The best winter commuter bike for all budgets
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ก.ค. 2024
- Winter can be hard on both bikes and wallets, so I've broken down some recommendations for the perfect winter commuter bike into four budget categories, from no-budget to big-budget.
0:00 Introduction
0:21 The No-Budget Winter Bike
3:04 The Low-Budget Winter Bike
5:41 The Mid-Range Winter Bike
8:23 The Big-Budget Winter Bike
10:02 Bonus Tip!
#cycling #bike #commuting
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• If you ride a bike in the city, you need a good lock. Litelok is a good option: us.litelok.com/SHIFTER
• If you wear a helmet and like to be well-lit, consider the Lumos: ridelumos.com/shifter
• Hindsight sunglasses have mirrors so you can see behind you while you ride. Plus, they look good: collabs.shop/f9hvof
• Love these RedShift Acrlight Smart LED Pedals: redshiftsports.com/collection...
• Crane Bicycle Bell (the ding is sublime): amzn.to/48gsHQ2
• Bicycle Cargo Net (why did it take so long for me to buy one of these?): amzn.to/31s1Ovu
• Vaude Cover II Rain Poncho (for higher-end, try Cleverhood or People’s Poncho): amzn.to/3jLkift
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Internal hub gearing, fenders, and dynamo lights are the best decision you can make for a winter or all year round bike
Just got myself a new mid-drive e-bike with internal gear hub, carbon belt drive, and fenders, in a nice upright step-through frame. It's the perfect commuter bike for me, and it's been handling snowstorms like a champ.
I've had internal hub gears jam and freeze on me, and they are quite difficult to fix on the road. A good one built to function in wet and cold might work perfectly, but apparently my old bikes had bad ones. Derailurs have their own problems (and probably more of them), but at least you can see the problem and kind of fix it on the road.
Pro tip for derailurs: if they have mechanical cables, try to make sure they are shielded from the elements and not routed (exposed) under the bottom bracket like my bike has :)
@@AtomikNYwhat part of NY? (assumed based on username) and which hub?
@@better.better Way upstate, in the Adirondacks. It's an Enviolo hub, basically the same one you see in the video.
Yeah I was surprised that the first two bikes didn't have full fenders / mudguards. You can get fairly cheap ones that will fit on pretty much any bike (e.g. SKS raceblades) and they will stop the front wheel spraying crap from the road into your drivetrain (and on to your clothes) massively reducing the maintenance burden.
Yes, studded tires is a must. I take my bike to my local bike shop and have them wash it. Bike shops have more time to wash bikes, plus they appreciate the winter business. I live in MN, so it's totally worth it.
My understanding is that most cyclists in Oulu, Finland (which is basically covered in snow for half the year, but sees a high proportion of trips done by bike regardless) don't use studded tyres, and so they must not be completely necessary. Maybe they are just being stubborn / cheap though.
@@liamness Oulu has constant freezing temperatures and great bike path maintenance, so the paths are snowy, not icy. Studded tires are more useful when the temperature toggles around 0°C causing liquid water to freeze on the road. With good maintenance, the bike paths are still rideable with regular tires, but good luck finding that outside Oulu.
My first winter biking.
$20 CAD per month with Bixi Montreal. I live and work in the pilot project zone. 1500 bikes in 150 stations.
Bixi equipped their bikes with studded tires and non-slip pedals. Snow will be removed from the stations.
I never really looked into putting my bike into winter mode or buying another one just for winter.
Bixi's pilot project is the best way for me to test winter biking. It's been going well. We haven't had much snow this year untill this week.
I‘ve only used BIXI once this winter so far, mostly since I just bought a winter bike with internal gearing and a belt drive. I find the station coverage to be not super great, and they got rid of my two closest stations (sad, but I understand since it’s a pilot project).
My biggest worry is that since my phone dies quickly in the cold, I could be stuck at a station without the means to unlock a bike, or I would have trouble finding the BIXI station closest to my destination. I know there is a way to acquire a physical key, which would help solve the first problem, do you know anything about that?
Regardless, it puts a smile on my face seeing the number of people using it on the St-Denis REV every day :)
If your city has this great of an opinion for the winter, I agree with you - this is certainly the best option, and possibly the cheapest!
Hope they expand to the West island!
Unfortunately in the UK the bikes are stolen and set on fire
I really think belt drives are going to be the most common drivetrain on all the bikes that aren't performance-oriented road bikes or mountain bikes, at least in cold climates. Being able to basically not have to worry about maintenance is so great. People who are performance-oriented cyclists will still prefer chains, but for most people just using a bike to get around, the reliability is so valuable. Also great to not have to worry about getting chain grease on your clothes.
I'm surprised I don't see more commuter bike models with belt drives and internal gears, since the lower maintenance could be a big selling point.
~$1200 USD for the model shown in the video makes it a bit pricey for someone new to cycle commuting who probably isn't going to want to spend over $1k for something they're not committed to yet. But for someone who's a regular commuter but not into doing their own maintenance, being able to avoid taking it into the bike shop as often will probably offset the initial cost.
Yeah here in Belgium this is starting to happen, on my commute to work I see a decent amount of belt drive bikes lately, including mine now.
And yeah I also ALWAYS got chain crap on basically all of my pants, I'm not mindful enough to never accidentally put my pants againt my bike when I stop and it was seriously irritating me.
agreed and I wish they would come up with a way to "break" the belt to use it with any bike frame without risky modification.
@@geoff5623unfortunately they're all either in that price range or they require a specially modified bike frame... for example in order to use a Gates carbon belt drive, you need a pass-through gap in the frame because the belt can't break apart like a chain can, so you can't just use it on any off the shelf frame from Walmart (not that I would actually recommend that to anybody)
@@better.betterVeer has a split belt that does that! Sad to see them kinda moving slow. And they haven't gotten the belt tensioner universal for all the bikes, so still requires horizontal dropouts.
Another reason an e-bike is nice in winter is that all the clothes you have to wear can make it easy to sweat a lot. Not having to pedal as hard is a great way to avoid or reduce that.
