Biking All Winter! Are you Crazy?

by Gary Snider

Up to the end of September a lot of us in the earth caring community have been taking note: there seem to be way more bikes on the streets. And it’s not only casual, recreational riders… we’re noticing 7:00 to 8:00am commuters, people with backpacks and bike racks – folks using their bikes as car replacements. That’s good news and exactly what we’ve been hoping could happen as people think of ways to reduce their impact on our irreplaceable planet.

But what happens now? With colder temps, icy roads, northwest winds, drifting snow – will people hang up their two-wheeled commutes and get back into cars? Until recently the answer for 98.8% of cyclists is two hooks on the garage wall and a command start button on their favourite key fob. And who can blame them? For many of us winter is too cold, too dark and way too long. The thought of biking through the winter seems, if not impossible, then at least crazy and reckless.

Imagine if there was a way to ride comfortably and safely through winter? A way to keep muscles toned, happy endorphins flowing and a sense of Canadian Joie de Vive in every day? I’ve been winter biking for eight years and I’d like to invite you to consider the amazing changes that have made winter biking easier than ever:

• Compact LED bike lights that can throw as many lumens as a new car headlight

• Biking boots that are both supple and wonderfully warm

• Pants and jackets designed for temperature and moisture control with lots of reflective stripes to make you as visible as a fire truck

• Winter bike tires with tungsten carbide studs that grab black ice as if it were dry asphalt

• Super warm gloves and purpose-made mitts that shut out wind

• Ski goggles and face covers that protect every square centimetre of your smiling face

• And the best invention of all: handlebar pogies (fleece lined neoprene covers that fit over your brake levers and grips so you can forgo the heavy mitts!)

Purchased together these items might appear to cost a small fortune, but all except your studs will last for several years and together represent only a fraction of what people otherwise spend on their cars in one winter.

Winter riding takes planning and you need to commit a little more time to each trip. Bike cleaning and maintenance needs to be more regular too. And you’ll definitely want to be tuned in to wind direction, air temps and incoming weather. In a typical winter you can expect 5-10 days when riding is truly not advisable. For me, there are two combinations that give me pause: ice covered roads with big cross winds, and, heavy snow falls with no ploughs clearing my route. These situations are rare but when things feel unsafe, don’t try to be a hero, listen to your gut.

Two of the things about winter biking that surprise many people:

1. It’s not the cold, it’s getting too hot that is the biggest challenge. Well vented gear is essential to avoid over-heating and the inevitable wet chill that will follow.

2. The joy of biking every day takes the teeth out of winter. I feel more positive about winter, it seems brighter and easier and the season seems to pass more quickly when I commute by bike.

I’d invite you to consider riding your bike more often this winter. Start with the nicer days and work your way into gathering the gear and experience that will allow you to confidently ride in most conditions. And with each year you’ll find yourself smiling a little more at the sight of the first snow.

I hope to see you riding this winter!