Comments on: Mountain biking on New Year’s Day

By: limb_mutt

limb_mutt — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 14:44:11 +0000

It’s funny, I didn’t feel I had “endured” anything, I felt I just spent a great couple of hours in the woods. I’ve done colder rides (lower teens) where I did feel I had endured something … but this was mild by comparison.

By: Marty

Marty — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 14:25:37 +0000

Those last few pictures have convinced me officially that you are nuts. Biking in the snow sucks (I used to do it in Boulder – and bikes don’t do so well in icy conditions, I’ve found). But you got some nice shots that really show off the conditions you endured. I hope you spiked your hot cocoa when you got home.

By: Matthew

Matthew — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 13:56:32 +0000

Love the pictures – I could FEEL the cold. I’ve never been mountain biking in the winter but maybe I’ll give it a shot. Anyway, I wanted to let you know that I noticed you don’t have your ears covered. Check out my website (I’m a teen entrepreneur) and you’ll see that you can keep your ears super warm without a band anywhere. I wear my EarMitts under my helmet year round when it’s cold – especially up in the mountains in the early mornings. It’s crazy not to keep your ears warm – my Grandma’s right – you’ll get sick~! Have fun, man.

By: Noah

Noah — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 05:38:19 +0000

Check out the reviews on MTBR:
http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/Extras/product_87805.shtml

The general consensus seems to be that they’re close to being as good as clipless. The majority of the complaints are from people with gargatunormous mutant feet that won’t fit in them. 4.3/5 out of 19 reviewers.

By: limb_mutt

limb_mutt — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 05:09:35 +0000

Thanks Noah — it’s funny, I was just reading about Candy C Eggbeaters. Looks like they (or other Eggbeaters) might be worth a look. I rarely have problems with my SPDs clogging, except in winter. It can happen with mud, but if it’s that muddy, you are probably doing damage to the trails by riding on them.

I know the “heat sink” problem you’re describing; fortunately it wasn’t cold enough today for that to be a problem. The shoe covers go a long way toward helping keep my feet warm, but I suspect when it gets colder the heat sink problem will come into play again.

I might try PowerGrips on my commuter, but I would have a hard time moving away from clipless pedals on the mountain bike. I remember what it was like, practically getting knocked off my pedals, and that’s no fun at all. Then again, maybe the PowerGrips hold well enough.

By: Noah

Noah — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 04:52:45 +0000

Man… I really need to go hit some snowy trails. You’re making me jealous!

There are a number of reasons I renounce my SPDs in the winter time, and for off-road use in general. The first reason is clogging, which can be a problem without snow and ice. For this problem, I’d bet you’d have a hard time trumping Crank Bros. Eggbeaters. Next, the metal cleat and therefore the plate within the shoe is a heat-sink for my already chilly toes. There’s not much you can do to fix that. Maybe some crazy thick insoles? Also, the holes for the cleat allow moisture and snow into the shoe.

My personal solution to this is to just use platforms, although I’m considering PowerGrips. You should probably look into them, too. They’re a strap you put diagonally across a platform pedal, which lets you get out in a hurry (unlike toeclips) while still getting purchase on the pedal, whether you’re an upstroke-puller or just want the added connection to your bike.