In winter you can sweat less than in summer if you dress up so that you feel a little cold when you start your ride. But an e-bike will reduce sweat all year around.
Below -30C in Edmonton right now, and it's when all of us are reminded of the freezing point of mineral oil, because it is the hydraulic fluid for many disk brake systems.
Yep! Rim brakes don't have that problem, but almost nothing works properly at that temperature.
I never noticed because my cut-off temperature is -27C.
Used to try to bike at any temperature: but my chain broke at -37C one day climbing out of the 82Street under-pass just north of Yellowhead. Because it was 82St and not 97St: just walking the rest of the way to NAIT was faster than catching a bus. (I was actually very warm on my impromptu 40 minute walk; just late for class.)
Sure the chain was worn, and I was using the wrong lube (tried vegetable oil until I learned it froze at -20C). If my bike is going to not be working for a week anyway: might as well take the bus when it is that cold!
Don't have winter where i live but i'll still watch
That makes you my favourite kind of viewer
After two winters car-free, I ponied up this year for a fully-winter-worthy that would address all the comfort and maintenance issues I'd suffered through with my old commuter. A belt drive and internal hub gears were top of the list and I couldn't be happier.
On the subject of cleaning a bike with a traditional drivetrain, if you can possibly rinse/wipe it off outside *and then bring it inside* where it will warm up and actually dry off, this will make a massive difference to the longevity of the moving parts. This isn't possible for me where I now live, but in the past I've been able to roll a cheap mountain bike into a basement or hallway, and this really minimized the corrosion.
It may depend on the temperatures were you live. I think if you keep the bike at -20C while storing it: you don't have to worry about corrosion so much. It is the transition seasons that are bad for corrosion.
These are all great points about preserving your bike by keeping it clean and dry. Thanks for sharing.
Often overlooked about fenders is the front one could use an extension so it drops close to the ground, this will keep your crank set & rest of the bike clean in wet & snow, more so than even a stock full fender. Usually just take a piece of scrap plastic, and a zip tie, remove the stock plastic/rubber fender tip or drill some new holes on the fender to install the extension piece.
Brompton make great front and rear fender flaps that are readily available and reasonably priced and fit well on most fenders.
I knit and I had the goal of knitting all my winter accessories because I was tired of being cold. So far Ive knitted legwarmers, fingerless mitts, wool shawls, and an amazing hat that covers my ears under the helmet. Theres lots of bike specific knitting patterns. Def a way to save money.
This is amazing. I see a real need for ear-coverings underneath helmets, and this sounds like a great solution.
I've found that lining the front helmet straps with synthetic fur keeps the wind away from your ears, which not only reduces the wind noise dramatically but also keeps them warm. There's a product called Cat Ears that does this, but I went DIY and it worked great.
My wife has done this for me with gloves and a headband for the ears but it's not as effective since it's crocheted from acrylic instead of wool/cotton. Wool/cotton yarn is so expensive I dunno if it's even less expensive than just buying it you include the time/labor cost (unless you just enjoy it regardless).
@@blores95 lol I deeply enjoy it. Knitting off and on for 15 years. I also have a big yarn collection so this has been helping me use my stash.
My friend's wife knit him a Peter Heater. I laughed when I found out what it was for .
That low budget bike is a beauty. Solid reliable parts that will last a lifetime make those old mountain bikes absolute gems.
I bought a mountainbike and equipped it with studded tyres, and it's worked great here in northern Sweden. I used to change the tyres of my regular bike, but I felt like it wasn't worth the effort since I still had problems like snow getting stuck between the mudguard and the rear wheel. The wide tyres of my mountainbike are amazing at pushing away snow when it's been snowing a lot and I feel a lot safer on this one. Now I can simply switch to my regular bike when spring comes with no effort 😁
I use a terrain bike and it's great in the snow, it's not as good as one with metal studs, but it's good enough as long as it's not ice. But it's a good compromise if you want a bike that can handle snow and off road without needing to change tires.
personally I find that the studs don't come into play often enough to justify using them. in the deep snow during storms they don't even touch the pavement, and often even the treads themselves don't reach the pavement. I know some places pack down the snow instead of plowing and salting so I don't have that experience to compare it to. we just had two big storms back to back this weekend, the first one went up the East Coast US, and there were kind of two parts to it here in upstate New York. part A was the overnight portion we got about 5 inches which was actually very light manageable snow that was easy to ride through, but part B was the loop around off of the ocean where it picked up a lot of moisture. this added another 5 inches of wet heavy snow that I was still able to ride through, but once it set overnight, it became so dense and slippery it was impossible and I was forced to snowshoe my way home. my tires are 45Nrth Wrathlorde 26 × 4.9 the second storm started off as a couple of inches of wet heavy snow which transitioned to heavy rain saturating the previous snow, I tried riding it kept going down on the uneven trail, finally gave up and snowshoed the last 2 mi when my wheels went out from under me and the nose of the saddle somehow stabbed me in my upper thigh. at the end of it all the snow is practically gone, I've got a huge bruise on my leg, was barely able to walk on the first day, sore on the second and had difficulty squatting at work, and now today I'm just a little bit sore at the bruise. my point is that the studs didn't come into play once during the entire storm except to add resistance while riding on the clear roads in the rain. I've had these studded tires on since the end of November... this was the first storm we've had, so in terms of economy, this is almost 2 months into the season and all they've done is slow me down, and cause me to be much more tired at the end of the day. I'll also say this is not my first time using studded tires I actually came to this conclusion years ago, but I had a different much lighter bike then, so this year I thought I'd give them another go and see if the heavier bike and fatter tires made a difference, and I would say that this first instance confirms my previous conclusion: most of my winter riding is going to be on clear dry pavement, and the studs will only be beneficial a small portion of the times when it's not, the rest of the time they're just going to be a hindrance.
@@better.better the studs are for not slipping on a random black ice patch and cracking your head, I don't need them to come into play like *ever* ideally, but they have a few times in the past and I'll gladly tug them along for when they might again in the future.
