Which option is safer for winter riding?

[harrisonpatm]

During the colder winter months, I am unable to ride my full-size motorcycle to work, because the battery is huge and unremovable, so it will be too cold for safe charge-discharge. It's a short, 3-mile one-way commute. So I have my smaller moped, with a removable battery. I keep the battery indoors. Then when it's time to go to work, I pop the battery in, it retains its room temperature for the 3-mile ride, and I store either the battery or the whole moped indoors, for my ride home.

This year, I was recently gifted a cheap no-name "Zoom" scooter. I removed the lead acid batteries, and was able to fit my already-made moped battery under the seat of the new scooter. So I now have a single battery, which is able to be swapped between two different rides.

I am wondering, which one will be the safer choice during the middle of winter? I will be riding every day, unless there was several inches of snow overnight. So there will be times when my riding will be on/over patches of snow. Maybe an ice patch. Maybe the whole way will be on a solid path of snow, packed down by car tires and salt trucks. Maybe we'll have a warm spell, and it will be slick with slush or sleet. If the roads are awful, I have backup transportation if necessary, but I will need to plan on using one of my rides 90% of the winter. My location is Detroit suburb, Michigan.

Therefore the question is, which one of these options are safer?

Option 1: Zoom scooter, low COG, hub motor, 16-inch tire, maybe 3-3.5 inches wide, disc brakes front and rear, about 120 pounds curb weight



Option 2: Moped, 110 pounds curb weight, somewhat higher COG. Drum brakes front and rear, 20-inch wheels, 2.5 inch width. Mid-drive, sketchy 7:1 chain ratio


Both tires are in good condition, good treads. Both sets of brakes are perfectly good, I've never had any issues stopping hard on either of them. No regen braking used on either.

Thoughts?

 

[Papa]

Winters here are similar or worse - typically 2-3.5 feet snow. I strongly discourage two wheels.

Best with as much friction as possible between the tires and riding surface. Narrow tires and course, knobby tread w/carbide studs or tire chains. Years ago, a company named Western Auto sold decent quality bicycle chains -

I should add, CoG height isn't as critical as uniform weight distribution, to maintain somewhat equal traction on both front and rear tires.

 

[99t4]

For riding on snow and ice I prefer the larger wheeled one. Smaller wheels get bogged down in the snow easier. The larger wheels add some gyroscopic stability when hitting ice patches.

More important maybe is the ability to straddle the seat with both feet on or at least near the ground. With winter boots on, your outstretched legs can act as outriggers to keep yourself upright when riding over patches of ice.

Maybe most important is your route. It needs to avoid vehicle traffic following you. Can't rely on them being able to stop if you go down in front of them.

 

[harrisonpatm]

I strongly discourage two wheels.

As a matter of principle, so do I. And yet, my circumstances require that I prioritize it, at least 90% of the time this winter. At least I don't get nearly as much snow as you do.

Maybe most important is your route. It needs to avoid vehicle traffic following you. Can't rely on them being able to stop if you go down in front of them.

Good point. My commute to work is at 3 AM (I'm a baker), so essentially no traffic at that time.

 

[Mclewis1]

This is coming from 30+ years of experience commuting and shopping on a bike/ebike in winter conditions (Toronto ON, Boulder CO, Fredericton NB).

My opinion is that on the worst of the winter road conditions in Detroit neither of the OP's options are "safe" . The only way I'd consider regularly commuting on shared roads under the conditions stated is with better traction (studs/chains). Otherwise I'd only consider using either "bike" with the tires shown when it's a wet ... not a frozen surface. It's only 3 miles ... on the bad days I'd walk or find an alternative mode of transport (car/bus, etc.).

Now sorry but I've got to be "that guy". What do either of the OP's bikes shown have to do with ebicycles? There's a place in the E-S forums for electric motorcycles and scooters ... and it isn't here in this one.

 

[Zambam]

on the bad days I'd walk or find an alternative mode of transport (car/bus, etc.).

You forgot skis.

 

[harrisonpatm]

My opinion is that on the worst of the winter road conditions in Detroit neither of the OP's options are "safe" . The only way I'd consider regularly commuting on shared roads under the conditions stated is with better traction (studs/chains). Otherwise I'd only consider using either "bike" with the tires shown when it's a wet ... not a frozen surface. It's only 3 miles ... on the bad days I'd walk or find an alternative mode of transport (car/bus, etc.).

A fair opinion. On the worst days, I will indeed be reduced to walking. But as I stated before, this will be at 2:30-3 AM, so no bus routes, no traffic, and I'd rather not walk during that time if I can help it (shady characters). If there's solid ice or several inches of snow, it'll be by foot. But the roads in my area, the ones I take at least, are well maintained and salted regularly during the winter. It will frequently be wet, not frozen.

Now sorry but I've got to be "that guy". What do either of the OP's bikes shown have to do with ebicycles? There's a place in the E-S forums for electric motorcycles and scooters ... and it isn't here in this one.

I picked "mechanical and structural" because my question was in reference to mechanical principles of two-wheeled riding in sub-zero conditions, which isn't restricted to e-scooters, e-motorcycles, or e-anything.

 

[SlowCo]

I would feel safer and more in control on the moped but would strongly suggest to invest in some winter tires:

Heidenau (or other brand)

 

[E-HP]

I like the option with the lowest seating position.

Now sorry but I've got to be "that guy". What do either of the OP's bikes shown have to do with ebicycles? There's a place in the E-S forums for electric motorcycles and scooters ... and it isn't here in this one.

Could be because this is the only subforum set up for advice on non-E issues, like the OP is asking about?

 

[E-HP]

I would feel safer and more in control on the moped but would strongly suggest to invest in some winter tires:

Heidenau (or other brand)

Or studded for snow

Electric Scooter Studded Explosionproof Offs Road Tire for Snowfield Solid Tire, Nonslip Thicken Rubber Tubeless Tire - Walmart.com

Buy Electric Scooter Studded Explosionproof Offs Road Tire for Snowfield Solid Tire, Nonslip Thicken Rubber Tubeless Tire at Walmart.com

www.walmart.com

 

[scianiac]

Studs are the only way I would even consider this, the difference between studs and no studs on ice is shocking. More aggressive tread may also be nice in slush and light snow. Option 2 with some dirt bike/dual sport tires and screw in carbide studs?

 

[harrisonpatm]

Maybe I can get a second set of wheels with winter tread

 

[E-HP]

Maybe I can get a second set of wheels with winter tread

I think it’s probably the same now, but many decades ago, I went to school back east in upstate NY. I never lived with snow before. People routinely swapped their tires to snow tires at fall, then back at spring. Spikes seem like a good option.

 

[rafalg]

Scooter will keep your feet dry. Lower ride, easier to save from falling when the wheel slips. And it's easier to get winter tires for smaller scooter wheels. But i'm afraid they both will rust like crazy after riding in salted slurry.

 

[harrisonpatm]

Luckily for me, the moped was already a scrap build and is already nice and rusty!