So you are hardcore enough to brave the elements this winter and ride to work.  Good for you!  It’s so much more difficult to motivate yourself to ride in the morning when you know that Mother Nature is not going to gently embrace you with a thousand warm kisses of the sunrise.  No instead, during these commutes you will be slapped repeatedly across the face and made to feel as if someone is throwing fistfuls of razorblades at you with deadly, ninja-like accuracy.  So if you are powering through, good for you, be proud, you are truly awesome.

Here is the deal though… you need to say thank you to your most loyal of friends, your trusty metal steed for braving the weather with you.  In fact, you may not realize it, but your bicycle is taking almost as much punishment (if not more depending on how well you are at crossing ice patches) as you are.

3 tips for getting your bike through the winter commuting season: 

1.  Cleanliness

I’m from the Midwestern United States, and around these parts we use a nasty combination of sand and salt and even an ice melting solution on the roads pretty much all winter.  This stuff wreaks havoc on all sorts of parts of a bicycle.  The chain, the brake pads, the wheels, the frame…left unattended, I’m confident that my bike would slowly melt into a puddle of shiny goo a la Terminator 2 (only without reforming into an evil robot from the future).

Every day you should wipe down your bike after you are done commuting.  If you don’t have a solution to use (I prefer Simple Green) just go with warm water and a little soap.  Wash your rims; wipe down the underside of your frame (if not the entire frame, at least get the parts where there is clear splash back.  It’s pretty much a given that at the end of a long winter you will need to at least invest in a new chain and brake pads (not a guaranty, but a might as well assume so just so you aren’t surprised).  Even though I expect to have to replace it I still give my chain a clean by holding a rag around it and gently spinning it through.  I only apply new lube every other ride…it’s up to you really, because after you clean your chain it could probably use lube every day.  But I’m stingy and my commuter is a beater.

2.  Be Prepared

In the summer I carry a small pump, patch kit, tire wrenches, and a multi-tool.  During winter I carry a lot more.

During winter riding, you can quickly find yourself in situations that could present more problems than just having to walk your bike a bit…you don’t want to be broken down in freezing temperatures with no way to fix something.

Make sure you know how to repair your chain, brake lines and pads, and change flats.  If your chain allows for it, carry a master-link or two for quick repairs. Also consider carrying extra brake pads.  The stuff they put on roads gets all over your rims and then of course your brake pads…the can corrode fast.  For winter, I recommend a self sticking patch kit, as opposed to the standard vulcanized patches I use during warmer months.  I am never confident they will save a tube indefinitely, but they will at least allow me to re-inflate and get to my destination and out of the elements faster than waiting on glue to dry.  I also highly recommend fenders.  When it’s warm, I don’t mind getting wet from rain…in fact I kind of like watching the water spin off my tires, but winter is a different story.  Fenders also help save your frame and components.

3.  Ice is Slick

It’s a common misnomer among drivers as well, fatter tires don’t mean much on ice.  You might be inclined to think a mountain bike is better for a winter commute, and while that may be true sometimes, I feel that most of the time it isn’t.  With less contact surface area on the road, I feel like my road bike slips more than my mountain bike.  My skinny tires can carve through snow and slush like a knife, while my 29er Monster Bike tends to slide from side to side all the time.

However, keep in mind that snow and slush are very different from ice.  It’s darker in the morning during winter, the road is dark, and ice can appear to be just a bit of wetness on the road until…whoops…I fell over.  If it’s below freezing, assume there will be ice on your commute.  Like Wiggo or the Missile, try to hold your line and ride straight as much as possible.  Find a place in the lane where you are comfortable and stay in that spot.  Don’t jerk or swerve or even change lanes if you don’t have to.  It takes a little more self-control in the winter to hold the lane, but it’s more critical than ever, in my opinion.

When you make your turns don’t try to ride like you are racing a kit…leaning into it will typically not go well if you hit even a small patch of ice.  However if you stay upright and turn with your handlebars, you should have a much better chance at staying upright.

