Hershey220

I just started commuting to work and I really enjoy it, but I'm wondering if people actually commute through the winter...and I'm not really looking for responses from people who don't really see winter, I live in Minnesota so I'm talking winter.

Thanks for your input.

More&Faster

it's not easy, but it can still be fun. i've done it for a few years and i enjoy it. there's a lot of info on it in the Winter Cycling sub-forum.

jamesdenver

www.icebike.com

mtessmer

There are allot of us up here in Minnesota that commute year around. I've been doing it for over 24 years. Check the winter forum, it's loaded. Come winter you'll see allot of entries here also.

Pampusik

I am about to try out my first car-free winter in Minnesota on a bicycle.

It seems that biking in a Minnesota winter isn't that much of a big deal as long as you dress smart and look after your bike. Somebody on another thread recommended this: https://www.icebike.org/

HiYoSilver

Some do. On these forums, everything falls off except winter cycling subforum.

It's doable if

1. you're prepared with right attitude, equipment and knowledge of wind chill charts

2. you don't cope out at the first "bad weather".

Some have an ice-bike/winter bike for the harsher deicer environment.

Let us know how it goes in Nov-Dec.

Kinger

I commuted my first winter last year, it doesn't get too bad in Southern NJ, but I still had a few snow storms to ride through. (Yeah Mtn. Bike). The hardest thing for me to deal with was the lack of energy from breathing the extremely cold air. To give you an idea of how cold it was, my water bottle would freeze by the end of the 20 minute ride. Just dress warm and in layers with a nice windproof/waterproof shell.

bostontrevor

Sure do.

MarkS

Is that your bike? Very cool picture. Nice touch with the light on.

More&Faster

god, i love it when its like that outside. all the cars slow down to 10 mph and jeers are replaced with cheers from astounded onlookers. unfortunately we only have a handfull of days like that in the winter, and the rest of the time its just cold and all the roads have a layer of salt covering them.

bostontrevor

In fact it is. I trot that crap out every chance I get because it's just so damn much fun and photographs well.

Some friends and I actually did a live news spot on the local ABC affiliate because we were out and about downtown during the largest snowfall ever recorded in Boston.

geeklpc1985

I can be done, I live in Madison, WI. If its not below 0F, its snowing.


GEEK

Cyclist0383

I commute durring the whole of the Latvian winter. I can assure you that it's a real winter. The only thing that stops me is when I have to go to an after work party with my wife. At those times I escort her on the train. Winter cycling is a blast!

DogBoy

I rode last winter for the first time here in Wisconsin. It is doable, but gets a lot harder (mentally and physically) to get going in the mornings. The key things I learned are:

Everything takes longer and requires more effort. A 45 min trip from the Y to home in summer took over an hour in the winter. Reasons are many, including heavy-studded tires, regulating effort to avoid soaking inner layers and just somehow exerting yourself in winter takes more energy.

Gloves must be wind-proof and warm. Mittens work better than gloves below 10 degrees (for me), and ski-gloves work better than the cycling specific gloves.

Feet need to be warm. If your commute is short (20-30 min) you can probably get by with shoe-covers like PI toasters down to about 15 degrees. Below that you will need better protection. I use the lake cycling specific winter shoe instead of the shoe covers because its a bit easier for me. Below 10 degrees though I just use my winter boots on the platform side of the pedals.

Get some kind of anti-fog for your glasses (if you wear them) because they WILL fog/frost from your facemask/balaclava anytime you stop.

Hydration is problematic. If I don't use hot water, my water bottle is a block of ice by the time I get to work when the temps are near zero, and my commute was 30 min. My longest rides were 1.5 hrs, and I only had liquid water through 30-45 min.

KEEP YOUR BIKE CLEAN!!! It will get very dirty, but if you don't clean it regularly the chain will rust and seize. That's not much fun to fix, and you aren't going anywhere until you fix it.

Finally, front brake becomes secondary brake any time I think ice might be on the road. It really sucks to grab brake expecting to stop and find that the stopping force that is working is your leg/arm/face sliding across the ground. Due to excellent clothing bulk road rash is typically not a concern in winter. I went down 2 times last winter, both on black-ice from the freeze/thaw/freeze cycle. After that I got studs and didn't fall again.

JohnBrooking

I've done three winters in Maine so far. (Southern, but still...) I wasn't sure the first year if I would go all the way through or not, but I kept going as long as I felt I could, and whaddya know, I was still going when spring arrived!

