Winter Survival Tips

Tullio · Post by **Tullio** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 10:11 am

With all the brave/stupid/heroic riding going on throughout the arctic conditions how about a top tips thread to spread the knowledge on survival?

Here's my top 5;

1. Don't be tempted to try and wash your bike in these temps - I tried on Saturday and even with warm water it soon freezes everywhere and everything. Instead just be liberal with spray oil and grease to keep the salt and moisture at bay. On my mech and caliper springs I always coat them with M/cycle chain wax at the beginning of winter. It looks a mess but lasts all winter and, come the spring, you wipe it off to reveal perfectly preserved components.

2. Pay attention to extremeties - I haven't found the magic clothing answer yet other than walking sox and glove liners but, in these temps, once your fingers and toes get cold it's really hard to warm them up again.

3. Keep it sensible - there's no prizes in this weather for being first or breaking records and stressing your lungs in these temps is a sure way to a chest infection. Just enjoy the fact that you're out doing something.

4. Be aware of the physics of the cold - plastic goes v. brittle (tyre levers!), fork oil goes sticky, rubber goes hard and doesn't grip well so tyres and brake pads aren't as effective. Water bottles freeze really fast. MTBers use Camelbacks which, because they're in a rucksack and close to your body tend not to freeze as much.

5. Take a camera - these are extraordinary conditions and, come the 1st shoots of Spring, you'll kick yourself for not capturing the memories and the scenery.

Cyan Skymoos · Post by **Cyan Skymoos** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 11:55 am

I have a spoon of glycerin, lemon and honey, before going out on icy cold days. I've been doing this for years and I've never had a sore throat. I take the bottle with me on long rides.

On days that threaten to snow I do a 2 hour ride which never takes me more than 8 miles from home.

I take a flask of coffee. I have a small thermos which sits nicely in a cut down water bottle. A life saver on days like this.

HowardD · Post by **HowardD** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 8:56 pm

Get a pair of these lovelies:

http://db.tt/E1OBOCM

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 9:01 pm

How do MTBers keep their feet warm? Overshoes and pushing bikes don't mix - in my experience anyway.

Skymoos story about the glycerine and honey reminds me of a tale that a grizzly old cross rider once told me. He said that he always has a tablespoon of cod liver oil after his cereal on race day. I asked him if that was for his joints. "Oh no, it's to lubricate the breakfast on its way back up!"

Keeping toes warm on the road:
Two pairs of thin socks are better than one thick pair. Going to try Merino wool sometime. Wear a plaggy bag between the layers. Use google for advice on the treatment of trenchfoot.
Don't overtighten your shoes
Don't wear summer shoes that have mesh sides and holes in the toes!
Ozzo cheap-as-chips neoprene overshoes are as warm as anything I've tried, but don't last as long.
On Sunday I also had a carrier bag between shoe and overshoe - not sure if it helped or not.
Good size front mudflap to keep feet less wet.
Push on the pedals - once you raise your core temperature it will conduct down to your toes! No, it will, honest.
If in real trouble, get off and walk for a few minutes.

On Sunday, feet weren't really a problem. After that descent into Wensley, I had 4 fingers that felt like they'd been hit with a hammer. But they did come back to life once we started climbing again.

A few of us rode across Belgium to watch the Ghent Six a few years ago. That was cold. We discovered the cafes served hot chocolate with brandy in. This idea could be coupled with Skymoos' Thermos....?

Cyan Skymoos · Post by **Cyan Skymoos** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 9:27 pm

.....Don't gulp down ice cold fluid from your bottle, take a sip and leave it in your mouth for a few seconds to warm up.

Ride out into the wind and come back with the help of a tailwind.

Take some food with you, nothing worse than hunger knock in winter.

Tullio · Post by **Tullio** » Tue Dec 21, 2010 11:07 pm

Rob wrote:How do MTBers keep their feet warm? Overshoes and pushing bikes don't mix - in my experience anyway.

Several methods depending on personal preference. Winter boots are quite popular - a sort of heavy MTB shoe with a built in overshoe. Waterproof socks over wooly socks is another. I think I've seen Mr Barber employ Sainsbury's finest carrier bags on an occasion too.

I'm thinking of trying Merino Socks too. Gill has some and swears by them and I have a Merino base layer top that is too warm on most occasions.

Howard's tyres look like something out of Mad Max. Perhaps we could all get some for a session at Manchester Track for a 'Rollerball' night?

StephF · Post by **StephF** » Wed Dec 22, 2010 4:11 pm

These Sidi Goretex winter boots are the business:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/sidi-diablo-gor ... n=products

When you also slip one of these in to each boot:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001 ... BNRXRNJD87

Warm and dry for hours

morri · Post by **morri** » Wed Dec 22, 2010 4:34 pm

HowardD wrote:Get a pair of these lovelies:

http://db.tt/E1OBOCM

+1 for Schwalbe studded tyres. They really work well on sheet ice, black ice, and compacted snow. It is possible to slide on semi-compacted and melting snow, because the top layer can give way. But then if there was absolutely no risk they wouldn't be any fun. Here are mine, which have fewer studs and greater width, supposedly to allow them to be pumped up hard and ride normally when conditions allow, although with a combined tyres+rims weight of 3kg, and considerable extra drag to overcome, I haven't made it as far as White Horse Bank yet.

I've also got these, and an order in for a pair of these. I've got freakishly long fingers and toes, so keeping the blood flowing is a problem. The boots are great for the cold, but aren't as waterproof as they claim (although mine are an old version.) Combined with waterproof Sealskinz socks I don't think overshoes are necessary (or possible given the extra bulk of the boots.)

The prize for the dumbest winter bike product must go to these death traps.

StephF · Post by **StephF** » Wed Dec 22, 2010 4:38 pm

Ooh carbon fibre gloves

Broom Wagon · Post by **Broom Wagon** » Wed Dec 22, 2010 5:11 pm

Those tyres look rock, I'd like a pair of those just for the way they look. They're a sort of Overkill -Motorhead (or for the younger generation) Let the Bodies Hit the Floor -Drowning Pool, of the bicycle tyre world.

Winter survival? Just be nails like Rob and Paul are.

resus1uk · Post by **resus1uk** » Wed Dec 22, 2010 7:57 pm

I haven't expected to use my winter trike as much. It was just a project following from using two snow stud tyres on an old MTB.

That was scary & still ended up falling off.

The two snow studs are on the front & idler, with a winter tyre on the drive wheel. All run in as Spa advised on tarmac & then 25psi in ice & the packed snow on the side roads & bridleways on the Wolds.

Good grip on black ice. Two wheel drive may be next year's improvement but that would cost more than the £50 I paid for the trike when it was on ebay. The studded tyres were expensive enough.

PhilBixby · Post by **PhilBixby** » Wed Dec 22, 2010 9:43 pm

On the basis that you never know quite when you're going to hit a bit of this.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lqo4hwnJt6Y ....just take it very easy!

Dr Dave · Post by **Dr Dave** » Wed Dec 22, 2010 11:27 pm

PhilBixby wrote:On the basis that you never know quite when you're going to hit a bit of this.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lqo4hwnJt6Y ....just take it very easy!

LOL!

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Wed Dec 22, 2010 11:30 pm

resus1uk wrote:I haven't expected to use my winter trike as much. It was just a project.

A project indeed! Have you any photos? Trikes, of course, are almost as deviant as recumbents

But fascinating nonetheless!

Broom Wagon · Post by **Broom Wagon** » Thu Dec 23, 2010 10:05 am

Ouch..the one with the kiddie on the back made me wince.