Older vehicles in Finland
Re: Studded tires on bikes
Yes you can. And it's not 'masochistic' even though it might sound like. Some info here and here.Make wrote:I didn't see many bicycles in winter though.
But as dutch as I am, I'd like to be able to ride my bike year round.
Can I get studded tires for my bike?
I used to cycle 20 km a day (home - university - home) all year round (except days below -30C.. ok, below -32C), nowadays just 13km a day (to work and back). The key is not to wear heavy and thick clothes, but layers. Especially when your muscles generate heat all the time when cycling: it's a bad idea to get sweaty and then stop.. To me, tshirt, light knitted cotton shirt and gore-tex jacket was enough, when I also had a backbag with me, which is a great insulator. But the outpointing parts such as nose, toes and fingers need extra attention to avoid getting frost bites.
OK, the idea might sound crazy to some people, but if you cycle summer through fall and winter, the temperatures drop so slowly that you will adapt quite well (at least I do) and it's not cold. It's totally different if you suddenly grab your bike for the first from the garage sometime in January since July. I actually enjoy more riding on those crisp -10C winter days than on +28C hot summer days..
- Xochiquetzal
- Posts: 1400
- Joined: Tue May 24, 2005 2:44 pm
- Location: The 'poo!
[quote="Hank W]
Are you from a different planet or something? In Finland there is this thing called "screwing the population". Actually if it was not for personal use, say a taxicab, you could actually skirt the taxes You can bring *a* car in as a moveable item, but the logistics really don't make it that cheap. You've read the http://www.tulli.fi pages back & forth have you? Besides which "outside the EU" the tax rules are totally different from the within EU.[/quote]
I have to admit, that was the hardest part about moving to Finland. I was restoring three different American muscle cars when I made the decision and had to sell all of them since I could not afford the taxes to bring them from California. How do you go to a Toyota Camry after driving a 1970 GTO judge convertible for five years? Unhappily, that's how. The extra taxes on the Camry when we arrived (because it's an automatic?? C'mon!) were just insult to injury. No more taking apart engines in the garage over Winter for me any more. *cry*
Are you from a different planet or something? In Finland there is this thing called "screwing the population". Actually if it was not for personal use, say a taxicab, you could actually skirt the taxes You can bring *a* car in as a moveable item, but the logistics really don't make it that cheap. You've read the http://www.tulli.fi pages back & forth have you? Besides which "outside the EU" the tax rules are totally different from the within EU.[/quote]
I have to admit, that was the hardest part about moving to Finland. I was restoring three different American muscle cars when I made the decision and had to sell all of them since I could not afford the taxes to bring them from California. How do you go to a Toyota Camry after driving a 1970 GTO judge convertible for five years? Unhappily, that's how. The extra taxes on the Camry when we arrived (because it's an automatic?? C'mon!) were just insult to injury. No more taking apart engines in the garage over Winter for me any more. *cry*
Last edited by Xochiquetzal on Wed Aug 17, 2005 11:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I was delighted to see so many long forgotten well kept cars from my childhood here in Oulu, all of which rusted away to oblivion in the UK years ago.
I had put it down to Finns general petrolheadedness and them being prepared to maintain their vehicles themselves. Biltema stocks exhaust systems fercripesake! Even serious car freaks I know in the UK who do lots to their cars would rather pay someone else to do it than crawl around in the dirt.
But no, I had it explained to me by a colleague rcently
"Its because we're living in Cuba"
I had put it down to Finns general petrolheadedness and them being prepared to maintain their vehicles themselves. Biltema stocks exhaust systems fercripesake! Even serious car freaks I know in the UK who do lots to their cars would rather pay someone else to do it than crawl around in the dirt.
But no, I had it explained to me by a colleague rcently
"Its because we're living in Cuba"
- Xochiquetzal
- Posts: 1400
- Joined: Tue May 24, 2005 2:44 pm
- Location: The 'poo!
Heh. You can only tempt me with something over 400CID/360HP/7.0L. Preferrably with an 11:1 compression ratio, hemispherical heads, 8 cylinders in a V formation, hardened valves, some form of fresh air induction through the hood, Hurst Muncie M20 Rock Crusher tranny, Holly "dual flood' carb, and some nice posi in the differential so I don't go too squirrely with it when I show you men how to handle a stick.Hank W. wrote:I have a garageful of VW beetle parts you could come play with... need to do a flywheel change between engines...
Actually, scratch the Holly. I need a Quadra"junk" so the numbers all match. Have to be a purist!
See, not all women are hard to please!
(and that was only for a GM car - don't get me started on the Mopars!!)
Geeze, Hank W, now you made me drool all over myself
.......sulks off to go play with her ERTLE Hemicuda