Like I said, if you are powering through the nasty cold weather, good for you! It is a little bit of a different ball game to commute in the winter months, but if you can follow these few suggestions you should come out a stronger cyclist in the spring.  Be careful, take care of yourself and your bicycle, and you will be just fine.

Aaron

It is pretty easy to get up in the morning, grab a cup-a-joe and hop on the bike to ride to work…when it’s warm out.  However, cold weather presents an entirely new group of challenges.  It seems like the colder it gets, the harder it is for me to just get out of bed, forget riding to work.  More gear to keep you warm means more time to get ready, means more time to  talk yourself out of the bike ride.  Long or short, riding to work in the cold weather adds a whole new element to your commute.

You may not be a big fan of spending money on fancy skin suits, cool commuter shoes and bags, or any gear like that.  When it comes to commuting, some gear you can do without, but in the cold weather months, you shouldn’t be putting your safety at risk to save a few bucks.  Yes, riding in the cold is more dangerous than riding in warm weather.

Wearing too many layers causes you to sweat, sometimes without you even knowing it.  The stop and go of commuting doesn’t often lend itself well to maintaining a constant body temperature, meaning you get really hot for a few blocks, start sweating, then stop and cool down at the next light.  This can happen in warm weather plenty as well, but when temperatures dip below freezing, suddenly your cool downs could put you at risk for a variety of ugly consequences, especially if you have a good sweat worked up.

It’s important to get some gear that can keep you warm without making you overheat at the same time.  Winter gear is expensive, but fortunately you don’t need to go out and waste money finding the right stuff to solve that problem, because you can come here and read what has already been tested.  Here are four items I have found are 100% worth the money and are sure to keep your temperature even on your ride to and from work.

Pearl Izumi Pro Thermal LS Jersey:

Think of this amazingly warm and wind-resistant article of clothing as a cross between your favorite fleece and a bike jersey.  Made using a Minerale thermal fabric, this full zip jersey is heavier than a wool jersey and every bit as comfortable as your favorite pull over.  Like most cycling jerseys it comes with the standard three pocket back to ensure easy access to your commuter snacks and gear on the ride.

This jersey also has a fantastic breast pocket for your cell phone that has a slit on the inside to feed your headphones through so they don’t dangle out in the cold or get caught on your bike while riding.

Like all Pearl Izumi gear it does run a little small, so don’t be afraid to go a size big so you can add a long sleeve t-shirt layer underneath. It won’t do the trick by itself when temperatures get down to freezing, but the simple addition of a turtleneck or long-sleeve t-shirt is all it takes to ride in the coldest of weather.

Endura Dexter Windproof Gloves:

Gloves might be one of the most important things you can spend money on for a winter commuter.  Even with temperatures in the 40′s, riding without warm, insulated gloves has left my fingers feeling more numb for far longer than I am comfortable with after arriving.  Something about the combination of slowing blood flow from leaning on your handlebars a little more because you are tired, and the wind battering you can make your fingers the very first thing to suffer.

Endura’s Dexter gloves are the best glove I have found for commuting.  You can’t just purchase a cheap pair of gloves from Walmart…the wind cuts through more than you would guess.  These gloves are insulated and warm with great grip and feature tightly woven fabrics that keep even those high-winds from Sandy at bay.  Far superior to anything I have tried from Giro, Smartwool, or even the leather of Knog.

Smartwool PHD Ski Medium:

Your feet are equally important to take care of.  Smartwool are pricey, especially for socks, but they are worth every penny.  The PHD Ski Mediums are an over-the-calf sock so they keep your entire leg warm.

I find that while leg-warmers are nice, there really isn’t much need for anything more than jeans from the knee to the waist.  If you need to, drop to a lower gear, or get a fixie to commute on…spinning will warm those knees up right quick!

There isn’t much that needs said about these socks to be honest.  If you have never owned a pair of Smartwool socks, just buy any pair at all and you will never be able to wear a normal sock again.  If only they had toe socks…I would be in heaven.  I love Smartwool.

