November Rides

[Crankin]

Microspikes are things you pull on over your hiking boots, so you can walk/hike on icy trails or roads. Northwoods was saying she couldn't walk the trails, but could ride her fat bike.

[north woods gal]

I do use pull over crampons over my boots to walk the trails in the winter when things get really treacherous and, of course, they're built in to my snowshoes. Kind of clunky, though. Might look into those micro spikes. Sounds like a great idea.

The fat bikes aren't 100% slip proof, of course. Still have to know how to take tight turns and so on when fat biking on the slick stuff. Also, when things get nightmare bad, I do have two fat bikes set up and ready to go with studded tires. One is for hard pack snow and clean ice. Has shallow lugs to keep more surface area close to the snow pack/ice. Runs very fast. The other is a deep-lugged monster for chewing though the deep, slushy stuff, but it's a slow beast to run.

Oh, yeah, tire styles and setting the right tire psi to match the conditions is a much needed skill for fat biking. These tires run at very low psi, typically 5 or even a touch less in the winter to about 10 or 12 for the max in the summer, so even one or two psi makes a huge difference in the way the tire performs. Regular bike tire gauges aren't accurate enough, either, so I use a special low psi gauge that only goes up to 30 psi. Even have to be careful to wait until the tires cools to air temperature in cold weather before measuring pressure. Tires will lose pressure going from a warm house to winter cold. Go too low and you get a pinch flat when running with inner tubes. Another reason I'm going tubeless when I can with the fatties.

Okay, more than anyone probably wanted to know about fat bikes, but they really are different. I'll shut up, now.

[Crankin]

I really don't think I am going to get one, because it just doesn't snow consistently enough here, and the ones I want (Trek or Specialized WSD), that will fit me are not cheap. I will probably try it at a nordic center this year. When it snows, I want to be x country skiing. Plus, if I was fat biking around here, I'd be on fairly difficult trails. I cannot see putting fat bikes on the rack, to drive 2-4 hrs. to get up north, or to western MA. Does this make sense? Given my poor experience with mountain biking, I think getting something else for my 3d bike would be better.
What that will be, I don't know. It's pretty much between a gravel/dirt road bike, a city type bike, or a cheap mountain bike to do both of those.
Northwoods, I used to use snow shoes to go out on hard packed trails with just a couple of inches of snow. It did seem like overkill!

[Crankin]

I haven't thought that specifically, Sheila. Frankly, it's not in the budget right now. I am leery about buying any of the Salsa/Surley type brands after trying a couple out at Harris Cyclery a few years ago. Not only did the bikes not feel right for me, there was a kind of weird reverse snobbism in the shop. I feel bad saying that about the hallowed home of Sheldon Brown and it has nothing to do with buying a fat bike, but after almost 20 years of riding, I have found that I feel comfortable on a very small range of bikes. Plus, I really think I would not use a fat bike enough to even justify a 1500.00 or less bike.

[north woods gal]

Crankin, you do what works for you. Wouldn't ever suggest, otherwise. Love my fatties, but, yeah, if you have to throw one on a rack and drive for a couple of hours to really make the most of one, not a great choice. Oh, for sure, you can use them on roads, too, and I do use my Pugsley that way, but it's still most at home back in the woods.

Got a chuckle on that Surly comment. Definitely right on that retro snobbishness thing. Have experienced it, myself. Gets a little nutty, for sure. As a Surly fan, I take it tongue-in-cheek, though. I know better. Have the latest and greatest in modern design MTBs/fatties and have a couple of Surly's, too. I know the difference. When I really want to fly, it's not on the Surlys. That's not their niche.

Our weather continues to be snowy, but at least the temps are holding in the 30s. It'll take a lot more to push me indoors on the trainer.

[north woods gal]

Took the Surly Krampus (steel 29x3 bike) out on the pavement for a spin, today. Our pavement is now snow free, so plenty safe, and I'm running easy rolling Knard tires. Very refreshing ride after all my trail work in the snow and mud with the fat bikes, this month. Weather is still winter-like, with drizzle and temps in the 30s, but figured I better ride clean pavement when I can, now. Last week, our local paved roads were snow covered and will be, again, soon.

Of course, I still had to try riding the Krampus on the trails. It is a great trail bike with the Knards when the trails are dry, which is definitely not the case, right now. Slipped all over the place in the slush and grease (mud on top frozen ground). Way wrong tires with the Knards. Took the Krampus back to the house and got a fat bike. Still had to go easy in the turns and keep those wheels in the vertical, but the fat bike took it all in stride - as usual.

[Crankin]

I actually did a group ride today. 35 miles, just local roads, but mostly in the opposite direction of most rides I do.
There were 40 riders! A lot of the very fast people, who do not ride in the stated style of our group. But, they stayed just ahead of our leader for the first half, then took off, and reappeared when we regrouped. I felt good until about 8 miles from the end, I volunteered to arrow a turn. I had to wait awhile until the sweep came, as the group slowed a lot. Then, it was a hill, the sun went in, and I should have eaten. I struggled to get past this slow group and finally got on the flattish main road back to the start. I was dying! At one point, I was going around 11.8 in places my speed is usually 17-18. I had also found a headwind. Got back to my car and when I stopped, I realized i needed to eat. Drove to the Indian restaurant, where we celebrated our coordinator’s 75th birthday.
I am
Exhausted.