Edit: Also, try only using one on the front wheel, the rear wheel isn't that key to the mechanism of injury they aim to prevent and it reduces the drag downside.
@@julians.2597 Studs front and rear are a must for commuting went there is risk of ice on the road. A must.
In addition to keeping your pants clean, full fenders make a world of difference in keeping your bike clean from all the road muck, and by extension better-protected from rusting, and less intensive to clean all around
Full fenders, belt drive and hub gears yay!
I just finished building my year-round do-it-all bike, I got a durable powdercoated steel frame, gates CDX belt drive, Alfine 11 speed hub and drop bars to cut through nasty headwinds!
I really notice a huge difference in how hard I have to work to get to work or get home on drop bars vs. regular bars.
Also Panaracer pasela tyres are comfortable and light and have surprisingly great grip in snow!
Can you tell me a bit more about your comment on drop bars vs regular bars? What do you mean you have to work harder?
@@Shifter_Cycling yeah I've noticed that with the same perceived effort, I get home / to work a bit quicker on gravel style drop bars than mtb style flat bars because of the narrower and more forward body position, especially in a headwind which is when I really don't wanna have to put in more effort.
I personally find drop bars more comfy on longer distances too!
Commuting on a gravel or road bike is actually pretty common here in Belgium!
Unfortunately drop bar belt drive bikes are really rare..
I love my Alfine 8 speed IDH, committing and utility riding, and in its third Wyoming winter season on an 80s steel MTB. Downside today is 9 F (-13 C) and after some cold soaking, it became a single speed. Full disclosure, I think going two years between cleaning and repacking grease may have made the cold stress worse. I also have a 2004 Gary Fisher hardtail with Ice Spiker tires 3x7 26” for winter recreational riding.
Priority Apollo 11? That is my daily commuter, too! I love the low maintenance. Just bought a new front sprocket to be better at climbing
@@jasonhernandez743 nope custom Surly Straggler :P the appolo looked really good but hard to get in Europe..
And yes I agree about the front sprocket, I set my bike up with a very low 42/26 ratio because the alfine 11 has very high gearing.
Hope that belt drives and gearboxes become more affordable as their market share expands. It's the difference between cleaning your entire drivetrain after every ride and still replacing it at the end of the season vs just occasionally scrubbing the belt with a toothbrush.
Chains are so cheap though.
I love that you ended this video with e-bikes! That was the real game changer for me. An e-bike turned my 1.5 hour commute into 45 minutes in winter no matter what the wind was like. I got a TuffHill ebike from Calgary, actually and the belt drive is amazing. The fit is perfect for me. My bike replaced my car, so cost seemed irrelevant.
I have an e-bike too, and I don't think I'll ever own car! Maybe rent one for the occasion road trip, but that's all.
LIFE CHANGING! @@InventorZahran
Because of you, Tom, I saved up this year and just purchased a priority 600! It’s been fantastic in the winter, paired with some studded tires. You’re right - the belt drive paired with a pinion gearbox (in my case) is an absolute game-changer.
Justified the purchase because I’m planning to use it as a light touring bike as soon as the summer comes!
Thanks for the video Tom. I'm in Victoria and we've just received snow and the high for tomorrow is -7C; a dozen snowflakes is enough to shut this city down. Normally we deal with light rain and 4C+ environs through winter; snow and ice are novelties here--motorists are dumbfounded by both.
Winter cycling in Canada requires a change in mindset from all road users more than anything else.
I commute by e-bike and actually enjoy the winter commute more than the summer. But I ride with hyper-awareness, knowing the motorists around me likely have zero experience driving in winter conditions. I make certain I am visible from every angle; I communicate to other road users every intent/manoeuvre.
If you're geared/centred for it, go for it!
Hi, I'm commenting from Finland with lots of snow and slush. I find that best winter tires are mudtires for mountain bikes with soft compound. I used to have schwalbe ice spiker pro tires on my bike, but mudtires (like magic mary) work way better in snow and slush. With ebike I can go in 15-20cm of snow with 2.4" wide tires but luckily there rarely is that much. The studded tires are best if there is really no snow and the ice is flat, because mudtires don't grip on flat ice. Usually the ice gets rough though and then mudtires grip well. My derailleur typically works well in the winter but occasionally the cassette freezes and then the chain starts skipping. Biggest problems in the winter for me are freezing toes, I guess I'll have to buy heated soles to solve that. I have lake 304 shoes but they only work to around -2C.
I'd pick regular winter boots and flat pedals over frozen toes any (cold) day.
I've long ridden an old fixed gear track bike with low pressure in old 23-25 mm tyres. It's cheap, simple and the fixie keeps you pedalling through a slip. It's also great for challenging your bike handling! Of course it's not great in all conditions but I've ridden one in Calgary for 20+ years with few spills.
This is a great winter setup, but only if you've gotten accustomed to riding a fixed-gear in the summer. I pity the fool who tries a fixed-gear for the first time in winter!
I can ride a fixie through two full ottawa winters without doing a lick of maintenance. I’ve been riding winters for more than 30 yrs. Every other winter bike does not stand up.
My city plows my bike paths, occasionally have to bike through the snow though. Super biased towards skinnier studded tires. Handle ice well, I've gone through powder deep enough that my feet dip into it when pedaling, and on the 80% clear days, fast and efficient (I commute to work daily)
I really love riding around on my TuffHill eBike! It also has a carbon belt drive and Enviolo hub, and it's rolling well in Calgary's crazy -30 temperatures with Schwalbe Ice Spiker tires.
I certainly think that having hub gears is really helpful. Dynamo lights are brilliant. Thanks for your film.
Hub gears are underappreciated, in my opinion, because we're so focused here on sports and racing, and hubs are a bit heavier and slower. But they offer so much more in balance.
