The only bicycle I have to ride right now is my mixte, Hedwig. She did fine, with a little slipping where car tracks that had re-frozen where. I had to walk her down one hill that is very steep. It was covered in ice, but on the whole, the ride was uneventful and quite fun. My Kool Stop MTB brake pads work really well!
Once I got home this afternoon, I realized something that I had not considered. All the snow that I went through was now packed up in my fenders, and frozen to my wheel, and I needed to bring her in through the living room into the kitchen.
I tried to brush it all off with the broom, but that just barely got it off. Does anyone have any suggestions for cleaning up a bike before bringing it in? I ended up just wheeling her through as per usual, letting her drip dry on a rug in the kitchen and going back through to clean up the snow that came off on the trip through.
Despite the mess, I really enjoyed this short trip in the snow. The only thing that I wish was different on Hedwig for this kind of riding is her tires. She's got these skinny little road tires that don't have much for tread.
One more reason I'm looking forward to my Pashley! I'm really excited to try her out in some snow.
I'm excited for you to get your Pashley, too.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you could maybe benefit from studded tires, depending on how much snow you get there.
Bikes get very yucky in the snow and I'm thankful I have a garage to keep mine in. Another benefit of leaving the bike outside is that the bike does not defrost, so less chance of rust. But if you don't have a secure spot outside, that's not very helpful.
I'm counting down the days!
ReplyDeleteMy first couple of winters here we didn't get much snow, but last year and this year we seem to be getting more. So I'm undecided on whether or not I will need snow tires. They do a pretty good job of clearing the streets here.
I sometimes wish I had secure parking outside (I know my husband sure does!) But for now the kitchen is what I've got. At least it's an easy to clean area. :)
I look forward to reading more about you and the Pashley :). I'm also looking for a new step-through bike and the Pashely is on my list to try. I'm excited for you and can't wait to see your photos with the new Pashley.
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