Can you use your carbon wheels during the winter? Should you use training wheels for the offseason? Which wheels are best for winter riding?
These are all great questions, the answers to which depend on factors that include your weather during winter, snow control methods (if you get snow), temperature range, your brake type, etc.
Let’s look into each factor.
Our Thoughts On Race Wheels & Training Wheels
I think it’s important to say that as a brand, we promote using your FLO Wheels all the time, unless there is a specific reason not to.
The term “race wheels” came about when carbon wheels were first being made and could not withstand wear and tear, so the wheels were only used for racing. Additionally, they were often expensive tubulars, and gluing them on is time consuming and difficult.
Today, FLO Wheels are built specifically to be used every day. We recommend that you train and race on your wheels for a couple reasons:
- Familiarity. You want to be as familiar with your wheels on race day as possible. Each wheel you ride handles differently. The more you ride a wheel, the more comfortable you get with it. When you’re racing, the last thing you want to be thinking about is your wheels. You want them to feel like an extension of your body. The best way to do that is to ride them all the time.
- Cost Per Use. You want to get your money’s worth. Racing is, on average, 2% of your riding time, so if you are going to buy a nice set of wheels, you might as well ride them for training, too!
Defining Winter For Road Cyclists
Let’s define winter as meeting one of the following criteria:
- The area gets snow.
- The area is very wet, and sand is used to manage winter conditions (snow/ice) on the roads, like the Pacific Northwest.
Disc Brakes Vs. Rim Brakes For Winter Cycling
There are two main brake types for wheels: rim brakes and disc brakes. When you use a disc brake wheel, there is very little reason to worry about winter riding. Rim brake wheels are a different story. The main issue with rim brake wheels during the winter is excess friction between the brake tracks and the rim surface. Let’s discuss this further.
How Snow Control Methods Affect Cycling Wheels
There are two main methods for snow control: salt and sand.
Salt: When salt is used, it dissolves into the snow and produces little to no friction when the salt water gets on the rim surface. However, undissolved salt can be problematic if it gets on the rim surface and brake pads because the salt will act as an abrasive agent and cause wear.
Sand: When sand is used for snow control, it mixes with the snow and provides grip for tires. When a carbon wheel rides over wet, sandy roads, the sand sticks to the rim surface and the brakes. When the brakes are applied, the sand acts as sand paper and wears the rim surface quickly, potentially damaging the structure of the wheel.
Temperatures Range
Temperature range isn’t a huge issue for a carbon wheel. For more on the make up of a carbon wheel, check out this article. Keep in mind, when the temperatures are expected to drop below freezing, the roads will be salted or sanded. Tire pressure and temperature is a different story—more about that below.
Which Road Tires Are Best For Winter Riding?
Tire selection during the winter depends on the road surface conditions. If you are riding in an area with little to no snow, you can continue to use your normal tires. Our favorite is the Continental GP 5000.
If you ride in a snowy area and snow control measures are used, consider a tire that has more grip. Rougher surface conditions due to debris will also wear tires faster. This article by our friends over at Cycling News lists a number of good options: https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/winter-road-bike-tyres/
Tire Pressure For Winter Cycling
Tire pressure is affected by temperature. If you air up your tires inside your home or garage that is warmer, say 72-78 degrees (Fahrenheit) and then go ride in 10 degree weather, your tire pressure will change. We wrote about tire-pressure change in temperature here.
Our recommendation is to take your bike outside before your ride. If you let it sit for 20 minutes and then air it up, your tire pressure will stay much more consistent. As you ride, your tires will naturally warm up due to rolling resistance, but it will not change your pressure enough to matter.
Maintenance During The Winter
Winter is the most important time of year for maintaining your wheels. When there is sand or salt on the road, you introduce abrasive agents that can prematurely wear your wheels. Between rides, we recommend the following maintenance for rim brake and disc brake wheels:
Rim Brake
Wipe the brake track clean and clean all debris from the brake pads. Water on a wet shop rag works wonders.
Disc Brake
Wipe the rotors clean and clean all debris from the calipers and brake shoes. A hose can be a good option to get the debris from the caliper and rotor area. A shop rag with water works wonders on the rotor.
The Best Road Wheels For Cyclists During The Winter
Based on all of the information provided above, here is what we recommend:
- Disc brake wheels are great—and recommended—for winter riding. Make sure to clean them regularly, and select a tire that will fit your environment.
- If you have a rim brake bike, start with assessing your environment.
- If you ride in an area with no snow, and salt or sand are not used, then your normal set-up is fine.
- If you are in an area where it snows, it’s wet, and salt or sand are used, we suggest riding a different set of wheels to use for the bad days. An aluminum-rimmed wheel can be great for this since aluminum will wear in a friendlier way (as well as being friendlier on the wallet). You may also want to consider a disc brake bike. While the upfront cost may be higher, over the long run it can end up saving you money since you are not prematurely wearing wheels out.
Disc Brake
Rim Brake
FLO 49 AS (Condition Depending)
FLO 64 AS (Condition Depending)
FLO 77 AS (Condition Depending)
Special Note About Cycling In The Pacific Northwest
When it comes to wheel wear, the Pacific Northwest provides an environment unlike any other I’ve ever experienced. This area has long, wet seasons, and in most places sand is used for snow control. This creates the perfect conditions for essentially creating sand paper for rim brake wheels. The worst wheel wear I see comes from this region. Below are a few pictures of extreme wear on an aluminum wheel, and on a carbon wheel. In some cases, this can cause a wheel to fail. Make sure you check your wheels on a regular basis. It can be easy to forget that rim brake wheels will eventually wear out. While brake pads take the majority of the wear, the brake tracks do wear over time.
Final Thoughts
Properly preparing for winter is really dependent upon where you live. Heeding the advice of this post can save a set of wheels if you ride in a wintery wonderland.
If you are considering getting a new bike or wheels for winter, our Trade-In Program may be a good fit for you. Trade in your old bike or wheels and received a gift card toward your FLO purchase + 20% off.
source https://blog.flocycling.com/maintenance/road-cycling-wheels-for-winter-riding/
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