Beard Head:

Your torso, your hands, your feet, and lastly your head.  As a bald guy, proper headwear in the winter is critical.  Now, you could go and get a standard balaclava if you wanted to.  They fit under your helmet (which you should always wear) and are typically pretty darn warm… but that just isn’t any fun.

I discovered the magic of Beard Head a long time ago.  Not only am I bald, but I also don’t have any facial hair…nor have I, nor will I (Google Alopecia Universalis if you are interested).  That’s why the idea of a knitted hat that provides me with a beard is way more awesome than a boring old balaclava.  My wife purchased me my Beard Head many years ago when she got tired of me complaining about not being able to participate in Movember.

It is now a part of my winter riding outfit.  The hat fits perfectly under my helmet (this is the original model by the way) while the beard and mustache keep my face perfectly warm.  In all seriousness this hat is seriously the best thing I could have ever found to ride with.  It blocks out nearly all the wind while really keeping my face warm, but also the hand-knitted fabric allows me to breathe normally without the hat getting all moist from my breath!

It’s amazing, and I love it.  Go out and buy one (be sure to check out the variety of mustaches if you would like to mix it up).

And that is all there is to it.  My top 4 items for a winter commute that are worth every penny.  If you want to ride in the cold, don’t ask questions… just go buy this stuff and thank me later.  Keep the rubber side down and don’t be afraid of those low temperatures!

Aaron Madrid

Top photo c/o www.indianalivinggreen.com.

I love to ride my bike.  I can say that most of the time my train of thought eventually leads back to some aspect of cycling.  I started commuting by bike as part of a fitness goal.  I’ll never forget the feeling I had the first time I rode my first commute to work on my first adult bike.  Two bikes and thousands of miles later and I’m still pedaling, only now it’s for a little bit of a different reason.  I decided that this month it would be fun to revisit just why it is that I ride to work, and why you should too.

1.  Above all else, my commute gives me an excuse to ride my bike.  Sadly my commute is rather short these days, but all the more reason to ride it as much as I can.  As I have gotten more aggressive in my riding I have found it harder and harder to find the amount of time I would like to spend in the saddle available to me.  As a father and husband my family will always come first, but no one will ever tell me not to go to work, so how I get there is up to me.

2.  Don’t be fooled, I  am not a morning person.  In fact, my lack of ability to function at even 50% in the mornings is probably the largest deterrent to my morning commute.  Fortunately I work at a wonderful place that doesn’t require me to be punctual, at least overly punctual.  If I am a few minutes late I can always just work a few minutes late to make up the time.  The truth is, behind my family and by cycling, work is the number three thing on my mind at all times, so a few minutes doesn’t hurt anyone (Passageways.com for all your intranet needs).  Of course, there is also that magical beverage called coffee which I am a huge fan of.  Once I overcome the urge to be lazy and hop on the bike, I am almost instantly happy I did.  Riding to work makes my entire day better.  I get to work and feel energized and ready to work.  My brain is already firing on all cylinders and I’m ready for whatever the day brings.

3.  I started cycling to get in shape.  High impact workouts were far from appealing to me and I remembered loving riding as a kid, so it made sense. The more I have learned the ways of the bike the more I have learned of the less than obvious reasons to ride.  The average person will lose 13 pounds riding to work in their first year for obvious reasons.  But did you know that adding 30 minutes of daily cycling will also save us (all of us) $544 in medical costs a year?  That doesn’t mean my commute saves me alone that money, it means it saves United States Tax payers that money.  I’ll let you do the math and save you the politics on that one.  A less thought about fact is that 50%-90% of emissions are caused by cars.  That probably explains why 1 in 2 people breathe polluted air every day.  Commuting by bike isn’t just healthy for the people who do it, it’s healthy for all of us!

