winter riding

lahern05 · Post by **lahern05** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 6:01 pm

Anyone have experience riding in winter conditions. I just moved to Wisconsin and am hoping to ride as long as possible. I have heard there are studded tires available for some scoots. Any for a buddy? Any info/ experiences would be great. thanks .
L

db · Post by db » Sun Sep 20, 2009 6:23 pm

I ride down to about 30-35 degrees, nice warm gloves and clothes, layer it up. I usually only ride to work and back come winter. anything longer and you will need periodic rest time to warm up. Unless you get some heated gear but then you would need a source of power for it b/c the outlet provided on the buddy won't do.

jfrost2 · Post by **jfrost2** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 6:40 pm

It's just not a safe idea to ride in actual snow and ice. It should be avoided. On days where there is snow and ice all around, but the roads are clear, you can ride just fine as long as it's cold and dry outside.

Just be careful of black ice patches.

Kaos · Post by **Kaos** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 8:58 pm

jfrost2 wrote:It's just not a safe idea to ride in actual snow and ice. It should be avoided. On days where there is snow and ice all around, but the roads are clear, you can ride just fine as long as it's cold and dry outside.

Just be careful of black ice patches.

Yeah, I've tried this(I'm a little crazy) And its not a good idea. There ARE chains and snow tires that will fit the Buddy, but I wouldn't recommend it.

I've ridden without the snow down to 19 degrees. The hardest part of you to keep warm is your fingers. I got heated gloves last year, and they worked well till I destroyed them in my crash. Ski gloves replaced them and worked well for the rest of the winter.

Layer up! The more you can stand the better! With windchill it can be in the -'s while riding even when its only in the low 40's.

A rainsuit or nylon coat over your gear helps a LOT with windchill.

I ride year round, and it can be done in most places, but it takes some willpower

brape · Post by **brape** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 11:24 pm

I got myself a pair of fleece lined jeans this year. They are crazy warm. I also do the rain pants thing as it helps seal out the wind. I have a pair of those mittin things that go over your handlebars, but they don't fit on the buddy.

Post by **illnoise** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 1:05 am

+1

Cold is one thing, snow and ice is another. I hate riding once it drops under about 40, but lots of people ride all winter.

But riding in snow or ice is just crazy, and not in a good way.

keep an eye out for the Cold Weather Challenge on 2strokebuzz. Here are last year's winners:

http://2strokebuzz.com/2008/11/21/cold- ... -challenge

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 2:15 am

I used to commute by bicycle, and my rule was that I'd ride as long as the pavement was clear and dry. If it was raining or there was snow/ice on the street, I'd take the bus. I've been applying the same general rule to commuting by scooter since I got it in April, and I plan to stick with it as winter comes back around. My then-live-in-boyfriend Andy tried to get through a Michigan winter on two wheels once, and... it didn't work.

bluebuddygirl · Post by **bluebuddygirl** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 2:42 am

I'm with everyone else here. Cold is alright, you can dress for that. But when you slide a little in a car it's not such a big deal. When you slide a little on a scooter, even with snow tires, you go down.

hardd1 · Post by **hardd1** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 3:16 am

if you plan on riding in winter-time Wisconsin it will have to be on an Artic Cat or Ski Doo.........

Buddy_wannabe · Post by **Buddy_wannabe** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 5:19 am

I ride as long as I can , as long as the roads are clear. Once rode when it was 7 degrees ... that was a bit much. Like everyone says , just dress for it.

Dont think I would do it in snow and ice. I did take it through some snow one time , real slow, with my feet almost down just to get around somthing so I could park it and I almost laid it down. (I did not have studs/chains)

BeachBuzz · Post by **BeachBuzz** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 12:31 pm

I'm a year round commuter, as long as the roads are dry and it's not below 20f when I leave in the morning. Like others have mentioned layers are the trick and hands, thumbs in particular for me, are the hardest part to protect. I use layered gloves too, polertec fleece liners with TourMaster PolerTec over gloves. Even with those my thumbs get numb. The saving grace is that my commute is only about 6 miles and there are enough stops that I can pull my thumbs into the palm of my gloves to warm up a bit when I stop. I wear a windstopper fleece, from my bicycling days, under an insulated leather jacket, and I have a couple versions of 'bike tights' also left over from my cycling days. The warmest ones are fleece lined on the front and layered under my work pants keep me warm enough for the relativey short commute.

I learned my lesson with black ice last winter, on a morning when the temp was actually above freezing, but the thin layer of black ice hadnt thawed yet. Studded tires or chains may have saved me from losing the rear end but being a little bit more aware/cautious would have been a better idea.

ScooterDave · Post by **ScooterDave** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 6:03 pm

I do alot of things on a scooter that most sane people would not consider. I do not ride in the snow unless it is out having fun and acting stupid with friends. Not a condition I would commute in. Even with studs on the tires, I would not attempt a commute. If it snows, you will see my big black 4x4 Suburban with a stud inside.

gr8dog · Post by **gr8dog** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 6:13 pm

Hi lahern05, I don't know where you lived before Madison so I don't know your winter experience. I am about 2 hours north of you, in the Fox Valley. I can tell you that once there is packed snow on the roads and parking lots it is time to put your Buddy away. No matter how well the roads are cleared there WILL be patches of ice until March. Those are the ones that keep me off two wheels. Also, salt, sand or small gravel on the road is extremely slippery to two wheeled transport.

It's ultimately up to you to make the decision. I would hate to see you posting on the "Who's Crashed" thread.

Portland_Rider · Post by **Portland_Rider** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 1:58 am

I agree with the posts around here.

If it is cold and dry, and you dress right in layers and you can handle it, then it is ok. Be careful of riding at night with ice forming on roads.

If you crash in deep cold while alone and no one is around to call in an ambulance and give you first aid you can become dead much quicker than if the weather is 70 degrees.

In the mid-west (I'm from Illinois and I've travelled the MW all over in the winter) it is something to plan for. Dress and plan worse case scenario. Probably you'll be fine yet one never knows.

You can ride for miles and miles on a cold clear dry day and then bam hit an ice patch, and go flying with a hard landing.

Maybe pack one of those small yet expandable emergency blankets. LL Bean makes fleece lined jeans. I always wanted a pair of those.

I don't mean to seem gloomy or talk you out of it. I'd probably ride short distance with preparation in the MW during winter.

Ride safe.

KRUSTYburger · Post by **KRUSTYburger** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 4:48 am

Winter, what's winter?

I do ride almost year-round. I'm sure it's easier here than most places, but it gets down to the teen's on occasion.
I have a big puffy down jacket I wear and my face-shield doesn't protect my neck and mouth, so I use one of
those ski headbands to cover up. It works pretty good. Even in FL sometimes I won't ride if it's too cold. If I'm
really uncomfortably cold my muscles tense up and it's not safe cuz my reaction time is slow and I'm focusing
more on how cold I am than what's going on around me.

nevermore · Post by **nevermore** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 4:57 am

+1 on the advice:

I found my leather jacket is very good for wind resistance and keeping in the heat of the layers.

Yes, be careful of the black ice. Only time I have gone down.

On the plus side, with the air density, my scoot runs great in the winter. The coldest I have gone is -12. It was dang cold.

If I didn't scoot below 40 or 50, I couldn't scoot at night past about July here in Idaho.

Good luck, and bundle up.

Oh, on your glove thing. I found that a pair of those knit one size fits all gloves under my leather insulated gloves worked great.

Marty