@@Shifter_Cycling I have Brompton bikes. An electric, a normal one with 6 gears and few years ago I saw an 11 speed Alfine Brompton for sale at a good price, so I have that too! All have hub gears and the fold makes them really flexible. As a doctor I use them to commute to my family practice and I do home visits to vulnerable patients on them. For some of my elderly, frail and lonely patients, having their Dr turn up by bike and fold the bike in their front room, is the highlight of their week! It’s also better for me as I get exercise as well as good for sustainability etc. thanks for your films. Always interesting. Best wishes.
I went with options 2 & 3: 90’s era mountain bike with stud tires (kept gears for simplicity of setup) & the Priority Onyx Continuum for good surface conditions. Definitely a great combo for all year riding!
You’re right about the biggest difference: Well-maintained quality infrastructure. I’ve got studded tires, but with a long commute, I’m always worried that there might be that one patch that’ll ruin the ride. This has led to me taking the bus more. But I’m going to give winter cycling a greater effort for this second half of the season!
Cold air is more dence and it increases wind resistance. In increases fuel consumption of cars by approximately 1.3%. Additionally, wind speed is higher in winter, which increases total aerodynamic drag
Thank you for the science. Your body also burns more calories in cold weather to stay warm, which impacts the energy you have for pedalling, and I find I have to work harder when I'm bundled up. All of this can impact winter commuting.
I think just the rolling resistance from unimproved roads is a big factor too.
@@jamesphillips2285 yeah, and winter clothes make you bigger. And if i wear jeans on top of other pants, it makes my movements harder
I used to deliver my paper route through the snow on a hardtail mountain bike, and it was only the mornings with a lot of fresh snow where I couldn't push through it and it was easier walking. Once it was packed down by car tires I was good to ride again. (I mostly only had to pedal to the top of the neighbourhood at the start, with the heavy bag of papers, then it was coasting down hill between each house).
The only crashes I had were due to icy puddles on someone's front path that were hidden under new snow, or turning too sharply from someone's steep driveway onto the thickly frosted street.
I love my Priority Continuum Onyx and put my Brooks saddle on it. Frostbike was a great read too!
Thank you!
The book is terrific. I loved every page.
@@Frostbiker I’m in SW Colorado and the driving here in the Rockies is unfortunately not only required but huge pickups are pretty much the norm. It’s common to see them with mountain bikes hanging off the tailgate to go to trails that are safe. It’s an interesting dynamic.
@@MrBlueSky2112 I have mixed feelings about MTB culture due to their juxtaposition of cycling and car-dependency. I get it, but it's not for me.
@@Frostbiker Agreed.
I’m a huge fan of the Shimano 8 speed Nexus which I have on the bicycle I use for getting around town. Here in Brighton in the UK it is below 0°C at present which is not cold by Canadian standards of course but it is cold enough for me. The winter here is still challenging for a bicycle but I find the Shimano 8 speed hub to be totally reliable.
I will mention one other thing, it is essential to store your bicycle indoors. I think leaving it out in the rain does enormous damage over time.
Great video Tom. We don't really get winters of that severity. However you are making me feel good about my choice to fix up my Early 2000's town bike rather than buy a new one
Get one of those hand pump plant misters and put warm water in it, set it to jet not mist and spray dirt off.
Very cheap.
Yep, it makes a difference!
My daily rider is BMC 257 One with the carbon belt and it's amazing in all weather conditions. We have had everything from 30C to -25C and when it comes to this winter, some days it's snowing a lot, other days raining or extremely cold. It can be snow, slush, water, ice, salt on streets and I have been riding every day. I just wash the bike once a week and it's all. Chain would be a nightmare in winter time but even more in autumn when it's raining basically everyday.
Fenders are also very important. They need to be installed at the factory to be good in the conditions that one faces when riding on cobblestones, slush, ice or snow. I have integrated lights in my bike and it's enough to charge them once a week. I charge them in the garage with the usb cables that came with the bike. It's not a big deal. Last but not least, I want to mention that a winter urban bike needs to be stable, to feel like a SUV. Then you can manage it in all those extremely difficult conditions where the bike goes to every direction when the snow is not plowed and there is ice underneath. I do the alpine skiing national team balance exercises but still feel overwhelmed sometimes. This BMC 257 is the best winter bike I've ever had.
Winter is so different everywhere that I appreciate this comment because it offers some insight into such diverse conditions. Thanks for sharing.
I’m in Kansas where the temperature is currently -5F and my Priority Continuum Onyx is still getting me around! The gears definitely stiffen and freeze, but a great bike for winter commutes.
Great video!
I bought a winter bike and just keep riding it through the summer. I also have a summer bike. I also have bikes for other special uses, but my winter bike is my no. 1.
Here in LA the coldest it gets is the low 40s F before the sun comes up when I commute to work so I don't need a bunch of fancy get-up, but finally getting around to getting gloves and a rain jacket has made a world of difference. I salute all you bike commuters who have to deal with real winter.
British winter isn't super cold, but it is very, very wet. Mudguards (fenders) aren't optional, and having a Dutchie like I do with an enclosed chain, hub gears, and roller brakes means it's basically impervious to the wet. I store it under cover and away from the elements at work and home, and it's not let me down yet. Just dont forget gloves, or suffer "The Claw" when you get to work!
Thanks so much for sharing this advice!
Perhaps it depends where you live. I'm commuting in a urban area in England and I have full mudguards/fenders, and love them. I don't really ride on "mud" though.
Yes! I also live in Calgary. My winter bike is a single speed with fenders, studded tires, disk brakes (no grinding of the rims) and poggies.
Awesome set up.
considering weather for Calgary at time you posted this video, i admire you courage to film this with a totally naked neck 🙂
For me, i have el-cheapo local bike and fancy riad bike the cheap bike used for shopping etc in both summer and winter..
as i ride on streets, my biggest problem is car tire tracks which turn road into slippery mess with constantly variable snow compression and thickness. unless i had tires as fat as car ones, not sure getting bigger tires or studs would help
That mashed up snow and dirt is the worst stuff to deal with. My only solution is to avoid it as best you can.
Oh my god, yes! I hate it so much! So often it's easier to just ride through the rough when you can find a way through.
