Summer's over! And, truth be told, the first summer in many years without a single tour for me! Not that that was the plan, but that's how it worked out. So on to winter!

Obviously, Winter touring presents some challenges. The easy answer fly or drive someplace warm or warmer. Butttt, then there is this: I read a blog on Crazy Guy last year about two guys who rode from Montreal to Washington DC in January! Or was it Febuary? Anyway, It snowed all the way through NY state. Temps were below freezing the entire ride. Or most of it! They didn't plan on the snow, nor did it deter them. Not your run of the mill bike tour! Hat's off to them!

Anyone out there who tours during the winter? Care to share your stories, advice about gear and keeping warm, and dry?

I for one am willing to try anything once!

It's spring in the southern hemisphere . get your passport updated.

When in Scotland , I met a fellow, who had his summer job as a Back Country Guide
out of Ushuaia, in Argentina , he was in the northern Hemisphere for His Winter .

I haven't toured in the winter, but I bike commute all winter long. Living in the South (NC) helps as we don't get much snow and lowest temperatures are generally in the teens. The biggest hurdle to winter touring here would be all of the extra clothes and heavier gear (eg, sleeping bag) you would have to carry. It would take up a lot of space and add more weight. However, strictly from a comfort standpoint, I enjoy commuting more in winter than I do in summer. It is easier to dress for cold weather than hot, humid weather.

I am generally commuting to work in the coldest part of the day, so I have to closely monitor the weather. Sometimes I have to drive because the roads are just too risky for cycling due to ice, sleet, freezing, snow -- particularly at 6 am. If touring, you generally would be able to leave later and usually avoid icy conditions. I have often commuted to work in mornings when the temperatures were in the teens and low 20s at 6 am, but warmed up to the 40s by 9-10 am.

I take day trips when it's cold.... 30-40F

The part I enjoy least is having to ride on a limited number of busy roads instead of the lightly traveled back roads if there's any significant snow pile up.

Besides the cold, short daylight hours is the other draw-back. If you are camping its a lot of tent time. Average tourist probably only spends 5 or 6 hours in the saddle each day. In the summer those are spread out through the day with lots of time for breaks. Not so in the winter.

I would think that riding south from New jersey on the ACA Atlantic coast route, for instance, would keep you in ocean moderated weather much of the time. Only the occasional hard winter weather there.

As with most things, hard winter touring would depend mostly on the motivation factor. Certainly doable, and in reasonable comfort. Especially if willing to wait out severe conditions. Agree that those long nights in the tent are a bit tedious. Hard winter touring best done credit card style.

I tour every January, but only in the South.

Several times, I've switched hemispheres in the winter, in order to cycle and tour in summer.


I've commuted by bicycle year round and have done centuries and other long rides in the winter, but have not camped in temps below about -8C.

Thx for the insight. I hadn't really thought about the limited daylight.

Since I've missed the season and biz obligations will tie me up for anything other than day rides thru November i was trying to figure out whether just to plan a tour locally, tough it out, or travel to warmer climate and go from there. Or, maybe do the GAP, something along those lines.

My thinking was that i could gear up for what it would cost to get me and the bike to a warmer spot in the country or on the globe.

Though I ride in the winter, those are fitness rides or mountain biking. On really cold days i'm only out for two or three hours. Big difference between two or three hours and 24, 48, 72, 96.

The credit card tour is a great idea!

More thoughts? keep'em coming!

Mgr of LBS & his GF go to Costa Rica and Panama , in a few weeks for a couple weeks .

I have did tons of winter biking and some winter backpacking. I keep threatening to put the two together. So far I haven't. I'm hoping to be down south all winter this winter but time shall tell. Be rather interesting to spend mid-November until ???late April/early May on a bike tour. Hey, if I don't have to pay a winter heating bill...why not? That aside...

One key secret to winter riding is to stay dry. Moisture will cause you to cool down and you won't stay warm. Everyone talks about using wicking clothing. I disagree. I ride with very little clothing on, even down to 0 Fahrenheit. I will put extra layers on if it's very windy(20-30+ mph) but only when the temps get down into the lower teens. You want the heat to escape. Once it starts to get trapped, by wicking clothing, your body heat starts to build and you start to sweat. What is another name for sweat...evaporative cooling. If you want to stay warm you want to stay dry. The only way to stay dry is the keep the clothing off and let your body heat release out into the atmosphere. 20-40% of the calories you consume each hour go to propel you forward the remaining 60-80% go to producing heat. The odds are against you toward helping you stay dry. You have to use the lack of clothing to keep you dry. By staying dry you will stay warm. I never get cold while winter riding other than during the first 3-4 miles. After that the heat has warmed me up and I can continue riding in crazy conditions with next to nothing on all day long. I can stop and take 10-15 minutes off in 10-15 degree weather and still be warm. The only thing I wouldn't want to do is to start back up by going downhill. I would rather off have a hill to climb or even the wind to buck...something to help me start generating the body heat again.

Depending on how you camp depends on how long the nights have to be. Granted I know my normal locations for stealth camping would change quite a bit so that would probably really change my way of doing things. I would have the tendency to have a laptop with me. I would go into McDonalds or someplace with free wifi and spend the evening online until it gets late enough to normally go to bed and then I would ride out to my stealth site and head to bed. Since I don't need the tent, unless the forecast is for snow, I wouldn't have a tent to set up...I would just lay out under the stars(can't do that very often during the summer months can you).

