Winter Commuting Advice
take it or leave it

By John Schwenker

For much of my working life I maintained a set of self-imposed winter guidelines on whether I would bike to work or not. I had limits on how cold I'd go and wouldn't ride in more than a dusting of snow. I did what countless other cyclists do on inclement days -- ride the bus.

But when the roads get filled with slow moving traffic, the buses move just as slowly. One day I'd ridden to work I spent 45 minutes in the evening waiting for a bus to show up in nearly stopped traffic created by about 4 inches of snow. I bid the folks I'd gotten to know at the bus stop good luck and returned to my bicycle just to see how it went. It went pretty well. I haven't commuted by any other means since that day in 1998.

In addition to snow riding experience I've also tried out a lot of items for cold weather protection of one's personage and suffered a few cold related mechanical defeats. What I offer here is a loose collection of comments for the perusal of those wanting to challenge themselves to ride through the barriers of the season upon us. Take it or leave it.

Riding in the “slippery and deep”

Prior to trying it out much, I thought "Gee... if it feels this bad when I'm walking across the parking lot imagine how bad it might be on a bike!" Instead I've found that I actually feel more in control on slippery surfaces on a bike than walking. When walking you are always making and breaking ground contact, with each step being an opportunity to lose traction; not so on a bike. And when walking your first line of defense in a fall is to place your wrists, elbows or behind at risk; when cycling, you put your feet down to try and stop a fall. (Although one should be prepared to tuck and roll if your momentum is such that the foot plant may only slow your fall.)

If the above sounds a little glib -- I would agree. I can't stress enough the importance of scaling your caution up and speed down to the situation at hand. Be on the lookout as you ride for changes in slope, especially to the side of your direction of travel. Take curb cuts, driveway aprons and the like up and down the fall line not across the slope. Avoid roads that are highly crowned resulting in substantial sideways slopes where you'll be riding. Watch out also for bumps and pavement joints that could act to trigger a loss of traction. Slow down much more than you normally would for curves. And if you end up feeling comfortable like me, stop and put your foot down once in awhile to remind yourself how slippery it really is.

In recent years the city of Boulder has been better than ever about plowing paths and bike lanes storm. The perennially weakest link seems to remain places where paths cross streets; expect to find some big furrows to blast through or walk around.

Things start to change when you get the "opportunity" to ride in real snow. You'll find that there are all kinds of snow types, tracking and packing conditions with regards to biking. A few inches of fresh snow can actually make for a pretty pleasant riding situation. It will slow you down a bit but can hold your tires in your intended direction of motion surprisingly well. But snow that has been tracked through repeatedly by cars or bikes can be some of the most dangerous stuff around. Beware of catching your wheel in the tracks of those who've gone before. Once it gets well packed the riding can become pretty reasonable again unless it's a very slippery snow.

One does need to be mentally prepared for finding a section of the chosen route basically impassable. On occasion I've had to push and drag my bike for more than a mile through deep snow. That's great exercise! I always try to make sure I have bus fare in my pocket and a bike lock with me in case I need to lock, walk and ride.

Keeping it all warm

You've heard it before but dressing in layers works even better for biking. Much of the winter you may be dressing a little or a lot lighter on the way home than in the cold of the morning. I find that a sweatshirt and wind/water­proof shell is all I need for my upper body in the coldest of weather. A pair of rain pants retain plenty of warmth in your legs on the coldest of days. It's usually the extremities that deserve more attention to detail.

Another key ingredient in my plan is "over­warming". On colder days I will put some or all of my layers on early and eat breakfast that way. I place my gloves, helmet and other items near a heater vent. If my hands feel cold I'll run some hot water in the bathroom sink and spend a few minutes soaking them. At work I've been known to start putting items on up to an hour in advance of my departure. When I finally get outside I may be so warm that the cold feels really good. "Over­warming" helps you keep warm until the circulation from your cycling exertions can take over.

Garden-variety ski gloves work pretty well for me with some use of glove liners for extension to colder temps. I have tried mitten-like glove shells but find them pretty cumbersome around the brake levers. Straight ski mittens might be better for those needing more finger heat retention. Test them out for compatibility with your handlebar controls.

