Comments on: How-To Enjoy Winter Biking

By: More Winter Cycling | Utility Cycling

More Winter Cycling | Utility Cycling — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 17:52:38 +0000

[...] I missed this video in our recent Winter Cycling post, so here is a little more inspiration (via Bike Commuters). [...]

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 23:20:42 +0000

@Graham – I think Pat said it well – the need to wash the bike down nightly. Also, I store my bike indoors, so I put it on an indoor/outdoor mat to thaw first. Then keep the chain lubed along with all moving parts/screws. For a couple winters I rode a bike whose brakes froze up; no matter how much lube I applied, the still froze in 20-degree weather and below! By the third winter I found a fix for the deep freeze.

I must say, I’m impressed that you run to work in the snow. I find the sidewalks to be barely passable. And with a pack on your back!?

By: Pat Navin

Pat Navin — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 18:31:57 +0000

I just posted a photo of some winter riding aliens who landed in Chicago on my blog. It was 8 degrees (F).

Winter riding in the Windy City is great fun, but you definitely need the right gear. I ride on smooth tires (700 X 28), but it’s the apparel (and lights) that make the difference.

Just rode in to my office in gunky slush. Gotta’ make sure and wash the bike (steel frame) down nightly to avoid corrosion. But it only takes 10 minutes or so.

Have fun out there!

By: TStevens

TStevens — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 14:00:05 +0000

It has been pretty frozen down here in southern Minnesota but the bike commuting has been great. The only rough spot is the path that goes under the interstate; I have to climb the 2 foot snow bank to get to it. Plus now it is warming up my cold weather gear is getting a little hot after 5 minutes, minus 10 is just about perfect for my setup.

By: Ghost Rider

Ghost Rider — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 02:43:10 +0000

@Raiyn…I almost got taken out by a patch of ice on my commute to work this morning — ICE!!! My front wheel caught it and I started skipping sideways, but managed to recover somehow (the ice patch really wasn’t all that big). Crazy times we’re having here!

By: rick

rick — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 02:11:25 +0000

Snow commuting is the best. When co-workers complain that it took 45 minutes to go five miles, I can smile. During the recent storm in Columbus, Ohio, I rode through the thick of it. instead of it taking an hour to ride home, it took me an hour and fifteen minutes. The only thing I could complain about was the steep hill that I ended up walking because of the lack of traction.

By: Raiyn

Raiyn — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 01:48:19 +0000

@ Ghost
Not exactly commute related, but at a party I attended last night I noticed that the birdbath had FROZEN SOLID. So much for St. Pete / Pinellas County being warmer than Tampa.

By: Ghost Rider

Ghost Rider — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 12:21:36 +0000

I should add that my hat goes off to all those winter warriors out there!

By: Ghost Rider

Ghost Rider — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 12:20:25 +0000

No snow or real ice here…but there was frost on my bike saddle the other morning. Does that count?

I haven’t ridden in snow for over 20 years — I remember it as being rather fun, but I didn’t have any important destination…we did it purely for enjoyment.

By: Champs

Champs — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 03:27:46 +0000

I’m actually going to rate Minneapolis streets as nearly unridable this winter. Christmas delivered over a foot of snow, then it rained, and it’s been a deep freeze ever since. It’s all open slippery sheets or frozen-over bumpy ruts – no open, much less dry pavement to speak of.