Ice Bike Season is Back!

After confiscating my hybrid bike from my father-in-law last night, and with a couple new inches of snow on the ground, I eagerly installed the Innova 700x35 studded tires on the hybrid this afternoon.

All bundled up, off I went. Oops. Forget to adjust the seat. Father-in-law had it set all the way down. Okay, now I'm ready. Oops. Why are the handlebars crooked? How could he ride the bike with crooked handlebars? Oh well. Okay, now it's time to go.

Ah yes, listen to those studs bite. Holy smokes, the city already cleared off the bike trails?! There is still some snow and ice here and there, so the studded tires are still useful.

Nearly 13 miles later, no slip-splats -- heck, no slips at all -- and the fingers and toes were fine because I never really got my speed up.

How did I ever ride this 40-pound bike 65 miles uphill all the way to Laramie a year-and-a-half ago, I wondered.

And those platform pedals? Yuck! And the darned front derailleur iced up and left me stuck in the big gear... which was okay because I'm a big gear kinda guy.

Only saw two kids out on their little MTBs and two joggers. Just me and the icy tundra!

I love my Ice Bike! Here's a video...



Chin whiskers, you may ask? My three sons and I have a little whisker-growing challenge. We stopped shaving Thanksgiving morning and won't shave again until Christmas Eve, at which point all the women in our lives will judge Howard to be the winner.

Howard & Ice Bike, December 7, 2007