41
votes
Accepted
I have slipped off my bike 3x in the last 2 months - will changing tyres help?
Wet metal plates on the road have an astonishingly low grip, on par with a sheet of ice.
There's very little you can practically change on your bike to improve this - changing to wider tyres at low ...
- 131k
20
votes
Keeping my ears warm while biking in the cold with a helmet
Try searching for the term "ear band". They tend to be thin enough to comfortably wear under a helmet, and the good ones are fully wind-resistant, yet breathable.
If you have an open ventilation-...
- 301
16
votes
Riding Comfortably in Cold Weather
Layers - not just for Ogres and Onions.
In winter our temps may be as low as -5 degrees C, and can be wet or dry(frosty)
When you're cold, your body heat tends to stay in your torso, leaving your ...
- 131k
15
votes
Accepted
How to brake without falling during wet weather?
when I pressed the rear brake lever, the wheel stopped turning immediately, despite the slight pressure
if it locked up with only slight pressure, either your brakes lack modulation, or it had really ...
- 3,017
15
votes
Keeping my ears warm while biking in the cold with a helmet
I have a thin material tube that can be used for a lot of things. Also called a headsock or necksock or a buff.
I wear mine around my neck, with the top edge at my mouth/nose, and up over my ears ...
- 131k
15
votes
Waterproof overshoes: am I using them right?
I've got a couple of pairs, and have had similar experiences.
The best I can do is with my better pair (with a reasonably tight but comfortable ankle strap) underneath my splash - resistant leg ...
- 62.6k
15
votes
I have slipped off my bike 3x in the last 2 months - will changing tyres help?
Those tyres are probably quite old, and rubber perishes over time. They do not appear on the Schwalbe website.
They were racing tyres. https://roadcyclinguk.com/news/event-news/schwalbe-stelvio-...
- 4,240
12
votes
Keeping my ears warm while biking in the cold with a helmet
This is an unconventional answer but it works for me.
I have an aero TT helmet that has fairings over the ears. The reason the fairings exist is to reduce my head's aerodynamic drag, but in doing so,...
- 175
11
votes
Keeping my ears warm while biking in the cold with a helmet
Living in Sweden, I know what you're talking about. Because I like wearing a hat for any temperature below 10°C (50°F) and it can be -20°C (-4°F) in the winter, I have a special hat ...
- 211
11
votes
Is an IP68 rating sufficient to protect a phone during a 12 hour ride in heavy rain?
It should be. That's how I navigate on all my rides, wet or otherwise (phone on the bars). I've done this for a few years, but not completely without incident.
Some tips:
Make sure all port covers ...
- 62.6k
11
votes
Riding Comfortably in Cold Weather
You have struck on the basic challenge with dressing for cold-weather riding: you need to trap some heat, but not too much. How much is "too much" depends on your level of exertion, the ...
- 30.6k
10
votes
Are flats more likely in hot weather?
This is a matter of some debate. The New York Times article "Does Hot Weather Cause More Bike-Tire Problems?" by J. David Goodman (July 22, 2010) may be of interest.
The claims in support for hot ...
- 46.4k
10
votes
Is an overhanging roof shelter enough to safely leave bike outside?
A roof is better than no roof, but not as good as an enclosed space because wind can blow through bring dust and dirt and moisture.
Sunlight is also a source of slow continuous damage. For years I ...
- 131k
9
votes
Keeping the bottom of your legs warm in very-cold-weather biking
I would suggest shoe covers, which look like a boot and cover the ankle.
Or wear mid-calf or knee length socks and roll the upper part down for double or triple coverage on the ankles.
Or, mini ...
- 75.9k
9
votes
Enclosed external bicycle storage for house with up to 10 bicycles
If it needs to be fully enclosed you wind up with a small building of some kind.
Here are some ideas.
Bike lockers
Each flat could have it's own two bike locker or clustered in a group. I don't know ...
