Winter Cycling - My favorite season

Right now.
It doesn't get much better than this, nice temps to ride in, not a lot of congestion on the paths. The only thing that could make it nicer is the melt off not collecting on the paths, and gutters, makes for some interesting riding when the temps drop at night and ice forms. I've pulled muscles as I lock up, feeling the bike slip, and know from experience that locking up will send me down quicker than relaxing and pushing on.
What it has done for me is helped me find alternate routes to the bike paths that are now small ponds with ice chunks in them. I can see me wrecking in one of these puddles, and not making it out safely or broken bones of some sort. The trade off is still the best part of the year to ride, as the snow disappears the weather continues to grow more warm, it just works for me. Know I'm pushing it, in MN we get snow all the way to April, but I can dream can't I?

Don't forget though, usually March is our snowiest month... Yeah it is awesome out there, I have been tacking on extra miles just for the hell of it the last couple of days. Although like you said, the paths are SOAKED, there is one giant puddle I have to ride through everyday on the Greenway right around Irving which seems to be getting bigger everyday. I personally prefer the giant puddles to the over abundance of salt they like to put on the trails, I swear I popped at least one tire from a giant salt crystal.

You know, there are times I see these salt crystals and get a quick rush thinking that it's glass and then a sigh of relief when I realize it's not.

Our lakefront bikepath is now free of ice--if we could just get the wind to behave.

I made it out today..32 degrees with winds at 15 mph.
It was rough but i got my 20 miles in.

Naisme, nice to have you back, I'm glad to see that you weren't spoiled by your trip to the southwest. I might not have been able to pull myself away from Davis CA, where I visited my grandmother last Febuary, if I didn't have a family in the land of 10,000 frozen lakes.

Don't forget though, usually March is our snowiest month... Yes, but I call a March snowstorm a procrastinators snow. I love it. I never shovel a procrastinators snow. This is the only time in my life when I could ignore a problem and it will go away.

an 18 inch snow fall in April doesn't go away over night, it is a big hassle. I think we may be pushing it, I've got the arms of my wind shirt off, on the ride to work and back, carrying them just in case.

an 18 inch snow fall in April doesn't go away over night, it is a big hassle. I think we may be pushing it, I've got the arms of my wind shirt off, on the ride to work and back, carrying them just in case.

Yah, your right, it takes two days to melt instead of one.

Does anyone else realize that while Minnesota is called the land of 10,000 lakes, really this is just in springtime. The rest of the year if you look at satellite radar, we have just 4... :)

I just love this weather!

The commute is so enjoyable after the dreary colorless winter...

an 18 inch snow fall in April doesn't go away over night, it is a big hassle. I think we may be pushing it, I've got the arms of my wind shirt off, on the ride to work and back, carrying them just in case.Well myMarch is probably the same as your May

Even with the change in all this weather, and starting to go back to the cold, I enjoy the heck out of riding. I just did simple errands today, as it's my day off, and got in 32 miles of riding. The days are getting longer, I was out until 6:30p, and am use to dark by 5p, ah summer is finally here, just wish the weather would cooperate, snow in the forecast. And cool, not that below zero crap of a month ago.

well here in Munich most of February was WARM. 2 weeks ago the local trails here were COMPLETELY snow-free and i got in some great "spring" riding.

but the winter is back and we've had sub-freezing temps for the last 2 weeks. we've had snow almost every day the last 2 weeks too. Friday i went riding 4 hours in a few inches of packed snow... then Sunday 4 hours in 5 inches POWDER on top of the old snow (hard work)... then Monday 3.5 hours on hard-packed with about 1" new...

today i am probably going to try and ride UP a sledding hill in the mountains near here. i've got an aggressive stud on the front (304 studs) but a regular rear tire. anyway, we are hoping the path will be hard-packed enough from people hiking up and sledding down that we can ride up... and then down will be half riding/half sliding!

Snow here today too. 25F.
I don't really mind it, except for the fact I have to make a 160 mile trip for work today. :mad: This could be a real tricky day.