Rather than go thru all the machinations of trying to stop with the feet, a fixed wheel is preferable - combine that with an old roadster type frame with a 69 degree head angle and you've got a machine that will not slide unless unduly provoked and a braking system that will not lock without warning (but a front brake is desirable nonetheless).
> -----Original Message----- > From: Tom Trottier [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2002 12:06 PM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [obc] Pete's winter cycling tips > > As a contrast to Bangkok's tips, here are some practical tips on surviving > > Ottawa's winter on 2 wheels. > > I might add that you might consider getting studded tires as well. > > Tom > > > From http://mudhead.uottawa.ca/~pete/winter.txt - see pix at > http://mudhead.uottawa.ca/~pete/bike.html > > Subject: Pete's winter cycling tips > Organization: Computing & Communication, University of Ottawa > Keywords: winter cold wet frostbite > > > Winter Cycling According to Pete > > > I am a commuter who cycles year round. I have been doing it > for about twelve years. Winters here in Ottawa are > relatively cold and snowy. Ottawa is the second coldest > capital in the world. The following comments are the > results my experiences. I am not recommending them, only > telling you what works for me. You may find it useful, or > you may find the stupid things that I do are humorous. > > PRELUDE > > Me: > > I am not a real cyclist. I just ride a bicycle. I have > done a century, but that was still commuting. There was a > networking conference 110 miles away, so I took my bicycle. > There and back. (does that make two centuries?) I usually > do not ride a bicycle just for a ride. Lots of things I say > may make real cyclists pull out their hair. I have three > kids, and cannot *afford* to be a bike weenie. > > People often ask me why I do it.... I don't know. I might > say that it saves me money, but no. Gasoline produces more > energy per dollar than food. (OK, I suppose if I would eat > only beans, rice and pasta with nothing on them.... I like > more variety) Do I do it for the environment? Nah! I never > take issues with anything. I don't ride for health, > although as I get older, I appreciate the benefits. I guess > I must do it because I like it. > > > Definitions > > Since words like "very", "not too", etc. are very > subjective, I will use the following definitions: > > Cold : greater than 15 degrees F > Very cold : 0 through 15 Degrees F > Extreme cold : -15 through 0 degrees F > Insane cold: below -15 degrees F > > > Basic philosophy > > I have two: > > 1) If its good, don't ruin it, if its junk you > needn't worry. > > 2) I use a brute force algorithm of cycling: Peddle > long enough, and you'll get there. > > Bicycle riding in snow and ice is a problem of friction: > Too much of the rolling type, and not enough of the sideways > type. > > > Road conditions: > > More will be covered below, but now let it suffice to say > that a lot of salt is used on the roads here. Water > splashed up tastes as salty as a cup of Lipton Chicken soup > to which an additional spool of salt has been added. Salt > eats metal. Bicycles dissolve. > > EQUIPMENT: > > Bicycle: > > Although I have a better bicycle which I ride in nice > weather, I buy my commuting bikes at garage sales for about > $25.00. They're disposable. Once they start dissolving, I > remove any salvageable parts, then throw the rest away. > > Right now, I'm riding a '10-speed' bike. I used to ride > mountain bikes, but I'm back to the '10-speed'. Here's why. > Mountain bikes cost $50.00 at the garage sales. They're > more in demand around here. Since I've ridden both, I'll > comment on each one. > > The Mountain bikes do have better handling, but they're a > tougher to ride through deep snow. The 10-speed cuts > through the deep snow better. I can ride in deeper snow > with it, and when the snow gets too deep to ride, its easier > to carry. > > Fenders on the bike? Sounds like it might be a good idea, > and someday I'll try it out. I think, however, that > snow/ice will build up between the fender and the tire > causing it to be real tough to pedal. I have a rack on the > back with a piece of plywood to prevent too much junk being > thrown on my back. > > I would *like* to be able to maintain the bike, but its > tough to work outside in the winter. My wife (maybe I > should write to Dear Abbey about this) will not let me bring > my slop covered bicycle through the house to get it in the > basement. About once a month We have a warm enough day that > I am able to go out with a bucket of water, wash all of the > gunk off of the bike, let it dry and then bring it in. > > I tear the thing down, clean it and put it together with > lots of grease. I use some kind of grease made for farm > equipment that is supposed to be more resistant to the > elements. When I put it together, I grease the threads, > then cover the nuts, screws, whatever with a layer of > grease. This prevents them from rusting solidly in place > making it impossible to remove. Protection against > corrosion is the primary purpose of the grease. Lubrication > is secondary. remember to put a drop of oil on the threads > of each spoke, otherwise, the spokes rust solidly, and its > impossible to do any truing > > Outside, I keep a plastic ketchup squirter, which I fill with > automotive oil (lately its been 90 weight standard > transmission oil). Every two or three days, I use it to re- > oil my chain and derailleur, and brakes. It drips all over > the snow beneath me when I do it, and gets onto my > 'cuffs'(or whatever you call the bottom of those pants. > See, I told you I don't cycle for the environment. I > probably end up dumping an ounce of heavy oil into the snow > run-off each year. > > > Clothing > > Starting at the bottom, on my feet I wear Sorell Caribou > boots. These are huge ugly things, but they keep my feet > warm. I have found that in extreme to insane cold, my toes > get cold otherwise. These boots do not make it easy to ride, > but they do keep me warm (see rule 2, brute force). They do > not fit into any toe-clips that I have seen. I used to wear > lighter things for less cold weather, but I found judging > the weather to be a pain. If its not too cold, I ride with > them half unlaced. The colder it gets, the more I lace > them, and finally, I'll tie them. > > Fortunately, wet days are not too cold, and cold days are > not wet. When its dry, I wear a pair of cycling shorts, and > one or two (depending on temp and wind) cotton sweat pants > covering that. I know about lycra and polypro (and use them > for skiing), but these things are destroyed by road-dirt, > slush and mud.(see rule 1 above). I save my good clothes > for x-country skiing. > > An important clothing item in extreme to insane cold, is a > third sock. You put it in your pants. No, not to increase > the bulge to impress the girls, but for insulation. > Although several months after it happens it may be funny, > when it does happens, frostbite on the penis is not funny. > I speak from experience! Twice, no less! I have no idea > of what to recommend to women in this section. > > Next in line, I wear a polypro shirt, covered by a wool > sweater, covered by a 'ski-jacket' (a real ugly one with a > stripe up the back. The ski jacket protects the rest of my > clothes, and I can regulate my temperature with the zipper > in front. > > I usually take a scarf with me. For years I have had a fear > that the scarf would get caught in the spokes, and I'd be > strangled in the middle of the street, but it has not yet > happened. When the temp is extreme or colder, I like > keeping my neck warm. I have one small problem. Sometimes > the moisture in my breath will cause the scarf to freeze to > my beard. > > On my hands, I wear wool mittens when its not too cold, and > when it gets really cold, I wear my cross-country skiing > gloves (swix) with wool mittens covering them. Hands sweat > in certain areas (at least mine do), and I like watching the > frost form on the outside of the mittens. By looking at the > frost, I can tell which muscles are working. I am amused by > things like this. > > On my head, I wear a toque (Ski-hat?) covered by a bicycle > helmet. I don't wear one of those full face masks because I > haven't yet been able to find one that fits well with eye > glasses. In extreme to insane cold, my forehead will often > get quite cold, and I have to keep pulling my hat down. The > bottoms of my ears sometimes stick out from my hat, and > they're always getting frostbitten. This year, I'm thinking > of trying my son's Lifa/polypro balaclava. Its thin enough > so that it won't bother me, and I only need a bit more > protection from frostbite. > > I carry my clothes for the day in a knapsack. Everything that > goes in the knapsack goes into a plastic bag. Check the plastic > bag often for leaks. A small hole near the top may let in water > which won't be able to get out. The net result is that things > get more wet than would otherwise be expected. The zippers will > eventually corrode. Even the plastic ones become useless after > a few years. > > > RIDING: > > In the winter, the road is narrower. There are snow banks > on either side. Cars do not expect to see bicycles. There > are less hours of daylight, and the its harder to maintain > control of the bicycle. Be careful. > > I don't worry about what legal rights I have on the road, I > simply worry about my life. I'd rather crash into a snow > bank for sure rather than take a chance of crashing into a > car. I haven't yet had a winter accident in 12 years. I've > intentionally driven into many snow banks. > > Sometimes, during a storm, I get into places where I just > can't ride. It is sometimes necessary to carry the bicycle > across open fields. When this happens, I appreciate my > boots. > > It takes a lot more energy to pedal. Grease gets thick, and > parts (the bicycle's and mine) don't seem to move as easily. > My traveling time increases about 30% in nice weather, and > can even double during a raging storm. > > The wind seems to be always worse in winter. It's not > uncommon to have to pedal to go down