Winter camping could actually make things much easier as long as you have decent camping gear. The only things I haven't really ridden in yet is wet snow or ice. Dry snow, you stay on the snow and ride...don't get onto pavement or you'll lose traction. I ride 700x25c Bontrager T2's year round. No studs here. Hence why I know I shouldn't be here in NH this winter if I have any smarts at all. Bring on the cold temps, keep the snow away...my balls are too big already for my own good.

The only trouble with winter bike touring would be the size of the gear. Nothing packs down small due to the size of it normally. You may only have another 2-3 pounds of camping gear but it takes up a lot more space.

I do most of my backpacking in the winter and totally agree with Bikenh. Leave the moisture trapping clothing off and just tough out the first ten minutes until your internal generator kicks in. You will warm up better than anticipated.

However.....in the winter, I never sleep under the stars. I want some cover over me as if you get caught in a late night rain or snow shower, it could be deadly. A wet down sleeping bag takes a long time to dry out and if you are in it while sleeping, hypothermia will take over and the fat lady sings.

I am a hammock camper and have a fly over me with a steep pitch for wind control. Being in a tent will trap more heat than a hammock as evidence by the frost inside your tent when you wake up. So, for cold sleepers, I suggest a tent. If you plan accordingly and make the jump to a hammock, you eliminate the other wet challenge.....rain water running underneath your sleeping situation. It happens, you go to bed and the stars are out, fall a sleep and the rain moves in..if you set your tent up on a slope, water moves down hill and soaks everything in its path. Being up off the ground in a hammock eliminates the water from underneath.

Very true statement from Bikenh. Moisture is your enemy in cold weather hiking or biking.

The shorter days are definitely an issue, particularly if camping. That could mean a lot of time in the tent. If staying in hotels, that's not as important. Wind can also be more of an issue in cooler months, at least it is around here. Maybe you just notice the wind more when it's cold, but I think it is windier in this part of the country because more cold fronts tend to pass through in fall, winter and spring.

I ride all winter long. I'm touring this winter in the Northeast and maybe Northwest.

You know how when you ride in the rain, everything gets wet and grimy? Winter's like that, only the "wet" can kill you.

Ride naked!!!!!

Interesting that moisture was brought up, because my own thinking on the differences between summer and winter touring is I can't afford to get wet.

I agree with the less is more regarding controling sweat during winter activies. We use beach detectors to hunt the beaches of the Jersey Shore in winter. It is a very physical activity. Winter brings more storms, more beach erosion, thus more access to deeply buried targets. Controling sweat in the the 20 degree weather most common for our area is key to getting in a long hunt. So, the less is more advice is right on! That said, the beach exposes us to unrelenting wind. So a shell of some sort is needed. I apply that to my winter riding. Usually start with one layer too many, take it off as i heat up. Always coverd by a zipable shell. The zipper is a great way to control the moisture level.

I will fess I have only did single nighters when winter backpacking...no long trips. I have always planned my trips around the good weather days/nights. I also have always hammock camped during the winter versus using a tent. Since I have always been watching the weather closely before heading out I have had the freedom of not having to put anything over me for snow protection.

Several of you guys need to be over on the winter biking forum. Those guys over there say I'm nuts when I say take it off for winter riding. They listen too much to the clothing manufacturers and not enough to common sense.

My attitude is a bit different from tom cotter. I say if you have to take a layer off, you have started with too much on in the first place. I only put on extra layers if necessary. I never take anything off. Their was only one or two days last winter where I had to put anything extra on...darn wind...it just kept biting into me and I knew as much as I didn't want to put anything else on, since I was going to be climbing all the way home, I knew I had on reasonable/sensible choice. It was in the 10-15 degree range with 20+ mph winds that were relentless. Heck, one night I rode home at 3 degrees with nothing but cycling shorts and a long sleeve lightweight Duofold thermal top on with nylon wind pants/coat on over top. About .5 mile into the ride my right hand was cold as ice. The ragged wool pop top mittens weren't doing their usual job. I started "pumping' my hand trying to generate some blood flow to and just kept riding...the rest of me was fine. About 4 miles into the ride the whole body was nice and warm. It around 8PM as I was riding home, so yeah it was after dark. I got home, and for sanity sake, I was glad I didn't have a headlight...I would have kept riding. I was totally comfortable. I walked in the house and looked out the kitchen window at the thermometer and saw it was only 3 degrees F. I about crapped. I really learnt about overdressing that evening.

The one thing I haven't really ever experimented with is the zipper. I am using a zipable jacket. The only parts of my body that ever gets sweaty anymore while winter riding are the wrists, the ankles and in between the shoulder blades on the back. Maybe occasionally around the waist. Otherwise I stay dry. I do wish I could figure out the way to get ride of the sweaty shoulder blades since that is the key area to stay warm since it sits right behind the heart.

in February, I spent 3 weeks cycle-touring in northern Scandinavia - totally loved it! (coldest it got was -20F and we bivi'd out rather than put up the tent some nights). With the right gear and preparation, winter biking/camping is fantastic.
gear advice/what I learned all here, together with photos: https://helenstakeon.com/winter-biking/
This was completely new for me, so a steep learning curve. Definitely worth it though!

Re. the short days - it wasn't a big problem. We did get up before light so were on the road with sunrise, but in the cold temps it's surprising how long you want to sleep for!

It was a practise ride for my upcoming trip to Siberia, starting in January. Plan is to cycle over Lake Baikal, up to Yakutsk, part way along the Road of Bones and that's where the real adventure starts. From there I'll head north along the frozen Kolyma River/ice roads to Cherskiy on the north Russian coast. Should take 3 months. It'll be much colder for sure.