The priority continuum onyx was one our inspirations behind the ebike we designed for Calgary commuting.
Belt, fenders, IGH, Aluminum frame and built in lights.
Last two winters have been so fun with studded tires. More reliable than our car for sure.
Another great video Tom!
Maybe I was spoiled by the Edmonton Bicycle Commuters' Society (now Bike Edmonton). But I would suggest a winter beater bike over just extending your summer bike into the winter. This is especially the case if your summer bike is "nice" or has features (that used to be more popular) like narrow high-pressure tires.
During my peak winter cycling I actually had about 3 bikes: 1 summer, 1 winter, and 1 year-round. The year-round bike is a back-up in case one of the other 2 break. The other 2 back up the year-round bike when it breaks.
Bike theft and being hit by a van one night broke this up for me. Now the family car backs up my year-round bike: and I drive that more than I would like.
Always happy to see tour videos continue to be accessible, simple, and have great tips. What i like is that you affirm the mindset that just getting out there is great, but also once you are out there, hwre ate some tios that can make it more enjoyable
Just got my studded tire on! I watched another winter cycling video of yours about a month ago where I first learned about them. I feel confident to take on the oncoming Pennsylvania winter storm. Thank you!
Your channel is part of the reason I decided to start biking during the winter and I'm having so much fun! It's a mild winter in Quebec city so far and a few glitch happened but it has been a lot easier than I expected. Cheers!
Great update video Tom! Loved reading Frostbike and am LOVING winter biking. Having recently bought a belt belt drive step through frame city bike, I don't think I'll ever go back. What a game changer with so little maintenance! Love that you outlined so many options!
Regarding the brakes for the low budget version - I can one-up (down?) you on that - my winter bike has a coaster brake. Single speed as well, meaning I can wear garbage mitts instead of gloves (makes a big difference, especially in Winnipeg) and not worry about fumbling with brake or gear levers. Full fenders too, and cost almost nothing (the 26x1.75 rim and studded tire that I put on the front in place of the 26x1 3/8 one it came with cost more than the bike itself). Has battery rather than dynamo lights unfortunately.
Taking the bus right now, though, at least until they plow the 15cm of snow we got in the last couple of days.
I love coaster brakes, and I don't know how I've never ridden a winter bike with them.
Plus one for the pressure sprayer! I use an inexpensive single speed ebike year round. I spray it down almost daily and then once a week clean and lubricate the drive train inside. Couple winters down and very minimal rust has developed.
Regarding e-bikes in cold weather, check with your user manual or manufacturer about their temperature limits for riding your ebike as well as charging its battery. You will notice range dropping quickly as the battery cools. Slapping an insulating sleeve or jacket over it will slow that process.
Mine states a minimum operating temperature of -10C (14F) and charging between 10 and 25C (50 to 77F). Works for me as I don’t like to ride when it’s below -10C anyway, and mid-Jan through mid-Feb is the only time temps are likely to get that low in my area.
I'll add, I have a battery with temperature sensors and found with all the mass and presumably a little bit of heat from discharging, the temperature of the battery was fine. When I get to work I bring my battery inside to keep it warm.
I just ride my normal flat bar normal bike in winter and its fine, but I live in the the south of UK so it only snows like once every 3 years and the coldest it gets is like -3
Still a great vidio, thanks
The technique I use for cleaning my bike, is when I get home, I use a snow brush to sweep out any accumulated snow on the frame and wheels. Then I'll follow it up with one of those canned air dusters to blast out any tight crevices in the drivetrain. The goal is to remove as much snow as possible outside, so that there isn't much that can melt when I bring the bike inside. I then bring the bike in the house, and set it on a carpet runner so that I have something to catch any snow melt. With my ebike, I remove the battery and inspect the power connector to make sure there's no moisture on the terminals. If the battery is still quite cold, let it warm up a bit before you recharge it. After that, the bike gets a wipe down. With ebikes, you want to ensure the cables are always clean. Although the connectors are designed to be water-resistant, I have seen terminals get damaged. On hub motor bikes, the main power cable to the motor is especially vulnerable to heat damage if corrosion develops on the terminals. I make sure the terminal pins are coated in dielectric grease. I follow this up by wrapping the connector with electrical tape to make sure nothing can get inside.
Great advice: think comfort, reliability. Fenders, clean it, maintain/oil it, keep it simple. Don’t get caught into any hyoe
Nice to see you riding a Priority bike. I bought a Priority L Train and really like it. The belt drive and internal gearing is great. I sold my road bike as it no longer served my needs. Thanks for the bike videos. Enjoy the ride.
Great tips. Thanks!
This is such a great show of support for the channel. Thank you so much!
Excellent content. I went through all of the iterations of winter bicycles you mentioned starting in 2002. By 2014 I had my dream winter commuter. A custom stainless steel frame (with classic lugged construction), Gates Belt dive, Rohloff IGH, Son generator hub, fenders, disc brakes, and 26” wheels with room for fenders and 26 x 2.0 studded tires. Virtually maintenance free even in the sloppiest and nastiest winter conditions. It may seem expensive but cost less than commuting by car.
I fully support the idea of the 1990s rigid steel mountainbike as a winter bike. (Or as an all-year, low-risk, daily/commuter bike). These frames are heavy, but tough, and they often come with mounting points for fenders and racks.
26" MTB will usually have enough clearance that you can mount 2" or even 2.1" tyres, fenders and still have room for mud or snow build-up.
They are also cheap and unappealing, which minimizes the risk of the bike being stolen and even if it happens, it won't bankrupt you.
Tip: remove the seatpost and open the mounting screws for bottle cages etc and spray some oil (WD-40, Caramba or similar) into the frame tubes - bike frames, just like cars, rust out beginning from the inside. And exterior rust will likeley be cosmetiv only, it is interior rust that can weaken the frame enough to become an issue eventually.
