Went to the library today on bike. Snow was profound. Temperature was okay, however, so I went for it.
The thing that was most surprising was all the variation one has to keep in mind. I rode down the back lane first and that was the worst part. Super snow everywhere! And ice. Oh, so much ice. Then getting onto the road was fine, I just had to ride right in between cars (with them front and back) as opposed to riding beside them. I also found myself on the sidewalk much of the time, but the transition from road to walk was a bit of a multi-terrain experience I don't usually have the pleasure of participating in.
Wiping out wasn't a big deal. I found that by the time the snow gets so thick and I'm not pedaling through, it's more that the bike slides out from you sideways. There wasn't a lot of momentum because I wasn't moving all that fast, and I'd just stick a leg out and steady myself. No harm done. I think I will be lowering my saddle for these winter months.
I also rode the Pashley and had a lot of chain hitting chain guard rattling. Am thinking about switching bikes... but I really like the brakes on the Pashley. Sidewalks in Edmonton are stupid. They sometimes just end so you're off roading all of a sudden! When the ice settles into what used to be grass it turns into this incredibly bumpy terrain. I'm glad I have a heavy steel bike.
Upon arriving at the library I ran into a friend who informed me that breaking with only the rear wheel means better steering and maneuvering! Will have to try that:)
I thought I got a lot of "you are crazy" looks before while riding. I got a whole lot more today.
Wore my trusty olive parka (filled with goose down) with fur hood and super ear flap toque. To bad my self portrait cuts off the pom pom on top. No helmet. Underneath was boot cut jeans and nautical striped long sleeved t-shirt. Mittens are taupe/brown herringbone.
18 comments:
Well done! Riding in snow takes a bit more concentration, but it's also fun. Glad to see you got out there. The more you do it, the easier it gets. Just be sure to wipe your bike down afterwards because of the road salt.
Bravo!
P-
P.S.
'...and had a lot of chain hitting chain guard rattling.'
It sounds as if your chain needs to be tightened (they stretch a bit). Your local shop should be able to do that for you. They'll either slide the wheel back in the drop-outs or remove a link. It should take about five minutes.
'...a friend who informed me that breaking with only the rear wheel means better steering and maneuvering!'
Correct - locking up your front wheel makes it difficult, if not impossible, to steer. It wants to skid instead.
Wow Miss Sarah, I commend you for braving the Edmonton streets in the snow! Calgary is in the minus double digits and there is snow everywhere. I'm too afraid to drive my car, let alone ride my bike. Kudos to you!
Miss Sarah;
The guys at Curbside in Toronto told me that they don't recommend the Pashley for *winter* riding because it was designed for the gentler climate of the UK. I wonder if you already have a more 4-season bike that you can use for winter. I'm hopeful that I'll find that my Batavus really is a 4-season vehicle (so far so good), but I realise that the price point could make it impractical to get a Batavus just for winter as you already have a lovely Pashley.
PJD,
I'll get my guys at redbike to look at it! Although I know there's nothing bad happening in the chain guard, the sound is just annoying;(
S*!
Hi Kathy,
Yeah, Edmonton is -28 HIGH today and -38 with wind chill. Totally ridiculous. I am not riding today. So sorry fans! I'll go out if it's between minus 10-15 but when it gets colder than that I just try not to go out at all if I can avoid it:) Go prairie winters! Just wait until it hits 0 and we all run around outside with t-shirts:)
S*
Hey Morgan!
Do you know Brian at curbside? He's a dear, dear friend of mine:) Also, I know the Pashley is UK, but it's still just a steel bike. The yucky things that might happen to it are the nasty road seasonings that might get stuck to it. But the chain is enclosed like on the Batavus... my only reservation about it is getting it all dirty and gross when I love it so much.
I've also got an Amsterdam, a slightly too-big mountain bike, a raleigh beater (which is likely the right thing to ride), the road bike (no way) and the dahon (also no way). The raleigh needs a bit of love, though, and I fear won't be ready to hit the streets until at least this spring.
