Originally Posted by
modernjess
18) Deep rutted ice that is harder than diamonds and never melts
19) Deep very wet snow
20) chain rust
21) drivetrain upkeep
22) salt, salt, and more salt. (see
#20 and
#21 )
23) short days = riding frequently in darkness
24) crashing, not being able to move, then dying of exposure (maybe that's 2)
25) responding to the inevitable, "You didn't ride today did you?" queries posed by non riders.
26) having to roll with studded tires on dry pavement
27) deep cookie dough snow on top of ice in intersections
Love it! Minneapolis knows what winter riding is... I mean, what's up with "wet leaves"? That's October (Fall riding); Winter.... winter is riding in snow, on ice and in polar vortex cold, that is WINTER RIDING!
Funny story (at least I think so); my first winter-commuting season was the winter of 2011-2012, the coldest morning that winter was 5F.... I remember biking home in a T-shirt in January, it was 50F! That was not winter biking! Last winter, THAT, that right there, was winter biking. I lost count on the number of days that started below 0F; snowbank piled 10 foot and more. Ride the roads cause nobody could clear off-road paths. And
#18 above, for real, that was brutal!
I even got the
#25 question this morning??? It was 40F, felt great!