair enough but I don't see any other point? Has anyone tried CW bars on their SS?!
[i]Aren't the SS purists just wanting to re-live their BMX days?[/i]
Nope. Didn't have any BMX days, for various reasons.
It's harder and quieter, mostly, with less maintenance.
Quieter - understood, less maint - understood, harder - WTF? So's wearing a blindfold
SS riders often ride blindfold too. Their voluminous beards function like a mouse's whiskers, giving them an indication where the edge of the trail is.
Aren't the SS purists just wanting to re-live their BMX days? If yes then fair enough but I don't see any other point?
Nope, never owned a BMX, never wanted to. Its my simple, quiet, maintenance free challenge. Call it masochism if you will 🙂
gears are too easy....easy to cop out on hills and select a lower gear 🙂
SS liberates the mind - no more woorying if you are in the right gear!
plus less maintenance...
plus less weight...
plus they look better/cleaner!
No pics, but what fun on today's commute along the canal path! wish every winter monday morning was like that. Arrived at work grinning like a loon, same on the way home. Huge big sideways skids through untouched powder snow.
(Oh, and I think I ride my geared bikes better as a result of riding my ss ones - not sure why)
I was feeling all smug about riding my maintenance-free SS in the snow a few days ago. Until my tensioner froze.
Great fun though, and I find I can maintain grip by keeping a slow cadence and powering up hills with my weight slightly farther back than normal. I also find it far easier to accelerate in snow on this bike, it just takes a single pedal stroke to get you going as opposed to spinning a few times on my geared FS with the risk of slipping.
it's a balancing act, lean back when the power stroke is on, lean forwards when stroke is pushing over the top.
But line and tyres have a much greater impact in the snow for sure. Tyres that shed fast with few nobbles are what you want.
🙂 mental image of a pidgeon bobbing along moving fore and aft 🙂
molgrips -
Your problem is that you're riding SS. It's a stupid idea. Gears were invented to solve this among other problems.
What! they have gears on bikes now?
What! they have gears on bikes now?
and colour photos too 😀
antigee -
What! they have gears on bikes now?and colour photos too
Wow! one day they'll improve gramaphone technology too, I heard they were working on an electric one. I find having 2 wind up gramaphones for stereophonic sound is a bit heavy for this aged single speeder.
Manchester hasn't bothereed with snow. Bother.
Here's my Love / Hate enjoying the snow!! I had no issues with anything freezing other than my toes but that would happen on any type of bike 😉
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