Cycling in the snow

[Philip Benstead]

https://www.boredpanda.com/students-bic ... gn=organic

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/ ... d-healthy#
https://bicycledutch.wordpress.com/2020 ... nish-snow/

[Steady rider]

How to upload pictures?

[kylecycler]

You wonder if these Finnish kids' bikes have studded tyres - I think they're pretty much de rigueur on cars there (unless they're just so used to the conditions that they don't even need them!). Kids have a lower centre of gravity, though, so I guess that helps.

Even so, a bicycle grips remarkably well on ice and snow as long as you ride accordingly. I fell (though not literally) on seriously hard times a decade ago and ended up cycling through these two severe winters we had in 2009/10 and 2010/11. Couldn't even afford the bus so it was the only way to travel - wouldn't have done it otherwise - nor could I afford studded tyres (could barely afford tyres at all - shades of The Four Yorkshiremen!), and it was pretty incredible how well the bike gripped provided I kept it upright and was careful with the braking.

Only time I went down was when I turned into a track at the bottom of a hill where water had built up and frozen - it was impossible even to stand upright. I put my foot down but my leg then went straight out to the side - did the splits, basically - so I tore the tendons in my groin. It was too slippy even to get back up so I had to drag myself and the bike to the grass verge before I could get upright again. That was just the exception to the rule, though - what I found was that as long as you can walk you can ride; in other words, provided you ride appropriately you're no more likely to fall of a bike than fall off your feet.

Incidentally, off topic but related to Finnish schools, I just happened to read last week that there are no fee-paying schools in Finland. This effectively ensures that those who would otherwise send their children to fee-paying schools invest their money in state education to raise the standards. I thought that was pretty cool.

[Jdsk]

Incidentally, off topic but loosely related to Finnish schools, I just happened to read last week that there are no fee-paying schools in Finland. This effectively ensures that those who would otherwise send their children to fee-paying schools invest their money in state education to raise the standards. I thought that was pretty cool.

Finland's achievements in school education are outstanding... and any smart country would study them in developing its own policies and system.

https://finland.fi/life-society/finland-remains-among-top-nations-in-pisa-education-survey/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Finland

And if the warning signs about recent decline play out there'll be something to learn from that too.

Jonathan

PS: What they've done with cardiovascular disease is also extremely interesting.

[Bmblbzzz]

I'm more impressed by the sledges TBH. I guess they're mostly for smaller children and parent-pulled. Though I guess some may be pulled behind bikes, cars, maybe even dogs! But none of them like horse-drawn. Also, none of them have bells.

[CliveyT]

There are many versions of this out there, but from my time out there it rings true

Weather effects in Finland and rest of the World:
+15c Spanish wear caps, gloves and winter coats, Finns are sunbathing.
+10c French desperately try to get their central heating on. Finns plant flowers.
+5c Italian cars won't start. Finns drive with convertibles.
... 0c Pure water freezes. Water in river Vantaa thinkens a bit.
-5c First people are found frozen in California. Finnish midsummer festival ends.
-10c Scottish turn the heat on in their houses. Finns start to use long-sleeve shirts.
-20c Swedes stay indoors. Finns are having last barbeque before winter.
-30c Half of the Greek people have frozen to death. Finns start to dry their laundry indoors.
-40c Fake Santas are moving to south. Finnish army cancels winter training due to warm weather.
-50c Dansh people are loosing their teeth. Finns rent movies and stay indoors.
-60c Polarbears evacuate North Pole. Finnish army starts its winter training.
-70c Siberian people are moving to Moscow. Finns are furious since the Koskenkorva can't be stored outdoors anymore.
-273c ABsolute Zero. Finns admit that it is quite cold outside.

[Cowsham]

No!

[Vorpal]

I don't have picture (I will take some next time I am out), but I am seeing more and more people cycling through the winter in Norway. In past winters, ours would have been the only bike(s) on the bike rack at the music & art school, except for one of the art teachers. Today, the bike racks were almost full. I would guess there were 10 bikes there, and fewer people are attending at the moment due to covid. I also saw several cargo bikes around the town centre, which I've seldom seen in winter.

As to whether Finnish kids' bikes have studded tyres, it depends... they are used a lot in the south, where it is warmer & they have more ice, less so in the north where they mostly deal with snow until spring.

Finnish company, Suomi (formerly Nokian) make the best winter tyres I've used. The smallest size studded tyres come in is 20", as far as I know.

[Vorpal]

I'm more impressed by the sledges TBH. I guess they're mostly for smaller children and parent-pulled. Though I guess some may be pulled behind bikes, cars, maybe even dogs! But none of them like horse-drawn. Also, none of them have bells.

I've seen people pull flat bottomed ones with bikes in the snow, but I don't think it would work with runners on like those sledges.
Those sledges are designed to be used like a scooter by an adult or older child, with a younger child or cargo on the seat.

[Bmblbzzz]

How to upload pictures?

[Bmblbzzz]

I'm more impressed by the sledges TBH. I guess they're mostly for smaller children and parent-pulled. Though I guess some may be pulled behind bikes, cars, maybe even dogs! But none of them like horse-drawn. Also, none of them have bells.

I've seen people pull flat bottomed ones with bikes in the snow, but I don't think it would work with runners on like those sledges.
Those sledges are designed to be used like a scooter by an adult or older child, with a younger child or cargo on the seat.

Running behind, holding the 'handlebars'. Gotcha, thanks.

[tenbikes]

I've just spent the last two weeks riding snow and , literally, ice. And I expect to be doing so for much longer.

Tyres? 26x5", fully studded. They make the trails seem like summer. Well, as in under-tyre feels like summer....the -10°C doesn't feel like summer on your face

[9494arnold]

The answer is a trike. Preferably 2 wheel drive .

[Bmblbzzz]

Or maybe one-wheel drive (tadpole formation)?

[gaz]

After their eighth winter, most of which have been on roads with nothing worse than a heavy frost, I think it's time to retire my current set of studded tyres.

Might have 3,500 miles on them, probably less but the studs didn't seem to be biting that well today.