I do not, however, concur with the single-speed-advice. Gear issues can be mostly avoided by soaking the entire drivetrain (including shifters, front and rear derailleur) in low viscosity oil-based lubricants. This repels moisture, and were there is no moisture, nothing can freeze up. Way-based lubes will wash off to fast to be practical, and while "wet" or "extreme" lubes will stick to the chain longer than thin oils, they often become so "thick" at freezing temperatures that pedaling takes noticeably more effort, and if used to water/ice proof the shifting components, they may become so stiff that they impair function.. Also, these "extreme wet" lubes attract dirt and grime and will turn into a grinding paste. A thin oil that is re-applied frequently will flush out most of the contamination.
Fenders are a must. Wheel spray makes for most of the moisture that will affect the cyclist. Just by using fenders you can easily quadruple the distance until soaked through for any given degree of rain.
If your winters include snow and/or ice, get a pair of studded tyres. They are heavy, noisy and slow AF - the rolling resistance is ridiculous. But if they save you from a broken rib, they are well woth all the hassle. You can ride a bike on glare oce with studded tyres, and I have even experienced situations where it was esier to stay upright on the bike than when walking! (unless you have a set of Grödel for your shoes...)
Lights are a no-brainer - even in summer, it will get dark eventually, so lights are nothing winter-specific. But it might be worthwile to think about clothing that has reflective properties. Car drivers expect bikes even less during winter, so anything to arouse attention helps. A bike light might not stand out against a sea of headlights, but a reflective vest and spoke reflectors will!
I have two fixed gear bikes, one fixed gear gravel I use year round, the other an old mountain bike from the 80's that I've converted. There both geared low in winter so I seldom use the breaks.
I just love the simplicity and control on snow of fixed gear.
Great timing on the video! With this arctic blast hitting much of North America, this is much needed.
Keep in mind the conditions you hope to go out in and do not be bothered to have a cut-off point. Below minus 30, much of the bike just doesnt function: bearing grease becomes cement, hydraulics (mineral oil) does not flow and yes the gunk from the roads/ paths does wreck havoc on your drivetrain. Now if your municipality uses salt or calcium chloride, prepare for hefty maintenance and replacement costs as that quickly destroys everything.
We need more Dutch Bikes/ Japanese Bikes/ Step Through Bikes
This.
I haven't got a bike (haven't ridden for many years) but thinking of getting back on the saddle (here in the UK), so I'm finding your videos extremely helpful. Very straightforward, no gimmicks just plain common sense. So thank you very much for them and keep them coming.
80s steel bikes are crazy cheap in the UK at the moment. Do it.
@@Shaz8389 Yup...cost £40 great little 21 gear all seems neat and tidy, twist handle gear change takes a bit of getting used to.
I am a city commuter in Omaha Nebraska. (Ranked 49th for bike friendliness ) As badly as I want to ride after a snow, I just can't....yet... Part of it is fear of injury. I just cant afford a fall and at the age of 61. The other is very steep hills and a city that has mysteriously decided not to treat the plowed roadways this year. If I ever gain the courage a nice winter bike is a must. Great video! The quality of Shifter is alway top drawer and something I hope to build toward on my humble bike channel. I have a long way to go and it might be a good while before I can ride a street one hand on the bike and the other holding a camera on a stick all while speaking in complete, coherent sentences.😮😂 Amazing.
Awesome & Thanks :)
My winter bike uses friction shifters. No precise indexing mechanism to screw up! Perfect for my mid 2000s 26” MTB
I have a summer commuter I use in winter. I have a second set of matching wheels with studded tires and I swap them back and forth as needed. That way I can also take the unused wheels inside for regular cleaning.
Chain wax doesn’t work on Canadian roads. Salt and muck takes that right off. Waste of time and money.
I take a pail of warm water out and rinse and lube every week in mucky conditions.
However, the wear and tear is still inevitable, so … every fall I buy a new chain, cassette, pulleys, and chainring basically a new drivetrain .. in the fall when it’s on sale , not in spring at full price… for complete drivetrain replacement every spring.
The commuter is aluminum so I don’t have to deal with frame rust. Although some bolts still get rusty and
While it’s not an expensive bike, I do spend money on parts, tires, etc but it’s still cheaper than maintaining two commuter bikes.
Single speed forget it. Sometimes when it’s super cold I only get two or three gears that work it’s still better than a single. Plus if you can’t shift at all , just leave it in one comfortable gear and guess what ? It’s a single speed !
I also have a nice road bike that only sees dry summer conditions and sits on the winter trainer. Otherwise the commuter takes the brunt of everything.
Great video! The only thing I'd have added is to wait to charge your ebike battery until it's gotten above freezing. Plugging in and charging freezing cold batteries is no bueno.
I've only rode my e-bike on a few winter days so far this year, and once the snow really starts to come I'm putting it away because my neighborhood is super icy in winter; but I've been having good luck coating the important parts of my bike with Balistol. Not even the special bike formula stuff imported from Germany either, just the same green spray can I use for my firearms.
It coats and protects very well while not gumming things up like WD-40. For example I had to swap out my pedals the other day because the bearings in one failed after several years so these new cheap pedals I had were the only moving parts not coated with Balistol when I rode in the snow and slush. A day or two later I see a bunch of rust on those brand new pedals, everything else is fine. Any day when my bike might get wet from rain/snow I just give a quick spray on the important bits before I go out.
Other thing, if you don’t already have sealed bearings, get sealed bearings.
Also, certain bikes can be set up to not even need a chain tensioner when set for single speed, it just requires having a rear drop out that has a little bit of adjustment for the length of the chain-stay
It’s just one extra thing that can be simplified
Recumbent trikes are awesome for winter riding!
2:03 or bring your bike inside periodically to clean it. Depending where you live, daily may not be realistic, but almost everybody should be able to fit an upright bike [no promises about recumbents!] into their bathtub or shower. So you could bring it in periodically (weekly/monthly-depending on how gunky it gets and how much of a pain getting it to your bathroom and giving up your shower/tub for an evening or overnight is), clean it off real good, make sure it’s dry, and only then take it back outside.