4.  I live in a medium sized college town.  Each summer our city tries to accomplish all the road construction possible while the students are away from town.  Each fall our population increase by about 30,000 people.  That means our roads increase with quite a bit of traffic.  Living here my entire life I have grown used to this in some respects, but I still loathe it.  That was all before I started commuting by bike.  Studies show that riding a bike is 50% faster in heavy traffic, even following all laws and regulations (which you should always do).  So yes, I love flying through all those construction sites without having to stop and wait on confused drivers.  It is dangerous, but I feel like the danger is more in my hands than when I am in a car.

5.  Last but not least, commuting by bike saves me money.  Granted you can spend plenty on a bike to ride, and I’ll be the first to say just how many fun upgrades there are to purchase.  But all you really need are two wheels, a frame, some cranks, and a chain.  You don’t even need more than one gear if you dare.  The possibilities are endless for ways to find a bike to ride.  All you have to do is save a little cash for a bike and a helmet, and start riding (might be a good idea to look back at some of the previous LTC posts for more tips).  Gasoline, car insurance, car maintenance, all makes up one of the largest costs for most households.  Even just dropping from 2 cars to one, or letting one spouse drive while you ride can save you hundreds each month.

In short, I love everything about riding to work.  From being able to have a daily excuse to get out and ride, to the health benefits for me and those around me, to the financial benefits, and more; I love commuting by bike and think you would too.  Get a bike and a helmet a get out and ride!

Having put down some decent winter miles I’m now commuting to work by bike almost every day now the weather is a little nicer. Due to the increase in mileage I’m doing along cycle paths I’ve realised there is a cultural divide between cyclists and dog walkers. I’ve had my fair share of ‘incidents’ with dog walkers in the last few weeks and I think I know the reason why.

Edumecated

As ‘cyclists’ we are a strange bunch and most of the things we do puzzle the rest of the population to the point of ridicule. But maybe that’s because they just don’t understand what we are doing; they need educating on the ways of the cyclist. At the moment there is a small war going on in my town between the sensible masses who want our current cycle paths to be extended for the enjoyment of everyone and those who think that cyclists are crazed speed racers with a maniacal penchant for running over little dogs, children and/or the elderly. Having read a lot of articles and letters in the local paper it seems that we, as cyclists have a duty to explain ourselves and take the moral high ground. That’s why I have decided to submit a letter to the local paper, explaining myself and my actions as a cyclist to those who are willing to take the time to learn… and I need your help.

We may live in different countries and there may be slight cultural divides but I’d really, really love to know your thoughts on the points I’ve listed below which will go in my letter and tell me about ‘rules of the road’ that you abide by. It’s my belief with a little education, we can all get along as super swell friends.

• I am NOT racing, I’m commuting.
• I am not trying to scare, hurt or run over your dog. I will almost certainly come off worse if this were to happen.
• I’m British, so I ride on the left. That is my default even on a cycle path. If you are walking towards me, walk on the left.
• If I approach and you have your back to me, I will politely call ‘behind’ in good time for you to react and move to one side.
• If you are walking towards me, it is NOT ridiculous to expect you to see me and react accordingly. I sit almost 6 feet high on my bike and will almost certainly be wearing something bright.
• If I’m sporting my 800 lumens light and you STILL don’t see me… you should’ve gone to Specsavers!
• If at all possible I will not ride between you and your unleashed dog, that’s just asking for trouble as Fido runs across me to get to you.
• If I feel you’re being unreasonable in your own actions as we try to co-exist in this space, expect me to voice my opinion. This has nothing to do with me being a cyclist, I am a strong-minded human.

If you are a cyclist you probably do these things instinctively but to everyone else, well they may never have crossed their mind. I hope by explaining these things to pedestrians and dog walkers, they will be able to see that it is a behaviour pattern that has rules and that you can rely on rather than just random acts of racing.

Leave your comments below on the things that I’ve missed off the list and I’ll add them into the letter to the newspaper. This is what #bikeschool is about…

WORLD CYCLISTS UNITE

Stevie