Snow bike

Ryder

Hey, am just looking for opinions about a new bike for this winter (mid USA so think heavy snow and some ice). My budget is about 700 euros and I have the option of the focus mares CX or a hybride/29er with disc brakes........The question....would disc brakes (versus v brakes) be worth the trade off in terms or riding position and speed that I would get on the CX?

Thanks

Seaneh

you could try find a cx bike with discs?

I'd just go for the cross bike to be honest, and then make sure you get good wide cold weather tires and you;d be fine.

Wishbone Ash

Disc brakes will allow you to use cable ties on the rear wheel for extra traction in snow. Can't be done with normal brakes.

Seaneh

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Disc brakes will allow you to use cable ties on the rear wheel for extra traction in snow. Can't be done with normal brakes.

to be honest, in the american mid west he's better off just investing in proper snow tires like Schawble Marathon Winter which have handy little spikes.

Raam

Those tyres work well. I rode on my CX bike with them during the bad snow and ice a few years ago. On one day I decided to ride my MTB which didn't have the studs and I went on my snot on one of the corners which I had been taking fine on the days before.

Tonyandthewhale

Disc brakes are a huge advantage in ice and snow in my (extensively limited experience). However, I would also view the CX riding position as hugely superior to the hybrid position on the road so I'd say look for a CX bike with discs (they're becoming increasingly popular). Otherwise, get a 29er bike so you can have fun doing properly off-road stuff as well.

petethedrummer

I dunno about disc brakes. My intention in snow and ice is always to stop very very gradually. Any sudden braking and you could be on your face.

If you must get a bike with disc brakes buy this.............. http://surlybikes.com/bikes/moonlander

doozerie

I rode on Schwalbe Marathon Winter Plus tyres too for commuting over the last 2 relatively severe winters and have been very impressed by them. They work best (which is to stay very, very well, for the most part) on packed ice as the studs dig in, they struggle on mushy snow but the tyre treads help a little at least even on the mush. The hill into our estate had several inches of packed ice under a thick layer of snow and climbing it on those tyres was easy (descending on it was more "interesting" though, particularly on the speed bumps, not looking forward to that part of it if we get such weather again in the future).

I rode with those tyres on an MTB with rim brakes, and on some of the days a lot of snow accumulated on and around the cantilevers. There was almost certainly some salt in there too, from the roads having been (ineffectively) treated, so all in all a bad combination for rims, brake pads, and braking ability. For that reason alone I reckon disc brakes might fare better in those circumstances - the tyres themselves dragged the snow up around the cantilevers, whereas discs might avoid some of that muck accumulating on them.

Wishbone Ash

doozerie wrote: »

I rode on Schwalbe Marathon Winter Plus tyres too for commuting over the last 2 relatively severe winters and have been very impressed by them

What are they like if you hit a piece of road with no snow/ice?

victorcarrera

If I had to cycle in the snow I would get something like this.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TXV_Nhwok6M/TZOW7qQeyXI/AAAAAAAAEwk/xedkP_PGKkY/s1600/newton+mercian+5.jpg

Seaneh

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

What are they like if you hit a piece of road with no snow/ice?

Grand just a bit loud.

If the conditions are very bad (lots of snow and ice) you run a lower pressure and get more contact with the studs on the floor if it's not quite as bad you run a higher pressure and have less resistance but still benefit from the studs on cornering.

If you run lower pressure and hit clean road it's just a bit loud and more rolling resistance than other tires.

That said, in a lot of the mid west the conditions between november and febuary are abysmal and you'd really need those studs.

Ryder

Thanks for all the replies. Its either or I'm afraid.....an opportunity has arisen to get a new focus mares 2011 for 700$. For that money I could afford only a hybrid with discs.
Incidentally, bikesdirect sell montebecanes which seem like really good value for the price

Seaneh

I'd go with the focus over a hybrid, truth be told.

doozerie

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

What are they like if you hit a piece of road with no snow/ice?

I agree with Seanah, they are fine on the tarmac. The theory is that on something as solid as tarmac the studs sink into the rubber of the tyre and it is rubber rather than the carbide studs that make contact with the road, so in theory they are comparable to a regular knobbly tyre on tarmac..

The only thing you have to be careful off is the likes of braking hard as you can lose some studs from the tyre if the tyre slides a little - the studs are shoved in place, not glued, so while they are held solidly enough they can pop out. I lost half a dozen or so over the course of a few months (I rode mine for my commute from something like November through to March or so), but you can buy replacements to pop in.