I'll bump my post from last year:
Woot for riding to work! You're immune to situations where traffic gets paralyzed , including buses. My commute is the same 15 minutes it always is. I ride in everyday to work downtown, -40 or not. Riding at an easy pace, I'm able to get away without the need to shower or anything, and can also wear less gear.
I'm going to list all my gear - you don't need to get it all at once. Just build on what you have already and tweak things here and there as you need to.
Cold Weather Gear
- Gloves - get a few pairs for differing weather. I have a pair of Descente
Coldfront for 5 to -10 degree temps. I also have a pair or regular old
Windstopper Fleece gloves that work well from -5 to -20 temps. When it it's -20 I'll break out the
lobster claw gloves with an glove liner (pair of thin jogging gloves works for me) to really ward off the cold. Hands get cold really fast so it's worth it to put a few bucks into this.
Headwear - when it gets to -15 or so and the wind freezes your face, I go with a
neo/fleece mask from Serius. MEC used to have these, but doesnt look like it anymore. These velcro up in the back so it's easy to put on. I also use a pair of 180's earmuffs to keep the ears from freezing in all temp ranges. Again, when it's -20 or below I'll use a thin microfiber running tuque below the helmet to keep warm.
Eyewear - I have a pair of Oakley Flak Jackets in clear / amber / dark lenses. Huge difference in that they don't fog up like my old Smiths did. Well worth the upgrade IMHO.
Jacket - whatever you've got. I personally use a puffy down North Face jacket, but will toss a North Face Shell over it when it hits -25.
Pants - I wear dress pants and a shirt so I don't have to change at work so some protection against cold and splashing is a must. I use a pair of
Patagonia Alpine Pants which have been awesome. A
dork strap to make sure your pant cuff doesn't get ripped up in your chain ring is critical.
Bike Equipment
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Wet lube - chains rust like a mofo in salty slush. Slather this stuff on weekly.
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Fenders - I put these on so I never have to worry about spray and rooster tail. Some like the simple deflector shield thing in the front, but I want maximum coverage so I go for the full coverage
Planet Bike ATB fenders.
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Tires - Believe it or not, I still ride with my freaking semislick
IRC Advantage Pro tires. I used to run knobbies but I found that the snow and ice packs into the tread and turns them to semi slicks anyways. I do drop the PSI a bit 5-10 psi though. Really though it's not your tires but your riding style that matters (see below).
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Lights - you'll need some riding in the dark. Front and back.
- Disc Brakes rule in the wet!
Riding Style / My Rules For Winter Riding
- Be prepared for a fall at any time.
My riding tends to be on the busier sections of the pathway and through streets and alleys downtown. Lots of turns and braking where I can bail. As such I drop my seat a good inch so I can be prepared to put a leg down on the ground to stop what feels like a skid. The ability to do this quickly is important when it gets icy. Unfortunately, dropping your seat comes at the expense of optimum riding position - but speed isn't the issue here.
- Hit objects perpedicular only.
Treat any curb, be it 0.5" or 4" tall, as something that will kill you if you fail to take it perpendicular. 90% of my falls in the winter comes from this. Basically a wet frozen curb meeting your wet frozen tire at a narrow angle will slide off like skates on ice. Tires like to go forwards, not sideways. If there's only one thing you learn, learn this rule! This is applicable for any object you may have to ride over, like snow humps or tracks left by cars.
- Brake before the turn
Just like driving. Reduce the amount of traction required of your tires in a turn. Slow down before you make a turn in case the apex of the turn is icy.
- Rear brake only when slippery.
Skidding with your rear tire is controllable, and sometimes even fun. Skidding with your front tire is death.
- Crud is your Enemy.
As a bike commuter, you will become like an Eskimo and have several words to describe snow. Fresh deep snow is actually quite easy to ride in. The worst snow is crud. After a deep snowfall and it warms slightly and cars mix in dirt. It takes on a sand like consistency which means when you turn your handlebars to steer nothing happens. Means for a bit of walking on my street sections. Crud will kill you.
winter cycling
