Temps back home have been really warm for February (above 0°C quite a bit) and the long range indicates a warm spring
Could it really be true??
Could it really be true??
Cross Canada Check Up - North of Canada Included
- Thread starter Black 03 Z06
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14 and 29 Celsius! Woooo! We won't see that until June! 
I don't have a fat tire bike and was planning on getting one depending upon where we move and if I can still commute to work.
I have a friend who rode his all through winter and he said they are terrible on pure ice with no advantage over other bikes. They are also a bit tougher to ride through fresh snow as you are making a wider path, however, where they shine is on that semi packed snow on sidewalks and streets. They just float over this and the bike does not get tossed around or stuck like a regular mountain bike. Also, as the tire pressures are lower, they absorb a lot of the shock from getting to the handle bars and seat.
His suggestion, as I already have a basic bike with studs, was to get a fat tire bike for winter and use it after the snow falls and everything is frozen, then use my studded tire regular bike for Fall and Spring when there is a lot of ice during the freeze/thaw. You can buy studded fat tires, but from his research, the ground pressure is so low that they aren't really effective and they are expensive. Somewhere around $240 a piece.
The tires I run are Schwalbe Winter Marathon. They have siped rubber and carbide studs. Absolutely phenomenal and have saved by butt in some extremely icy conditions. I've been riding on them 5 years now and the studs are still in fantastic shape and the rubber doesn't appear to be worn much. They have a semi smooth tread (Compared to other studded tires) so they roll well and seem to have enough grip to push through snow. I thought about making my own studded tires but screws wear down really fast, are heavy and a lot of work to make.
So, basically, if you get a fat tire bike, they work excellent in Summer and Winter but you have to be careful in the transitional seasons (like any bike). If you use a regular bike with studs in the winter, it also works great for all seasons, however, after the snow hits, it's not as easy to get around.
I don't have a fat tire bike and was planning on getting one depending upon where we move and if I can still commute to work.
I have a friend who rode his all through winter and he said they are terrible on pure ice with no advantage over other bikes. They are also a bit tougher to ride through fresh snow as you are making a wider path, however, where they shine is on that semi packed snow on sidewalks and streets. They just float over this and the bike does not get tossed around or stuck like a regular mountain bike. Also, as the tire pressures are lower, they absorb a lot of the shock from getting to the handle bars and seat.
His suggestion, as I already have a basic bike with studs, was to get a fat tire bike for winter and use it after the snow falls and everything is frozen, then use my studded tire regular bike for Fall and Spring when there is a lot of ice during the freeze/thaw. You can buy studded fat tires, but from his research, the ground pressure is so low that they aren't really effective and they are expensive. Somewhere around $240 a piece.
The tires I run are Schwalbe Winter Marathon. They have siped rubber and carbide studs. Absolutely phenomenal and have saved by butt in some extremely icy conditions. I've been riding on them 5 years now and the studs are still in fantastic shape and the rubber doesn't appear to be worn much. They have a semi smooth tread (Compared to other studded tires) so they roll well and seem to have enough grip to push through snow. I thought about making my own studded tires but screws wear down really fast, are heavy and a lot of work to make.
So, basically, if you get a fat tire bike, they work excellent in Summer and Winter but you have to be careful in the transitional seasons (like any bike). If you use a regular bike with studs in the winter, it also works great for all seasons, however, after the snow hits, it's not as easy to get around.
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Black 03 Z06
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Very interesting Riley. Ride safe.
Thanks Murray. A longer answer than you were expecting I imagine! 
I hope to keep from becoming a hood ornament with a bright flashing red light on the back and a headlight and strobe light on the front.
I hope to keep from becoming a hood ornament with a bright flashing red light on the back and a headlight and strobe light on the front.
29 Celsius? ummmmm.... uh huh....or are you snowbirding somewhere ...
Just saw this. Unfortunately I am working on one of our last projects for the foreseeable future due to the crash in oil prices. No holiday for me here
I actually serviced my ride on lawn mower Monday .Not that I had fantasies of doing anything with it but the lawn was bare after a week of rain .Today after work I put the plow on and plowed for three hours (12 inches )
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October 27/16. Oh the weather outside is frightful but inside it is so delightful……
Snowing very hard here, staying on the ground and we are expecting 10 cm overnight. It is supposed to warm up in the mid teens next week so we are into the wacky weather season. I am not looking forward to winter.
We have had the wood stove on now for about a week, takes the chill of without paying Ontario Hydro one single cent. I like it.