It's definitely more of a pain, though. I'm loaded down with my winter coat and boots, with reflective tape on the arms of my coat because it's black. (This winter I'm going to try some different kinds of layering so I can use a brighter coat on the outside, since winter evenings are dark as well as cold. But most winter coats tend to be in darker colors, not good for us.) The hands and feet are definite concerns, but if you've got them covered adequately, your core will be fine. I also got a "headsock" for the extreme cold, which fits under the helmet and leaves only my eyes exposed. I don't bother trying to drink water in the winter, and hydration has never been a problem. But my commute is only ~5 miles each way.

So basically, I can ride no matter the temperature (I've ridden in sub-zero F), as long as my shifters or brakes don't freeze. (Watch out for that when you're doing all the washing to keep them clean. If you use water, keep it in a warm area to dry afterwards or the water will just freeze in there.)

Of more concern to me are road conditions. I have wide but smooth tires, and I haven't tried spikes or knobbies yet, so I still don't ride in real messy weather. Maybe I'll try knobbies this year. Although I'm still concerned about what the other drivers might do on messy days. Anyway, around here the road crews are good enough that the roads are usually pretty dry by the day after a major storm, so I might drive my car on snowstorm days, but I can get right back on the bike the next day.

I too slipped twice last winter on black ice. After that, I decided I should practice recovering, so I had some fun slipping around on a deserted icy parking lot on my way in!

Elvish Legion

I fear this winter, the roads ice over, no snow, so I'm not sure how my bikes will handle...just have to see.

way124

Video Download Page

Sure do too

bkrownd

I love snow. Looking at those pictures with all the fluffy white stuff brings back great memories. I prefer to walk in it, though. I used to bike 12 months a year in Western Mass, but I'd take the bus if the roads weren't clear. Be careful not to breath too hard, though - one November I froze something in my throat and had a persistent tickle-cough for MONTHS. It was not fun!

bkrownd

Wow, those pictures in Poland are wonderful! Maybe I should start looking for jobs there...

Bikemiker

No winter here, but I kind of wish there was. Another season, another reason to build up a new rig.

Mmmmmm... Pugsley.

R600DuraAce

Sure. As long as no snow or ice on roads, I will be out there. I did that last Winter. I am fully dressed for it.

grolby

I did some riding in Western Mass this past winter. I intend to do still more this coming winter, if at all possible. It's not as hard as it seems, as long as you dress appropriately and remember to keep it slower when things get slippery. I only commuted during a couple real snowfalls, and those were more wet than anything else. I have ridden around my campus with some serious snow cover, and I can tell you that getting up a steep hill on a snow covered path is a difficult proposition. I should point out though, that riding in the snow is some of the most fun I've had on a bike.

DogBoy

Now I'm getting all nostalgic about some of my rides last winter....My favorite ride was one weekend when I went out for fun. It had started snowing, the temps were a mild 20F with no wind. I rode a quick 25 mile ride ending at walgreens to pick up a prescription and some photos. As I was waiting in line a little kid started bugging his mom..."Mom, He's riding HIS bike today, why can't I ride mine!" The glare from that mom was priceless.

Eggplant Jeff

Hey, has anyone thought of or tried a camelback? That seems like a solution if your water freezes, just wear it under one or two layers of your clothes. Your body heat'll keep it warm.

Also I found a neon yellow vest with reflective piping at my LBS on clearance, I bought it XL and I think it'll fit over my winter jacket (haven't commuted through a winter yet). AlertShirts.com also sells similar vests and stuff. That way you can wear whatever winter clothes you want without worrying about color, then throw the vest on over.

swwhite

I am still working on my "winter certification" which I consider to be the "fourth-degree black belt" of bicycle commuting. Currently I ride if the main street I have to take is plowed to the gutter and the temperature is zero degrees or warmer. I have a "winter beater" in the pipeline and when it is operational I will try riding through snow.

I have noticed one thing to watch out for. One day I rode home in a sudden snow storm and the bike got wet. I put it in the garage and the temperature overnight went below freezing. The next day the bike would not shift or brake; all the mechanisms were frozen. I had to park the bike in the living room to thaw and DRIVE to work. So that comment about keeping the bike clean is important to note.

I have wondered if a bike works properly at a temperature far below zero. I had a chance last year to ride at about twenty below, but I chickened out because I was afraid some part on the bike would break.

I also wonder if anyone has found anything to keep the hands warm. I am OK down to zero degrees with leather mitten shells over double wool liners, but the fingertips get a little numb.