- 24.3k
8
votes
How to brake without falling during wet weather?
A lower saddle will compromise your riding comfort at all other times. Instead you should have unweighted the saddle and put your backside further backwards to weight the rear wheel.
Also, were you ...
- 131k
8
votes
How do carbon fibre road bikes handle rough conditions?
Carbon fiber road bikes are generally perfectly capable of being ridden on less than perfect surfaces without sustaining damage.
Obviously you want to avoid large obstacles such as potholes, rocks, ...
- 75.9k
8
votes
Accepted
Enclosed external bicycle storage for house with up to 10 bicycles
I'm going to assume you've only got to deal with ordinary single-rider diamond frames (despite owning a tandem myself and heavily supporting the use of cargo bikes).
I'll assume the bikes are all ...
- 62.6k
8
votes
Accepted
Leaving e-bike out in the rain WITHOUT battery
You're thinking the right things, yes you want the battery terminal areas on the battery slider/receiver covered. Bosch has detachable covers that do the thing you're talking about, and people sell 3d ...
- 88.2k
6
votes
Keeping my ears warm while biking in the cold with a helmet
When it's cold enough here, I use a toque (or beanie or knit cap or whatever you call it in your part of the world) under my helmet. It's thin enough that a small adjustment of my helmet is all that ...
- 875
6
votes
Keeping my ears warm while biking in the cold with a helmet
I have a chillcheater skull cap for kayaking. It's designed to fit under a helmet and keeps the wind off your ears while also holding them closer to your head (warmer in its own right). I've tried ...
- 62.6k
6
votes
How to commute by (electric) bike in excessive heat
You mentioned that you rented an electric bicycle, I am assuming you still need to put in efforts and the motor just provides pedal assist.
Most pedelecs are limited to providing assist only up to 25 ...
- 309
6
votes
Waterproof overshoes: am I using them right?
Overshoes over the top of normal bicycling shoes with cleats are not "waterproof".
Water gets in through the cleat holes. And, as you've discovered, through the ankle holes.
All you can do ...
- 10.8k
5
votes
How do carbon fibre road bikes handle rough conditions?
There's two distinct sides to this question: how does carbon fiber the material fare the way it's used in modern road bikes, and how do carbon road bikes with the features they almost all have fare.
...
- 88.2k
5
votes
Is a leather saddle appropriate for all-weather riding?
I've been riding an old Ideale saddle for a while now in all weather in New england with a year round commute for several years with no problems.The secret is as others have said- FENDERS and ...
- 51
5
votes
How do belt drives perform with snow?
In addition to @jeyhendren and @phil-johnstone nice answers I want to add my 3 findings.
First year with snow I (RieseMüller/Bosch/Nuvinci/center track) had no problem whatsowever. I can't remember ...
- 315
5
votes
Is an IP68 rating sufficient to protect a phone during a 12 hour ride in heavy rain?
You’ll be fine assuming you have a recent phone. They’re entirely glued and sealed shut on the inside, and there’s no battery hatch or anything to worry about either. I ride with my iPhone 7 (only ...
- 17.4k
5
votes
Accepted
Is it ok to store a bike with the (hydraulic) brakes locked (i.e. pressurized)?
The self-adjustment is a valid concern. The way that's implemented is through the drag and elasticity of the piston seals. Holding those seals in the extended position for long periods could lead to ...
- 86
5
votes
Enclosed external bicycle storage for house with up to 10 bicycles
For security it would be great if the bicycles could be locked inside the bike storage, in addition to being able to lock the door to the storage.
I'd say this is one of the most important things ...
- 21.3k
5
votes
Riding Comfortably in Cold Weather
Between 5°C and 15°C I wear:
Headband
Castelli Gabba short sleeve windstopper jersey
Arm warmers (pretty warm ones, made by Craft)
Thin, windproof gloves
Summer cycling bib shorts
Leg warmers (same ...
- 29.4k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible