by Kevin Miller, October 2007
I started seriously riding a bicycle at age 16, but for the first 21 years I
only used my bicycles from early April to late October. Then in
1993, I decided to continue cycling for transportation throughout the winter. It
has turned out to be a very successful and rewarding experience.
Winter cyclists are warm. They do not curse the cold because they dress for it
and are active in it.
Contrary to what many people think, winter cycling is safe. On most days, conditions on the busy
streets are almost summer-like. However, if arterial streets are slippery and
traffic is heavy, I cycle slowly on the sidewalk because I don't trust motor
vehicles' lack of traction. I think that most motorists, including the police,
are glad to see a winter cyclist on the sidewalk when streets are slippery and
busy. The few pedestrians don't seem to mind either, especially since I always
call "excuse me" as I approach one, and "thank you" if they move to one side. I
am very careful to always ride on the "proper side of the street" sidewalk so
that drivers exiting lanes and driveways will see me coming, and I'm extra
careful at all intersecting roads, lanes, and driveways. My 12K commute time
increases
from a summer average of 30 minutes to 45 minutes or more, but driving and busing are
much slower in the winter too.
I save $65 per month on bus money. If you drive for personal transportation,
you'll save a lot more than that. Also, you don't have to scrape windows, you
don't have to wait for the engine to heat up, parking is easier, and you feel
good about the obvious fitness and environmental benefits of your transportation
choice.
In order for winter cycling to be successful, your clothing and equipment
choices must work. I'll tell you what works for me.
Clothing:
Torso/legs:
If you participate in other outdoor winter sports, you'll know what to wear: a
perspiration-wicking undergarment, an insulating layer, and a wind-proof shell.
Vary the insulating layer from fleece or wool on the coldest days to nothing on
the mildest days. If you're warm during the first minute, you'll be too hot
after five minutes. If you hate being cold for the first few minutes, do a few
minutes of pushups or sit-ups immediately prior to hopping on your bike.
Head/face:
I wear eyeglasses, I cannot wear contact lenses, and my eyes are very sensitive
to wind, so I have to overcome fogging and tearing problems. I apply a
glycerin-based soap like Pears to my eyeglasses to control fogging. Downhill ski
goggles prevent tearing, and mine have a battery-operated fan to keep my
eyeglasses completely clear. Combinations of a balaclava, ear muffs, ear band,
neoprene mask, and neck tube prevent freezing skin on colder days and sweating
profusely on milder days. And don't forget to cover up those big vents in your
helmet with tape or a helmet cover.
Hands:
Your hands remain stationary on the handlebar and are exposed to the wind, so
ski gloves only work on mild days. For the coldest days, I apply anti-perspirant
to my hands, and use multiple pairs of well-insulated mitts. I also have to flex
my thumbs occasionally. Snowmobile gauntlets or cycling pogies are also options.
Feet:
On milder days, light boots with proper socks will be OK for toe-clip or
platform pedal users. Cycling shoes with proper socks and booties can work for
clipless pedal users. For the coldest days, my old system consisted of
anti-perspirant to minimize sweating, a thin perspiration-wicking sock, a pair
of very thick wool socks, and a pair of breathable boots with thick insulation,
but I was then forced to use a platform pedal. I had a pair of clipless pedals
with a platform surrounding the clipless part (there are also one-sided clipless
pedals that have a platform pedal on the other side), so I could still use
clipless pedals on the milder days. Then I devised a
6-layer vapor barrier footwear system
that allows me to use clipless pedals down to -41C!
If all this sounds far too
expensive, remember that I'm on the bike for 45+ minutes, and I view every ride
as a challenge of self-reliance. If your commute time is much shorter, you may
not need all the high-tech clothing I need. Also, based on the clothing you
currently own, you should be able to determine your lowest temperature comfort
point; if it's colder than that, you can choose not to cycle on that day. As you
gain experience and purchase a few other clothing items, you should be able to
extend your temperature range.
Bicycle:
I use an older, quality mountain bike with a spring/elastomer suspension, fenders
for sloppy days, and studded tires that are fantastic on hard-packed snow and
fairly good on glare ice.
Bike shops carry exceptional Nokian carbide-steel studded tires (I have the 160-stud
1.9" Mount & Ground), Schwalbe carbide-steel studded tires (two models), IRC
Blizzard (many reported problems), Innova (the studs are soft steel and wear
down to nothing after a few hundred K on pavement), and "home-made" models ---
or you can make your own.
My spring/elastomer suspension works well at all temperatures, and I
appreciate it when hard-packed snow is rough. An air/oil suspension is at risk for
blown seals on the coldest days, and an old elastomer-only suspension becomes
rigid below freezing.
By using a very light lube during the cold spells, my bike performs well at very
low temperatures. However, at milder temperatures, especially on sunny days,
salty slushy slop can quickly cause steel parts to rust unless the bike is
well-lubed with a much heavier oil or grease, or you clean and re-lube all parts
frequently. An alternative is to use a beater bike on the sloppy days.
At least one of my two commutes is in darkness, so lighting and good
reflectorization are very important.
If all this sounds like too much
bike maintenance and/or too many expensive upgrades to your bike, you can simply
choose to not cycle on days when the salty/sandy/slushy crud is likely to
inflict a beating on your bike and/or on days when the streets or sidewalks are
too icy or snowy for your bike to handle. I personally do not cycle on the 5 to
10 days each winter when a fairly significant snowfall has occurred overnight
because I know the arterial streets will be extremely slippery, and the side
streets, pathways, and sidewalks will be so slow-going that my commute time will
double. I also know that the streets and sidewalks will all be plowed/sanded and
in OK shape by the following day.
The Icebike website
has lots of great info about winter cycling, but remember that
winter in Winnipeg in January is much colder and drier than winter in most other
parts of the world. The website also has instructions for joining the
Icebike Email List ("listserve"). Other good sites for winter cycling are:
http://www.toronto.ca/bug/cold_weather.htm
(there's a Tips For Cold Weather Bicycle Commuting leaflet)
http://www.bicyclinglife.com/Recreation/wintercycling.htm
http://www.mec.ca, click the
Learn tab, then select Cycling Info. From that page, click on Winter Cycle
Commuting under the General menu.
If you're interested in discussing winter cycling, please contact Kevin
Miller.