If anything bad happens to Pashley, I guess I'll just give her some TLC to bring her back to life:) Also, Batavus Old Dutch is too big for me! That's why I never got one in the first place. Evidently the butterfly would have been alright size wise, but I didn't like the colours and it was going to take too long to order one. So I went with the Pashley.
My husband rides the Batavus fav, however, and he LOVES it. Price point on the ladies 3-speed old dutch is way better than Pash, would have snagged one if it wasn't so huge on me:)
Wishing you a speedy recovery! Curses to icy walks.
S*
Thanks for recovery wishes, Sarah. I'm going to book myself some RMT for the end of this week when I finally have my grading all finished.
I understand entirely about the colours on the Butterfly. I wish Batavus made them in the same shades as the Old Dutch. I think I'm very lucky that with the seat in its lowest position I can ride the smallest Old Dutch model. I *do* have to take it in to Backpedaling (in Guelph) to get them to take the pront post off and set the lamp 'upside down' so that I can manage to put my basket on the *front* instead of on the side. Having the handlebars set so low means my basket can't clear the lamp in its traditional orientation, and the wiring set-up to the generator means getting an expert to do the remounting. I don't mind the basket hanging on my back rack, but it does create some drag that I notice on the very windy road that I have to take for about 1/3 of my ride into work.
I wonder if there is much hope of convincing the 'classic' bike manufacturers to expand their lines for those us us who are not so tall as the Norse and the Saxons... :)
I hope you can get the Raleigh road-ready before the spring so that you will still have something to ride through the winter.
Cheers,
Morgan
BRRRRRRR!
xo/meli
Ignore those "you're crazy" looks. I get "you're crazy" verbals from coworkers all the time and that's usually when the weather outside is perfect!
Looks like you weren't the only cyclists to visit the library that day - counted a few other bikes at the rack!
I envy your list of bikes. I'd love to have another 2-3 bikes but my better half keeps reminding me that we don't have any room for more bikes.
As it is, my commuter bike has the high privilege of being downstairs in our living room near the front door!
BTW, beautiful name! My daughter - 21 months old - is named Sara.
You know about studded tires, right? Schwalbe Marathon Winters are pretty nice, a little pricey. The biggest problem is that you have to watch where you put them; they scratch anything. But, on ice, very helpful.
Merry Christmas to you both!
Hope you are surviving the winter weather. :-)
Fortunately, when it's snowy I've found cars to be extremely wary of me on my bicycle-- as if I'm going to suddenly dive across the road-- and they give me a wide berth. Fortunately again, I laid down the bucks for studded tires and have never felt so giddy to ride on ice!
Hi Justin,
I know what you mean about bringing home stray bikes, even though we have a shed and a garage, Don tries to remind me that we're running out of space. I feel as though there is a bike for every occasion... just like shoes!
And yes, the name Sarah is totally classic!
S*
Hey dr2,
Some veterans tell me that studded tires aren't even that necessary... but I should probably put a pair on one of the bikes and then decide for myself:) I will beware the scratching!
S*
Hi Freth,
I'm trying to keep warm! The holiday season has been utopian, though. Tons of sleeping in and not having any 'real' obligations other than entertaining lovely, lovely people:) Wishing you a happy new year!
S*
Hi RJ,
Glad the roads are treating you kindly:) Stay safe and warm out there!
S*
Regarding studded tires -- they are most useful on actual ice, otherwise, there is not much difference between snow and sand. If it never warms enough to melt the snow (sounds likely for you) then there is not much ice.
Near Boston, on Sunday, it was 15 C. Thursday morning, it was -15 C. The roads are usually salted/plowed/sanded down to a regular-tires-rideable condition, but the bike paths are at best plowed, and at least once last year I rode across a mile of glazed ice. (And I prefer the paths -- road salt and sand are heck on the bike, and it's prettier with no mud.)
i was able to find a retailer in san francisco, hooray! i adore the look of the pashley. may i ask how much yours cost? i have no idea of the price range!
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