Looking forward to you getting a chance to test the new super capacitor bikes comming to market. Cold wont affect range and theyre even less maintenance. They could be game changing!
Winter biking in a city with bad bike infrastructure requires that you learn to turn without leaning. You have to go slow and be careful. I learned from experience that if their is a patch of hidden ice under your tires the center of gravity will kill you! The bike goes one way, you go the other.
26" mtbs, even top of the line ones, from the 90s all have rack and fender mounts. That's kind of hilarious by modern standards, but theyre cheap and highly mod-able into winter bikes. I've welded disc brakes to mine hehe
One other option I have on my current winter bike is to go with a friction shifted 7, 8 or 9 speed. Components are more robust than the current generation stuff and pretty cheap to replace when the winter riding eventually does them in.
English winters tend to just be wet and muddy for the most part, with a little bit of snow and ice for maybe a week, so I alternate between road bike with fenders and hardtail mtb depending on my mood, rinse down brakes and drive train daily, full clean on the weekend, relax chain as needed still good as gold
'Cool' video, I've read the Frostbike eBook, a great read.
Thank you! I hope you enjoyed it.
I don't think you emphasized the benefits of full fenders enough, but I liked it. We get rain, not snow, but it seems sensible.
So glad dont need to worry about a winter bike.
No snow where i am. Makes it so much simpler
Rather than envy you, I'm going to tell myself that your summers are unbearably hot. That way, I'll feel good about my winter.
Having grew up in California, I actually love Winter where I'm at. We got 11 inches of snow on Tuesday and suppose to get another 9-12 tonight/tomorrow morning after Mother Nature took her break. I have an old steel commuter with rim brakes that I currently use on my work commute. My co-workers think I'm crazy to ride in Winter but I remind them that they can get a seriously good workout from all the pedaling, getting on and off the bike (if the city doesn't clear the roads and sidewalks) and sometimes, the trails aren't plowed so you have to "invent" routes like I did today by pushing and carrying my bike and downhill through snow banks. Good point about fat tire bikes, Tom. I've heard they are more work than people think because they're bigger and heavier in this days where riders try to lighten up their bikes as much as possible. Good part about Winter riding is that I usually get the trail to myself - no joggers, walkers or cyclists 😁
I had an MEC Hold Steady with a Shimano Alfine 8 IGH. Didn't find that a great option for winter cycling as the hub wouldn't shift reliably. Initially it would work down below freezing to about -10 C, but as the bike got older shifting would stop working right around freezing. I believe I did try replacing the cabling and I did have the hub serviced regularly. Was a great commuter bike otherwise until the frame cracked. Just a counterpoint on internally gear hubs being great for winter. I also live in Calgary. Thanks for the informative and entertaining content!
Oh man, so many thoughts. Love your channel. Thanks so much for your contributions! 1) Lower end mountain bikes can make great affordable winter commuters for well under $1000. 2) Fat bikes are faster, NOT slower than other bikes as soon as there is any snow on the ground as they float instead of digging in. 3) Most all commuting routes start getting packed out over a day or two, or three, depending on the snow and traffic. I ride all winter with many feet of snow on beautifully packed down trails all over the area. Fat bikes rock in any amount of snow once it gets packed down a bit. And, fat bikes aren't really more expensive than your "mid-range" bike at $1200 even if you can spend more if you choose to. And finally, good luck finding an Involio belt drive bike for under $2000. I'd suggest your suggested mid-range bike is higher end than many fat bikes. But, whatever. Another generally great bit of content. Thanks again.
Great points here, particularly about how nice it is to ride a fat bike on packed snow. One of the reasons I don't ride a fat bike as a commuter is that, in my city, we very seldom have packed snow. Most often it's a mix if frozen asphalt and patches of ice and compressed snow, like you see in the video. If I had to deal with more snow, I'd probably choose a fat bike as well. I'll challenge your last point: The Priority I mention in the video has an Envolio belt drive and it retails for $1,200 US -- it's possible to get a fat bike at that price, but I don't think it would have comparable components.
On the e-bike aspect of the discussion, very typically for e-bikes, many of the standard models that I've looked at, and for the one that I own, they come as heavier bikes (mine is 55 lbs.) with larger street tires (mine has 2.4") to begin with. So for starting into whatever degree of snow you get based on where you live, you've got that width with better than average street treads going for you. I've not felt the need so far this year to swap fronts on either bike I've been using for the light snow and ice here. It's been so far light snow here with two snow days. I'd guess that many regular riders see that kind of weight for an e-bike as disadvantageous for moving around and riding, but for a guy it's not so bad since you can still lift it, and that weight in the snow tends to offer some extra stability. The size of the tires simply reflects that weight for the support.
Hi Tom, thanks for the video! I'm just wondering if my Dutch bike would be a good option to ride through winter. It seems to check all the boxes. Fully enclosed chainguard, internal gearing, internal drum brakes, and full fenders. I love my omafiets to bits, so I would be very worried about wrecking it since my city (Toronto) does not go light on salting and brining. I've heard that these Dutch bikes are practically indestructible though, so should I be concerned?
Yes, I've ridden my (beloved) Dutch bike in winter, and it was surprisingly stable in the slippery conditions. If it has a fully enclosed chainguard on it, I think you'll be fine. If not, make sure you keep it clean.
Sometimes the skinny tire works better in the slush (vs fatbike) because it pizza slices right through. Fats will slide around on top of the slush
Single speed is a big no. You must control traction by feeling it, and it is possible onle on a easy gear ratio. Not every city has a good road maitenance in winter( like roads free of snow and ice), so bike must have low stepover height like some MTB, also wider tyre is better and low pressure is a key.
I spent all my winter bike budget on living in California 😢
You must have had a huge winter bike budget 😉
@@Shifter_Cycling still not big enough! Never enough bikes!
A cheap 20" folder. Stores small (so you can just leave it set up for winter and stuck it under a desk the rest), you can put it in the tub to spray off, its most likely aluminum, and you can get 20" shwalbe studded marathons.
