Bicycling in winter details
Some practical information that might help anyone who wants to do this
This is just a report about how I adapt to the winter. It is not a recommendation that you do the same. There may be some useful information from my experiences, and I'm sure there would be from yours. Whatever you do, please understand that there are extra difficulties and risks to bicycling in winter. Each person will have a different approach that suits their attitudes and strengths.
Stay away from traffic. We don't always have a choice of routes, but I avoid traffic as much as possible. One way is by paying attention to the route going to work when I look for a place to rent.
Another way is by going to work at times other than the rush hour. I have worked shifts starting as early as 5 in the morning. On those days I'd usually only see 2 cars moving in the whole 6 mile trip. (Yes! :) )
I don't use anything over my face, and that includes 18 miles at -33 C a few winters ago. This was slow going because there had been snow with the cold snap, and most of it hadn't been cleared. Windburn was not a problem.
The trip did include 2 stops where I had time to warm up. A face gets used to it, but if you don't have a lot of outdoor winter experience, be careful to watch for frostbite. Rub any spot you are worried about to check for feeling, and to help with circulation.
For the headgear, I do need something warm, and if it was more than a toque, it wouldn't fit under my helmet. I have an extreme respect for bicycle helmets. (See bicycle helmets for details.) But on the coldest days years ago when I needed 2 pieces of headgear, I would bicycle without a helmet. The coldest days also tended to be the slowest which helped with the safety.
Since then, I bought a hard shell helmet from Canadian Tire that has a very easy and quick size adjustment, just twist a dial. On the coldest commutes, I'll have a toque, a cap with tie down ear flaps, and then the helmet. Note that helmet information will tell you not to wear anything under it, but it seems safer than not wearing a helmet at all.
It's the best helmet I've ever had. The thin plastic ones always used to crack if you dropped a teaspoon on them. The cracks in the outer shell don't mean that it is no longer safe, but it doesn't look good to me. A minor complaint, but I was hoping for something more durable to come out. This one looks like it will stop the first couple of bullets that hit it. It weighs about a pound, so Lance and a few other people might not wear it, but I like it.
I use regular flat pedals with no straps or clips. If I am on ice and slip, I can usually reach out with a foot quickly enough to save my balance. There are times when I have had to push or carry a bike home. The clip type of shoes is not something I'm even interested in trying. Bicycling shoes are usually made to keep feet cool. That is a feature you don't want in winter. You can trust me on this one.
I use hiking boots. It's easy to get them big enough for thick winter socks. If they are 8 or 10 inches tall, they will be able to keep your ankles warm too. You will have a windproof layer of leather, then a winter sock over them. That is much better than a short shoe and just a sock over an ankle. Keeping your ankles and legs warm helps keep your feet warm.
Winter clothing does not need to be expensive. I do not buy any of the expensive bicycling winter gear. A regular parka does a good job.
Mitts are warmer than gloves. You can have better liners or even put another pair of mitts over the first one with liners. There is less surface area to the mitts, so less heat loss.
Ice is more of a problem than temperature. You get used to the cold and learn how to dress to keep warm, but going over ice takes practice. It won't work for everyone. Someone at work asked "How do you keep from falling in pea gravel?"
(This is fine gravel about the size of a pea that is lightly spread on paved roads to add traction for cars in the snow. After the snow melts, the gravel can collect on the shoulders of the road and pose a hazard to bicycles.)
I told him I had never fallen in pea gravel and it wasn't a problem. I would not suggest anyone with problems like that, try riding over ice. It is almost always possible to ride around it, or walk the bike across.
For practice, there is more ice in alleys than on roads. The alleys are not cleared to the standards that the roads are. On my days off, I run my errands through the alleys as much as I can. My first few times going over ice were tense, and it took until the second winter before I could relax while going over it.
For tires, I use 700 - 32, 26 x 1.25, or 27 x 1 1/4, depending on the bike. These are all about the same width and profile and are ideal general purpose tires winter and summer.
For the last size, the cheaper ones at the department stores work well. They have a decent amount of thread, and haven't been made as thin as possible to save weight.
If tires are fatter, they are harder to push through snow. The only time they have an advantage is on bike trails that have snow packed down by mountain bikes. Narrower tires will cut through this while the MB tires will be able to ride on top. For the sake of the other advantages of narrower tires, I'm happy to do a little extra work in those conditions.
On average my impression is that I am one gear lower and slower in winter than in summer. A winter commute will take more time. There are some days that are as fast as summer, or close to it, but on the most difficult days it can be very slow.
I pack a breakfast as well as a lunch, and eat them both at work. If time is short only my breakfast is at risk, not my on time record. I also get up about half an hour earlier than I need to, and have a look at conditions to see if I need to start early.
So I hope this included a practical idea or two that might help you. In my experience, even though it might be a bit uncomfortable at times, there is still something interesting and enjoyable about doing it.
And for a page that might inspire bicycling in winter, try this one.