hills. > > Be careful on slushy days. Imagine an 8 inch snowfall > followed by rain. This produces heavy slush. If a car > rides quickly through deep slush, it may send a wave of the > slush at you. This stuff is heavy. When it hits you, it > really throws you off balance. Its roughly like getting a > 10 lbs sack of rotten potatoes thrown at your back. This > stuff could even knock over a pedestrian. > > Freezing rain is the worst. Oddly enough, I find it easier > to ride across a parking lot covered with wet smooth ice > than it is to walk across it. The only problem is that > sometimes the bicycle simply slides sideways out from under > you. I practice unicycle riding, and that may help my > balance. (Maybe not, but its fun anyway) > > Beware of bridges that have metal grating. This stuff gets > real slippery when snow covered. One time, I slid, hit an > expansion joint, went over the handle bars, over the railing > of the bridge. I don't know how, but one arm reached out > and grabbed the railing. Kind of like being MacGyver. > > > Stopping. > > There are several ways of stopping. The first one is to use > the brakes. This does not always work. Brakes can ice up, > a bit of water gets between the cable and its sheathing when > the warm afternoon sun shines on the bike. It freezes solid > after. Or the salt causes brake cables to break, etc. I > have had brakes work on one corner, but stop working by the > time I get to the next. I have several other means of > stopping. > > The casual method. For a stop when you have plenty of time. > Rest the ball of your foot on top of the front derailleur, > and *gradually* work your heel between the tire and the > frame. By varying the pressure, you can control your speed. > Be sure that you don't let your foot get wedged in there! > > Faster method. Get your pedals in the 6-12 O'clock > position. Stand up. The 6 O'clock foot remains on the > pedal, while you place the other foot on the ground in front > of the pedal. By varying your balance, you can apply more > or less pressure to your foot. The pedal, wedged against > the back of your calf, forces your foot down more, providing > more friction. > > Really fast! Start with the fast method, but then dismount > while sliding the bicycle in front of you. You will end up > sliding on your two feet, holding onto the bike in front for > balance. If it gets *really* critical, throw the bike ahead > of you, and sit down and roll. Do not do this on dry > pavement, your feet need to be able to slide. > > In some conditions, running into a snow bank on the side > will stop you quickly, easily, and safely. If you're going > too fast, you might want to dive off of the bicycle over the > side. Only do this when the snow bank is soft. Make sure > that there isn't a car hidden under that soft snow. Don't > jump into fire hydrants either. > > > ETC. > > Freezing locks. I recommend carrying a BIC lighter. Very > often the lock will get wet, and freeze solid. Usually the > heat from my hands applied for a minute or so (a real minute > or so, not what seems like a minute) will melt it, but > sometimes it just needs more than that. > > Eating Popsicles > > Something I like doing in the winter is to buy a Popsicle > before I leave, and put it in my pocket. It won't melt! I > take it out and start eating it just as I arrive at the > University. Its fun to watch peoples' expressions when they > see me, riding in the snow, eating a Popsicle. > > > You have to be careful with Popsicles in the winter. I once > had a horrible experience. You know how when you are a kid, > your parents told you never to put your tongue onto a metal > pole? In very cold weather, a Popsicle acts the same way. > If you are not careful, your upper lip, lower lip, and > tongue become cemented to the Popsicle. Although this > sounds funny when I write about it, it was definitely not > funny when it happened. > > > > > > ------- Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum viditur ----------------- > ,__@ Tom A. Trottier +1 613 860-6633 fax:231-6115 > _-\_<, 758 Albert St.,Ottawa ON Canada K1R 7V8 > (*)/'(*) ICQ:57647974 N45.412 W75.714 > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > Laws are the spider's webs which, > if anything small falls into them they ensnare it, > but large things break through and escape. > --Solon, statesman (c.638-c558 BCE) > > ------ > To unsubscribe, send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Club Office: [EMAIL PROTECTED], (613) 230-1064 > Web/mailing list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.cyberus.ca/~obcweb > Newsletter: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://www.cyberus.ca/~obcweb/Newsletter > ------ To unsubscribe, send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Club Office: [EMAIL PROTECTED], (613) 230-1064 Web/mailing list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.cyberus.ca/~obcweb Newsletter: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.cyberus.ca/~obcweb/Newsletter ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aVxiDo.a2i8p1 Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
