Originally Posted by
brian.thornburn
Hi, never posted on the car-free forum before...
Hi Brian! I hope you find the forum to be useful and interesting.
Originally Posted by
brian.thornburn
1. I want to ride when the thermometer is below zero celsius. Problem is ice. I'm on a road bike.
2. When developing a respiratory infection, I usually get sicker with exercise.
3. I ride on a very busy highway with two long, unlit sections and several sections with very narrow shoulders. The region I live in has very bad drivers, many daily accidents. I've had many close-calls.
My impression on #1 and #3 is that you're probably riding on the edge of the road or in the shoulder, rather than sharing the actual highway lane with the cars. If so, you're riding on a section that isn't being cleared by the plows. In fact, additionsl ice and snow is probably pushed into the road edges by the plows, as well as by the tires of the cars. This could also explain the many close calls you're having. Usually, cars will pass you with more room if you're actually in the traffic lane, rather than on the edge or in a narrow shoulder.
One solution would be to take a traffic cycling course, or just ride with another cyclist who feels comfortable mixing it up with the other traffic, so that you'll be more comfortable with vehicular cycling when it's called for. A second solution would be to find an alternate route so that you can avoid the highway sections. Sometimes there are parallel streets that are slower and less busy. Explore on Google Maps, then get on your bike on a day off and hunt around for some better routes.
As for #2, I've read a couple articles that said vigorous or extreme exercise can diminish the immune system, more so than mild or moderate exercise. If you're a real masher, you might want to slow down a bit on days when you're feeling under the weather.