MTB Snow Ride

Sunday morning offered up an opportunity to hit some snowy trails on the Troll. Any time we get snow, you have to act quickly before it's gone. This stuff came on Saturday and there's almost no evidence of it now. So I wanted to ride in it as much as possible before it was all gone.

Very few people had been out on the trail. But the snow was already starting to fade. But with temps in the teens, the melted snow (and mud that would have followed) had frozen back up to allow for manageable riding.

I took the Troll's 2.5" tires down to about 15psi. I really wasn't sure if I needed to use the studded tires or not (my studded tires don't have near the volume that the Trolls MTB tires do). I opted to leave the wider, high volume tires on. I have very little experience in the snow, but I think I made the right choice. No studs, but wider footprint helped smooth things out and keep me stable. Not once did I feel like I was slipping on ice.

Towards the creek is where I saw the least amount of snow. I'm not sure why. But lots of it had melted down there. Also, as I approached the creek (after about a half hour of riding), I realized that not once had I used my brakes so far. It was a slow, deliberate pedaling kind of day. The resistance of the snow had me plodding along. No rush. I was just soaking in the sights.

I even packed along a thermos of coffee. After about an hour on the bike, I took off all the layers and sat in the snow, drinking my toasty beverage.

Eventually I made my way back on the bike and pedaled back to the car. It was a slow, but fantastic ride. I wish we got more snow.

Get out there.