bike newbie needs advise

[cv]

Okay, finally gotten around to taking down my (otherwise unused) trek bike, hosing it down and pumping air in the tires this weekend.  Can anyone comment on how hybrid bikes (wheels) handle ice/snow in the winter?

[BrooklineBiker]

Hi,
Congratulations on preparing early for the winter (I am assuming you live in the Northern hemisphere). Your bike should do fine. You will just want to make sure that in the winter you clean and lube the chain, chainring, cogs and pulleys regularly and use wide tires (at least 1.25" width) with some good treads.
Depending on your climate, you may want to buy a balaclava, heavy bike gloves, and reflective gear and lights - the sun sets early and rises early in winter.
Best,
Neil

[Hamster]

I ride in the Pacific NW, so I know wet much better than I know snow/ice, but based on what I've seen on bike commuting discussions...

Snow:  you want bigger (wider) tires and wide spacing between the "knobs" in the tread. Inflate to lower pressure and look for lots of spacing between the knobs on the tread so snow doesn't collect.  (this is exactly the opposite of the kind of tire that rides well on regular paved roads)
Ice: Any rubber tires will slip on ice. You may want metal-studded tires for icy conditions. They aren't cheap. Icebike.org has instructions for homemade studded tires as well as reviews of many brands.

If you can afford to buy/store a spare pair of cheap wheels, you could mount studs on one set of wheels for when it's icy, and regular knobbies on the other set. Just swap them out based on conditions. In spring through fall, remove the studded tires from that wheelset and put a road slicks on those wheels for when you're mostly on paved areas. If your commute is very short, just leave the knobbies on year-round for a better workout.

[GuitarStv]

I bike year round in Toronto, Ontario.  Hybrids work great in the winter!  My preference is to put skinnier tires with minimal tread on your bike and keep them very well inflated.  This lets your tire punch through the snow and get traction on the road beneath.  I biked home from work 11 miles through a half foot or so of fresh snow that hadn't been plowed from the roads a few times last year with this kind of setup . . .

Our roads are generally pretty clear of ice during the winter, so I've never needed studded tires.

Crucial for winter cycling:

- Lube!  Lube the breaks, derailleurs, and chain on a regular basis.  I also take about three water bottles of hot water to the bike after a wet ride to rinse all of the salt off.  I've been using 'White lightening - Wet Ride' and it's worked well, but any decent bike lube will be OK.
- Full coverage fenders!  Really cuts down the amount of crap that sprays up on you, and more importantly on your drivetrain.
- Lights!  You will be biking in the dark if you bike in the winter.  It gets dark MUCH MUCH earlier, and the lights also help when conditions are snowy.
- Brake pads!  Winter riding seems to destroy brake pads pretty quickly, keep a spare pair handy.

[StarswirlTheMustached]

I bike year round in Toronto, Ontario.  Hybrids work great in the winter! 

Toronto has a winter? :P

Actually, I road my hybrid all winter long in northern Ontario and will second most of what GuitarStv says. Especially the bits about cleaning and lube. You would not believe how dirty the roads get! Personally, I think I'm going to pick up some silicone grease for next winter-- normal bike lubricants aren't meant to work much below zero, and things were getting pretty gummy at -40. You also have to be darned careful with any plastic parts at those temperatures; the mount for my lock shattered going over a bump, and I ended up having to get a snowboarding helmet for similar reasons.
I used Shwalbe brand studded tyres and am very happy with them. I biked to work across a frozen lake whenever the wind blew it clear enough, and the studs were marvelous. (Hybrids can't mount fat enough tires to go over uncompressed snow) Without studs, on ice? Heh. No. Why do you think I needed a new helmet?

[GuitarStv]

Toronto has a winter? :P

I grew up in Northern Ontario myself ( http://goo.gl/maps/tq2fT ) before moving to this warm weather paradise.  :P  The really cold bits are preferable for biking rather than the slushy/salty times that we seem to get more of in TO in my opinion . . .