How is it across the country?
Snowing very hard here, staying on the ground and we are expecting 10 cm overnight. It is supposed to warm up in the mid teens next week so we are into the wacky weather season. I am not looking forward to winter.
We have had the wood stove on now for about a week, takes the chill of without paying Ontario Hydro one single cent. I like it.
How is it across the country?
Vancouver B.C currently 12°C and rain. Im pretty sure that it is going to be another mild winter here, very little snowfall, coldest temps around -3°C . I reinsured my Z06 a few days ago, no need for winter storage here. A few years back i bought a set of Pirelli Scorpion snow tires for my Jeep SRT8, i have not used them yet lol!
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You are making us easterners fell bad Hiroki.
Enjoy your ride when you can. Like to know how the Pirelli's work on the jeep.
Enjoy your ride when you can. Like to know how the Pirelli's work on the jeep.
I'm located just outside of Vancouver in Langley, BC
I was working outside in the yard all day...sprinkled a bit but not enough to put on a jacket.
Tomorrow is supposed to be dry.....
That might be the last ride for my '03 as the insurance runs out next week.
Graham
I was working outside in the yard all day...sprinkled a bit but not enough to put on a jacket.
Tomorrow is supposed to be dry.....
That might be the last ride for my '03 as the insurance runs out next week.
Graham
We're in that time of year where the temperature says +4° but the Northerly wind off the water is saying something entirely colder. Chance of flurries over night, seems like it has been raining for days now.
Was +9 here today.... no snow on the ground... what we did have melted away over the last week.... woohooo... suppose to be 5's and 6's here for the weekend...and about the same next week.... we are smiling right now. Hope it lasts. The Stingray is safely tucked away for the winter and I cancelled all except the park-it insurance today. Have a few ideas for her this winter but none involve driving in the snow....
Hiroki. You better get those Pirelli tires mounted. I heard about 15 years back there was a couple inches of snow in downtown Van and nearly 750,000 people had latte withdrawals for a whole day!
lol....ok.... that was just funnin' you BC boys and girls and I fully expect some comedic retaliation...
Eric
Hiroki. You better get those Pirelli tires mounted. I heard about 15 years back there was a couple inches of snow in downtown Van and nearly 750,000 people had latte withdrawals for a whole day!
lol....ok.... that was just funnin' you BC boys and girls and I fully expect some comedic retaliation...
Eric
Guess the weather Gods didn't like me making fun of Vancouver.... woke up this morning to raging snowfall.... 
Eric. that's what you get for making fun of us B.C. folks and I hope your storm is not too severe!!
Were I live on the Island we've had nothing here but rain and endless wind storms.
Plus 11 here this morning and we're supposed to have a dry day. The funny thing about living on the
Island is we never get thanks from the mainlanders for soaking up all the rain here before it gets there!!
Were I live on the Island we've had nothing here but rain and endless wind storms.
Plus 11 here this morning and we're supposed to have a dry day. The funny thing about living on the
Island is we never get thanks from the mainlanders for soaking up all the rain here before it gets there!!
Hey Rob!
Thanx.
LOL
Graham
Thanx.
LOL
Graham
Your welcome, it's just part of the service that we supply here on the Island that's better than BC Ferries!!!!
Hmmmm.... I suppose I should thank you too Rob. After all, some of that rain would probably reach the Prairies if you Islanders weren't watering your Tulips all year long....
Wish i knew haha!. Well if we get any substantial amount of snowfall in town i'll put them on and i'll let you know how they are.You are making us easterners fell bad Hiroki.
Back in 1996. The whole city got a few feet of snow, worse in areas at higher elevations and the Island took a big hit but yeah worst i've ever seen and it did shut the city down.Was +9 here today.... no snow on the ground... what we did have melted away over the last week.... woohooo... suppose to be 5's and 6's here for the weekend...and about the same next week.... we are smiling right now. Hope it lasts. The Stingray is safely tucked away for the winter and I cancelled all except the park-it insurance today. Have a few ideas for her this winter but none involve driving in the snow....
Hiroki. You better get those Pirelli tires mounted. I heard about 15 years back there was a couple inches of snow in downtown Van and nearly 750,000 people had latte withdrawals for a whole day!
lol....ok.... that was just funnin' you BC boys and girls and I fully expect some comedic retaliation...
Eric
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No worries about a white Christmas. An old fashion blizzard raging outside this afternoon.