My budget pick? My regular bike and a can of boeshield t9, applied every week or two. My bike gets a salt bath daily, winter and summer, hanging off the end of a foot ferry.
I rinse it when i can and scrub off the salt once a week if possible, but liberal use of boeing's magic lube/protector on everything from my spokes to my chain has kept every single spec of rust off my ride1up v5 for almost two years.
Also cheap aliexpress solid titanium nuts and bolts in corrosion prone areas.
May be one day you should do an assessment of the Rungu Dualie e-fatbike. They present it as the hunter’s ebike but it seems perfect for winter.
My Priority just goes and goes smooth as anything no mater the weather.
In my experience lubs can thicken below -20. That can be a problem if your have a derailleur and your freewheel stops freeing.
The two millimeter snow drifts that are maybe possible three times a year don't even have me worried here in Texas. Black ice and staying cool so I don't sweat are the only worries.
While studs helps with black ice: they lower your grip on dry pavement (I think it is about equivalent slip to riding on wet pavement, though wet pavement makes the problem worse).
So if this black ice is melting by noon: I would just suggest a tire with more sipes. One tire I found that worked really well was a BMX tire with a lot of facets. I think the facets were designed to get a lot of grip for stunts: but they worked great on ice.
One thing that gives me pause is that when I run a non-winter tire: I rely on the snow that sticks to the tire sticking to the ice. This may not help if you have black ice but no snow.
babe new shifter video dropped
Love using an electric fat bike as a commuter. Living in a city to cheap to build connected bike lanes let alone maintain them or even sidewalks for that matter its almost a necissity for anyone disabled or who cant drive to get around. A 4 wheel scooter will have you stuck 100 times before getting to the store, so I went bigger. Works great to a point. I'd hate to go back to not having 1 the way our winter maintenance is. Its so bad I want to learn french and move to the province next door, head to Montreal.
I think single speed is only possible for more athletic people in a relatively flat city. I'd have died despite being an avid cyclist if I tried to ride single speed in my city last winter.
My solution to this, and I have a couple of big hills on my commute, is to either just slow right down or walk up the hills. Personally, I'd rather walk than have to deal with a derailleur in winter!
Yeah I was a little surprised to hear Tom recommend that considering that Calgary is a pretty hilly city; I couldn't do single speed for my commute.
Even on flat commutes, I've found that being able to drop the gears really low is more stable on slippery days and helps a lot to trudge through thick snow. The derailer is always going to be a pain which is why I use a 3 speed the rest of the year.
$1200 for a commuter is "reasonable" lol, my year round commuter is like a $300 bike. No igh but I do have aluminum frame, full fenders, and dynamo lights
You bought a new commuter bike for $300?! Which country do you live in?
State Bicycle has some options for less than $600 USD that I would recommend for someone wanting a new bike on a budget, but for that you're getting 1 chain ring and downtube friction shifter for the rear derailer (or just a single speed).
I'd be fine taking a gamble on the quality or reliably of a cheap beater bike myself since I know I can probably fix it or replace components at home, but I would steer a newer cyclist or someone not confident in doing their own maintenance to spend a bit more upfront.
Otherwise the local community bike shop does a great job of refurbishing older bikes, and I would choose those over anything I could buy for < $400 new.
If someone has a bike that actually fits massive tires like that for the snow and ice, then that's kind of a no brainer using that bike. Personally I see a lot of value, generally speaking and year-round, with my Marin hybrid and bikes of that sort, having the space for some larger tires, just not as large as some mountain bike sizes. You can cope with most of the snow and ice keeping that one spare dirt tire handy for the front.
I am not sure having a bike channel necessitates actually _enjoying_ bike maintenance! 😜
Mud guards are way underrated for winter riding, and probably riding in general. Remember these keep your bike clean as well and reduce that eternally despised maintenance!
Also worth noting if it doesn't snow where you live almost any bike is okay, and your first two options are more than enough.
6:15 i mean sure but there are some good very rust resistant chains also. kmc ept chains for an example are great especially when waxed.
True, but you still have to wax it 😜
@@Shifter_Cycling not if you buy pre waxed. 😛
My rear derailleur and or rear derailleur cable freezes up a lot .My guess moisture gets inside because of the dampness of the maritime weather .I put lubricant in the cable housing and it made the situation worse . I just leave the bike in the same gear fourth or fifth . The front derailleur never freezes up so that's the one I use in winter. I suspect the front doesn't freeze because the cable is shorter . My city is hilly so can't get by without gears .
All great points, but I have to agree with some people on the single gear. In certain places it would make sense. It might be harder on some inclines, but it would next to impossible in many areas. I have a prolonged 10% and short 15% grade on my 13km commute. With only one gear I would have either given up or simply died on the side of the road a long time ago.
I also have a continuum onyx. It is wonderful in every way, but it is definitely slow. With the same effort as my 20+ years Norco Olympia I go significantly slower, but the strides, comfort, and ZERO maintenance make it worth it.
Please don't die on the side of the road. Stick with gears.
I love my dedicated 90’s mountain bike winter commuter. It’s great until the snow banks aren’t cleared at crosswalks and paths aren’t properly maintained. I prefer my fatbike as long as it’s not too slushy out. The fatty has better grip and more adventure opportunities!
I think using 1X drivetrain is also a good alternative if you can't afford belt drive bikes or don't want single speed especially when there are hills involved.
during you're little bit about the fat biking you forgot to mention that skinny tires are not any better in those deeper snow conditions, (though maybe for different reasons) yes they can cut through the snow better, but they don't have the traction for forward motion. with my Surly Big Fat Dummy the issue is more about the uneven distribution of weight. especially when the rear rack is loaded the front end is much lighter meaning you have unevenly distributed traction so the front wants to slide out, especially on an uneven surface like a trail... and the first quarter of my commute is on a trail. I can take a road instead but it adds distance in the wrong direction, so I only go that way when the time versus distance differential balances out or swings the other way. when I have the free time I pack the trail with my snowshoes first to make it easier to break it in with my tires which want to "train track" in the previous tracks.