Winter riding tips.

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bigredddaddy

bigredddaddy

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I've thought about what stinks about riding in the cold and what to do for it. More of us would ride in the winter if we armed for it. My eyes water like crazy in -10* (that's COLD too :shock: ) so I'm getting snowboard goggles. I have a cheap Carhart copy coat and pants that I'm gonna spray with CampDry, it works great on tents so it should water proof the suit good. And I've seen heated gloves and socks that run on D batteries. Anyone else have ideas?
 
this is what they came up with in holland. not sure if it'll keep you dry though. :(

bike-rain-roof1.jpg


i have one of these : http://www.decoying.co.uk/?page=show-item&item=118,when it's really cold i wear it around my neck under my t shirt. works great!
 
I did it all last winter and I kept it pretty simple, beater mountain bike with fat knobby tires (ones with knobs spaced out work better I've found), and all I wore was a pair of wind/water resistant workout pants over my regular pants and an insulated orange hunting hoodie over my regular work shirt (I'd pull the hood up over my head and put the helmet on over that, looks goofy but nice and warm). Good gloves, convertibles are great when you need your fingertips for adjusting something. I'd recommend good lights too.

Definitely check out the icebike site for riding tips too, some good advice.
 
ANYTHING EXPOSED WILL FREEZE. ANYTHING TOUCHING METAL, EVEN THRU FABRIC, WILL FREEZE.
I did not have a car for over 5 year and did this by bicycle.
Do you have a store that sell uniforms and construction clothing in you area? They might have fleece lined pants. You take those and stick them inside you wool socks. If you have cleats like Eggbeaters the cold comes up thru the metal into your feet. For your hands some kind of light ski or snowmobile gloves that are long and flexible. A waterproof jacket (light) with a hood over a fleece. That will go over a flannel shirt and t shirt. Hood goes under the helmet. Dress in thin layers not in one big bulky layer. Scarf to cover the neck and mouth. Just have your eyes and nose uncovered.
ANYTHING EXPOSED WILL FREEZE. ANYTHING TOUCHING METAL, EVEN THRU FABRIC, WILL FREEZE.
I would travel 7 miles to the train station at 5am in the Boston, MA area at 0 degrees F and would sweat by the time I got to the station. I would open up my jacket and steam would pour out.
Thinner tires 25mm would cut thru the snow on the roads, while the mountain bike tires will ride on top. Drop 2 gears down that what you would ride at and go really slow. Do not make turns on black ice. Bike goes one way you go the other. Lights front and back, red blinking, for white outs.
ANYTHING EXPOSED WILL FREEZE. ANYTHING TOUCHING METAL, EVEN THRU FABRIC, WILL FREEZE.
Grow a beard and once again
ANYTHING EXPOSED WILL FREEZE. ANYTHING TOUCHING METAL, EVEN THRU FABRIC, WILL FREEZE.
No cars....
 
Maybe go to bikeforums and check out their winter cycling tips, or their commuting thread. I commute regularly (at least this year) and so far, lobster claw mittens, a balaclava and skull cap, down coat, long johns and sweat pants and hiking boots are what does it for me. If you're going with skinny tires (700CXwhatever) go with cyclocross tires. Otherwise, MTB tires would work well.
 
i commute to work via single speed cruiser, usually vintage, all year around and unless the snow is deeper than 4 inchs, i will not drive my truck (a 79' chevy LUV, but thats another forum). warm cloths in layers and preferably ones that allow "breathing". i wear a beanie cuz most body heat xcapes thru our heads and definatly gloves. i have a rain suit that i use for rainy days and threw a rack on the back of my 93' murry cruiser and my 62' jch cruiser to carry my gear home if the weather improves while i am at work. fenders forever in bad weather and good knobbie tires or studded for snowy weather and low gearing. i also drop my seatpost an inch or two for snow riding as this will help lower my center of gravity for improved stabbility. i run coaster brakes on all my cruisers as they stop the same in good or bad weather. and if it gets really wet or snowy i put on my snowboarding goggles to help out.
 
I was thinking about testing out my maxxis hookworms this winter to see if they worked better than knobby tires in winter conditions. The tread is fairly smooth, but it's a nice fat 2.5" tire.

I was also thinking about riding a 3 speed trike. The possible advantage is that with three wheels you won't lose your balance like you would on a 2 wheeler any time you hit the ice. Might be a little tough getting through the sludge and small snow banks, though.................
 

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