| Biking Through Winter |
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| Written by Joshua Liberles | |||||
| Monday, 05 November 2007 | |||||
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Circular reasoning and truisms make up some of my favorite quotes. Try this one, from Icebike, on for size: “You will find that the weather is really not that bad, except when it IS that bad, which is not that often.” As the air starts feeling a little crisp and we’re rapidly heading towards winter, I hear many people talking about putting their bikes into hibernation mode. While there are days where the most hardcore among us will forego the bike, riding through the winter in relative comfort is a lot more viable than most people think.
There’s something about the photo on this All Weather Sports webpage (also left above) that has always brought me joy. I initially came across this site once I realized that the biking bug had bitten me hard enough that I wouldn't stop riding in the winter. A little research brought me to that page, replete with info on staying warm and dry; riding safely in winter conditions; and equipment suggestions.
As cool as all the information on that minimalist website is, it was the youthful, goofy smile on that guy’s face as he crunches along on a snowmachine trail in Alaska that really brought me in. There I was looking for a solution for cold feet and maybe a suggestion for a breathable shell to survive winter days around Boston, and I’m confronted with a guy flying right along on top of many feet of snow.
Riding Technique from All Weather Sports:
99% of us likely don’t need to know that elastomer suspensions on mountain bikes lose their efficacy close to 0 F; we're unlikely to ride when it’s cold enough outside to make steel noticeably more brittle or crack plastic water bottle cages and toe clips (topics covered by All Weather Sports). But the very fact that people are out riding in these conditions and enjoying themselves made me realize that there was no need for concern as I embarked on my first winter of cycling. Despite the baffled looks I would get from motorists, friends, coworkers, I persisted and enjoyed myself immensely.
Winter cycling is a great excuse to buy yourself some fancy new technical cycling layers and to continue to one-up your poor car-addicted brethren for another season. You might even set a precedent for others to ride on slightly more inclement days than they otherwise would, just as the crazy Alaskans did for me.
Some general tips: Dress in layers, preferably made of a good wicking material (i.e. synthetics, wool, etc.). Pay extra attention to your hands and feet. Several sources recommend big SPD sandals with wool socks and insulated waterproof covers. Real winter boots (i.e. not cycling-specific) with toe clips work well too. For warm hands in the coldest conditions, pogies look like a sensational solution. Perhaps the best advice is to take one day at a time and, if you don’t feel like riding, don’t. Gradually you’ll expand your comfort window and head out on more days you would have never dreamed of riding previously.
Other great sources for winter cycling tips include: Alaska All Season Cycling and Icebike.
Photos via All Weather Sports and Icebike.
Comments (2)
Korey Pelton
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This has been my first year of serious cycle commuting to work in the winter. So far it has pretty great, except for the two slips I've had, which occured when the streets were solid ice. I think I'll give studded tires a try next year. I think I'm providing a good example for all those winter-cycle-a-phobic people in their SUVs.  |
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I lived (car free) in colorado a few years back and cycle commuted through winter. I just loved it! Trying to charge through snow drifts was a bit of fun. I would cycle through a high school car park which regularly had a black ice skid pan, it made a great venue for skid balance training and front wheel lock ups. I found ski goggles to be awesome during snowfall,a thin polypropylene balacava was good under the helmet, gore-tex jackets pants and gloves kept me toasty even on the coldest nights.... I live in Australia now  |
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