Other areas for attention are the neck, ears and face. You can lose a lot of heat through an improperly covered neck. If your shell does not have a collar that seals tight there are lots of neck band and "dickey" items available that can fill and make that gap comfy. For ears there are a lot of earmuff options out there, including ones with bands intended to go around the back of the neck. Take your helmet with you to shop for ones that will be compatible. Many people find that having something to cover the mouth is important for pre-warming the air breathed in. There are wide headbands that can do this as well as take care of the ears. Another option I have in my arsenal is a balaclava or full head ski mask that is made of material thin enough to fit well under the helmet.

In the coldest of weather you may find that your feet will need extra attention. I've done overwarming of my feet -- placing my shoes near a heater vent and wearing warm slippers and extra socks while eating breakfast. Especially when snow may be involved I recommend heavier waterproofed hiking boots to keep your walking options open. I also have a pair of neoprene socks that are just thin enough to fit inside shoes along with a thin pair of socks and provide a considerable heat barrier effect. Take 'em off when you get to work or suffer!

Be careful if things start to get too cold. The air streaming by while riding can make a bad situation get worse relatively quickly. Especially if fingers, toes or ears are signaling a problem just stopping for a few minutes can make a big difference Warm the affected parts by placing them closer to your core, such as by putting your hands in your armpits. You'll find yourself developing a whole mental chart of what items get used at what temperatures, with sun strength factored in. I've survived predawn commutes as cold as minus 15° F.

The winter bike

In this category many things may be specific to an individual's bike or riding desires. For example, on rare occasions skinny tires may cut through lighter snow better, though I'm convinced that fatter tires simply engage more surface area of whatever's available to hold on to.

Brake and shifter cable open runs can be a problem. Water can collect and freeze where the cable leaves or re-enters the housing. There are devices designed to keep water out of these cable ins and outs. I prefer to run continuous cable housing even if the bike was designed otherwise. In the snow and wet be aware of how your brakes might be working. Apply them early when approaching a stop, to clean off the surfaces. Apply them once in a while as riding along just to check. If you're building or selecting a bike for lots of winter use you might consider hub-based (disc or drum) brakes over rim brakes.

With all the winter grime and slime around you should pay good attention to lubrication. However, use lighter lubes and lighter, more frequent applications. With too much or too stiff a lube, on really cold days you may find cables and chains not moving well . An internal gear hub setup helps eliminate some of these seasonal difficulties.

I feel that fenders are a must for the bulk of year round riding. However, they can sometimes be a real disadvantage in the snow. Whether you have fenders or not I recommend giving some thought to carrying some sort of tool for clearing snow out of "the works". A one-inch putty knife is about right. A plastic one is good for snow; a metal one may be required for icier buildups. Combs, credit cards, pocketknife have all been pushed into service by Yours Truly. If at all possible take a few minutes to clear snow out just after your arrival at your destination if it may not melt off completely before you ride again. Having it melt and refreeze is the pits.

Of course a good lighting set-up is crucial. Use it liberally when the weather closes in and reduces visibility even in the daytime.

Happy trails to you

I hope this has at least served to entertain, with some of the effort and silliness involved exposed to view. To others that might be interested in taking on the "old man" I wish you the best of luck and hope some of this has been useful and thought-provoking.¨

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Monthly Meeting

The next meeting of Boulder Bicycle Commuters will be on Monday, October 2nd from 7 to 9pm at the Boulder Food Co-op located at 19th and Pearl.

About BBC

BBC is a non-profit community group based in Boulder, Colorado. We advocate for safe and convenient bicycle facilities and fair laws for bicyclists. We work on both on-street and off-street bike facilities. We also advocate for pedestrian interests and control of the over-use and abuse of motor vehicles. Read our bylaws.

We have about 89 members as of April 2003. We are most active at the local city level. We occasionally work on county and state-wide issues. We started in 1991 under the name Bolder Bicycle Commuters. In 2002 we changed to the current name.