Comments on: How to ride on ice

By: Jen (SLC)

Jen (SLC) — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 17:51:36 +0000

I’ve got a Scott Speedster. There might be room for skinnier cx tires, but none of the local shops typically carry them. So it’s hard to find out. The Stumpjumper isn’t too bad, but it makes me realize how light and speedy my Speedster is. Can’t wait for clear roads again.

By: Fritz

Fritz — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 18:47:26 +0000

Jen, what kind of road bike do you have? Is there enough clearance for cx tires?

By: Jen (SLC)

Jen (SLC) — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 23:52:22 +0000

Fritz, thanks for checking Craigslist for me. Used bikes here often rival used cars in prices. I wish I had more space in my house for extra bikes.

I talked to someone at one of the local bike shops who had the same frame issue. He was going to see about ordering in some cyclocross tires. I might just swing by there tonight and see if he ordered any in. If not, I’m going to pick up a rack and some lights to outfit my significant other’s Stumpjumper for commuting. He hasn’t used the thing since August, so I doubt he’ll mind. And that will save us from having a third bike in our living room.

By: Richard Masoner

Richard Masoner — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 19:14:50 +0000

Jen, I don't remember how far your commute is but consider a cheap throwaway bike for the ice/snow days. I just browsed SLC Craigslist -- wow, the folks there sell the high end stuff, but I found a couple of deals like this low end $75 MTB complete with child seat! There's also this old Trek 800 -- $80 is probably too much, but otherwise it's a perfect winter commuter. I like my fast road racing bike for the nice days, but I bought a garage sale MTB specifically for snow days.

By: Quinn

Quinn — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 15:43:49 +0000

Speedsters are Nice! but I bet you would have more luck with a SUB or a CrossComp.

By: Jen (SLC)

Jen (SLC) — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 15:16:49 +0000

Well, I had my first chance to ride in icy conditions. Sadly, I didn’t have any traction spray, so no YouTube video of me sliding around out there yet. There wasn’t much ice in the road, but the bike lanes and right edges where I normally ride were covered with bumpy, crackly ice which was impossible to ride on with my current tires (700×28 All Condition Armadillos). I’m going to need to switch to some knobby tires for the winter, but I’ve got a Scott Speedster which doesn’t have much room for a wider tire. Anyone have any recommendations for knobby tires that are 700×30/32 or less? Or am I going to have to start looking into a new bike?

By: Quinn

Quinn — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 05:27:41 +0000

I forgot to mention “shoe spikes/studs”, like Yaktrax, look at Cabelas.com

By: Quinn

Quinn — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 21:34:31 +0000

yes they have but they were/are max. 45c, the Gazza is 29×2.1(53c)

By: Richard Masoner

Richard Masoner — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 21:30:49 +0000

They’ve always had 700c tires *shrug* I think Nokian even makes a 650B studded Hakka tire.

By: Quinn

Quinn — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 20:24:17 +0000

For those of you on 29ers (havent noticed) bike29 has the new Nokian Gazza(studded).