7 speed internal hub with roller brakes, complete with fenders, chain guard, studded tires. I bought it because I spent $250 repairing my regular bike after a brutal winter a couple of years ago. I bought it so I wouldn’t have to spend a lot of money fixing bikes. I replaced the chain a month ago …cost $21, thats it?!
hub blew out…now what do I do. give up biking and take the bus or walk into work.
(why is biking to work in winter so much more impressive than walking the same distance?)
So I split with $378 for a new hub dammit.
Its SWEEET!, can’t wait to bike home with it! I should have decent top end now and can go faster, and have more stellar wrecks when I hit the ice.
I bike commute year round and I live in a northern climate. I have my nice season commuting bike (maybe 6 months) and then my 16 year old ex-mountain bike which now has fixed fenders and lights pointing every which way. My area uses a lot of that sticky deicer so it gets really grimy and gross. During the bad weather 6 month’s, I’ll try to clean and oil the chain a couple times (I use a super light lube in the clean road months and a slightly heavier one for the winter). This summer I’ll give it a top to bottom wash and clean, and lube everything. My biggest problems for winter commuting are: Brake pads wear very fast due to all the grime on the wheels and the shifting mechanisms and cables don’t work very well when below 20F.
I’ve used this bike for 8 winter commuting seasons and have only had to replace brake pads. It’s a tough old Gary Fisher.
I’ve heard that belt drives don’t work very well in snow - the snow gets trapped between the belt and pulley/cog. The Gates Carbon Drive you linked to is supposed to be better than other types of belt drives, but still not completely immune to this problem.
Personally, being a complete wimp, I use this as my winter bike. (Actually all-year bike.)
I think I can mange that, I have full suspension and decent ground clearance, and sealed wheel wells (no way for mud or snow to get on the drivetrain or on me). It’s the tight turns in crowded cities that pose a problem for me; it’d be totally impractical in, say, Tokyo.
I’m really not terribly serious about it. I don’t live and breathe biking; but I’m out there every day going to and from work because its practical…and a bit of pride.
I just lube the chain a couple of times during the winter with standard teflon stuff my bike guy tells me to buy. I’ve only had it a couple of seasons, so I’m currently just expecting to sacrifice the chain every season (its only $21). Hopefully I’ll never need to replace the hub again. The setup with drum brakes and internal gears is a very good fit for winter schmutz protection. My cables and workings get a little stiff at 20 below zero, but it still moves me down the road.
I just completed my first day with the new hub. Its geared a little to high. I’ll rarely need top gear (8th), but could use a little better hill climbing especially during cold stiff gear days, uphill bundled up with too many clothes.
I’ll ride it out, but probably change out the front chain ring with something smaller and sacrifice the unneeded top end for better hill climbing.
I think my bike guy considered it, but decided the cog that came with the hub was better kept…It doesn’t matter to me, whatever is the easiest, cheapest way without screwing things up.
What kind of bike is it? Are you using a Shimano Alfine? Can you get disc brakes on an internal hub? That might be the way to do it.
I’m using a cross bike with fenders and a rack as my winter commuter. It’s a little heavy with everything on it, but sturdy. I live in Virginia and don’t bike on super rainy or snowy days either.
Or drum brake (Shimano calls it “roller brake”) - that’s what I would use for a winter bike, not as powerful as a disc brake but better shielded from the elements.
The new hub is a Sturmey-Archer 8 speed to replace the blown out Shimano 7 speed. It has a drum brake that is similar though different then the Shimano roller brake.
Still pricey for me wanting to save money by not ruining my fair weather bike. I figure the return on investment will be 3 plus years.
Not a wise financial decision; but its a nice running machine; so I’m enjoying it much better than the old rattly worn out one.
I bought a touring bike for an overnight tour when I was home in October, and brought it back here with me. It has become my go-to “winter” bike. We don’t get too much snow, but we get some ice and -10° weather. When it’s wet, the stupid looking fenders keep my back nice and dry.
The huge 43c tires have me really, really wanting to widen my road bike tires from 25c. Okay, not all they way to 43c (that would be stupid), but I’m not a racer, and I’d love to take my road bike out a bit more when it’s wet – I had a nasty spill on a wet track on it, so I’m now paranoid when it’s slick.
As for the cold – knock on wood – no issues yet. A mate had his brakes and his rear derailleur freeze up the other day during our morning ride. Not good, given that our usual ride is up and down a mountain.
