I did it!
 

I've been "bike" commuting for about three weeks now, twice a week. I usually bike to my local grocery store, put my bike on the city bus bike rack (every bus in Ann Arbor has a rack, which is nice), and take the bus downtown, where I get on my bike and ride to class/work. It's not much biking, but it's nice to pick up the bus and not have to deal with traffic/parking.

After work today, however, I was riding to the bus stop I usually wait at, when I decided to go ahead and try the full monty. I started out toward home at 5:00 p.m. and got home at 5:25! I couldn't believe how fast I got home; it usually takes me 10-15 min. to get home by car, and 30-45 min. to get home by bus/bike combo.

My only complaint is that it'll soon be too cold to bike without several hundred dollars worth of gear, and as a college student, I just can't afford that.

Just wear what you usually wear in winter and get some thick rubberbands to wrap around your pants leg to keep the cuff from getting chewed up by the chain. Snow might pose a problem, but hell, give riding in it a shot w/ the tires you have and see how it handles. And buy a $3 blinkie to put on your bike/bag/back so you can be seen. A headlight might be like $15 and not be that great, but it's better than nothing.

congrats!! probably plenty of ways to keep warm on a budget- Goodwill(?) Though I have no clue how cold it gets where you are- we're dropping towards the thirties in the am this week. I love the feel of it- this is my first season so I'm learning too! Keep it up!!

Way to go!

I've found I don't need nearly as much insulation as I used to think I would need. You may already have suitable clothing.

Regardless, it rocks that you've realized the possibility. :)

Some rolled up pants and/or polypro long underwear will do you right. Throw a sweatshirt or better yet, a sweater or cheap-o Target synthetic t-shirt up top and you're good to go.

You can use the money you save by not taking the bus to buy any gear you need to survive a winter ride. I don't know what the Ann Arbor bus costs, but it'll add up. In a couple of weeks you can buy a pair of gloves, a couple of weeks after a hat that fits under your helmet and so on.

C'mon, what do you really need to ride a bike for 25 mins? A cheapo polyester athletic t-shirt from old navy and just throw whatever sweaters, sweatshirts and coats you have on. You probably already have long johns and sweatpants which you can wear under jeans or pants if it's below 20F. A bandana or ski baklava under your helmet and some ski type gloves and you're set.

Jumpr,

Congrats on taking the plunge into commuting the full trip. Like everybody else has pointed out you don't really need all the expensive gear for a 25 min. ride. Try a couple of light layers under a windbreaker, some regular winter gloves and a regular hat under your helmet and you're probably set for most days. You might want to skip riding on really rainy days, since that can be miserable without good rain gear.

Definitely get some lights -- even cheapies from an X-mart will help you be seen by cars and avoid accidents. Meanwhile enjoy the ride and don't worry too much about the gear. Most things can be made to work out fine.

I never had all this fancy cycling gear during my first 20 years or so of riding. I used to ride in jeans, cap, jacket, boots and gloves, putting one of my Mom's garters around my pant leg.

That said, I would spend some money on front and rear blinkies though...instead of duct taping flashlights to the bars and rear rack like I used to do. (used a magic marker to make the rear red...LOL)

Something told me we were kindred spirits. :)

Agreed, that's what I did in my cheap college-student days, and even for my first job after college (in chilly upstate NY, comparable to Ann Arbor in climate).

Glad to hear that you rode all the way, now keep it up!

Here are some cheapo part-wool army socks that I use to keep my feet warm in cycling shoes.

I have commuted my 12mile round trip for the last 5 years and never bought a single item of bike-specific clothing except a helmet. Winter clothes are a scarf to cover the face and neck, a couple of layers of long sleeve t-shirts, fleece, waterproofs if wet. lightweight cotton pants under sweat pants and 2 pairs of socks with a carrier bag between them for waterproofing. Make sure your shoes are tied loose otherwise you'll make your feet cold cos the bloodflow is restricted.

That's for a really cold day. The hardest part is getting the balance right between warmth when you start and sweating buckets after 1 mile.

The rule of thumb I've always heard and used is "you should feel a little chilly when you step outside with the bike".

You don't need a lot a fancy bike clothes and accessories to bike commute in the cold.
Go to a discount store that sells cold weather gear.
Also, remember to dress in layers. You'll be surprised how warm you'll be with only a few layers. Even on the coldest days I still end up shedding a layer somewhere along my route to work.

How much are sleeveless wool V-neck sweaters at Kmart or WalMart? Wear it right over a wicking T-shirt, under a regular shirt, and you can keep your core fairly warm in some cold temps. Get a cheapie pair of runing tights or the poly long johns mentioned above, and your legs should stay warm.
If you see the old style "union suit" long johns on sale, maybe at Meijer's, and they are not cotton, those are excellnet for colder weather. They won't leave a less insulated spot near your kidneys in the back.

Congrats Jumpr! I remember the first time I rode into work (6mi) without stopping and catching my breath for 10 minutes half way. Its quite a feeling!

I've found this thread very helpful in the winter clothes dept. As a husband of a disabled wife, with 2 kids in school, money is tight. Its one of the reasons I ride. I save so much money by not needing a second car, insurance, fuel, maintenence etc. But I can't afford to go spend $3-500 on winter gear, it just won't happen. My old car only cost $500 LOL. So this has been very helpful. I am not looking forward to a winter of commuting instead of being scared I won't have the right clothes.

So, thanks everyone for the tips!

the more i read about winter gear the more i think about putting a greek pastry on my head, then i'm sad because they're too delicious not to eat

Well, see - that's why we all talk about layers. When you get a little hot (or hungry) just reach up, peel another layer off your baklava and you're all set.

I feel it is really sad that these days lots of people seem to think you absolutely need some special gear to ride a bike in the winter, or even just to ride a bike! This is not just biking-specific phenomenon; no matter what you want to do there will be salespeople trying to convince you that you absolutely can't do it without buying seventy gazillion expensive equipment items from them...

I commuted all last winter in Michigan through ice and snow.

I DID buy studded tires at $100 for the pair, but I could have done without them; 90% of the time they were on dry pavement, only hit snow/ice right around storms, most days dry pavement.

I rode the whole winter, including down to -10*F with the following:

1 pair wool socks, 1 pair cotton socks (already had)
1 pair cycling shorts ($20)
1 pair running tights ($15)
1 pair fleece-lined loose running windbreaker pants (had)
1 underarmor clone long sleeve poly shirt from WalMart ($13)
T shirt (had)
windbreaker (had)
fleece scarf (had)
Nashbar 6-in-1 balaclava/neck gaiter/whatever ($10)
Duct tape to seal helmet vents

So my total outlay, aside from the tires, was about $60, and that's because I didn't already have cycling shorts (though having gotten used to them last winter, I bought a couple more pair for summer).

If you're generating the heat I do, this is plenty of clothing. In fact I ran with the jacket 1/2 open most days, unless it was < 10*F.

You can also make your own. I think Sheldon Brown (or was that IceBike people?) will tell you how. :)