Winter is here. Our 10 Day Forecast looks like things are going to stay chilly, so it seems like a good time to offer a few winter riding tips. If you're an all-weather rider, commuter, or tourist, you sure don't need my advice and probably won't find anything useful here (but you do have my admiration).
I'm a wimp. I don't like to be cold. But I have to admit that I'm enjoying my attempt to get out on the bike every day. The view from my window may look like a snow globe and I think I'll just pedal as far as the end of the block, then when I get out, it is always kind of fun and I end up messing around for a while taking pictures and riding up a couple hills.
I finally did break down and dig a balaclava out of the closet in honor of the colder temperatures. Kind of looks like chain mail doesn't it? Order the real thing here. I pull mine down off my mouth too for hills, then I look just like the gent on the web site.
Four "S's".
1. Short - Keeping the ride short solves most problems. You won't have time to get all that cold, and you won't get so far from home that you have to worry much about stuff like flat tires.
2. Simple - Make it easy. I just change shoes, put on my vest, helmet, and gloves and go (plus balaclava or ear muffs if it's much below 35F). I work out of my house and I keep it chilly here (every dollar that doesn't go to the gas company is a dollar toward another bike), so I just wear what I've got on - sweatpants, sweatshirt, wool undershirt, and wool socks. Cotton (like sweat clothes) is the least appropriate fabric for cold weather, but the wool undershirt and Tip#1 keeps it from being a problem. Woolies, or high tech cloths are great, of course.
Have your bike ready to go; you don't want to get chilled before you even start.
3. Steep - Nothing warms you up like a good hill.
4. Slow - Speed is the enemy when it is cold out. Get your aerobic excercise going up hill, then take it slow coming back down.
Number 5 would be "safe", but that is common sense and not really a winter riding tip. Winter riding is fun, but use good judgement. I ain't your doctor, and I haven't got a clue what your weather or your health is like. And, of course, don't go where you're going to get smooshed by a car, or where your frozen corpse won't be found until spring.
So there you have it, straight from a cold weather wimp's balaclava-covered mouth.
Slip-sliding up Jefferson Street on the EZ-1.
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