11-29-2017, 02:39 PM
I've communte-biked "through the winter" for the past... nine years? But I have a very low tolerance for what constitutes a "too messy to bike" day. On those days I take the bus... until I build up enough impatience at their interminable sloth that I kick myself into biking again. Generally I've found that, even given Waterloo Weather, there are enough days that are clear both in sky and on road that I still just buy bus tickets instead of a monthly pass.
My bicycle is a bog-standard hybrid (tyres are wider than a city bike, narrower than a mountain bike) with no special equipment. Cables run under the frame, and I've had to have them replaced once because they'd stretched so far one snapped. My chain is somewhat angry with my decision to winter-bike, so I ply it with lubricant and frequent cleanings. I have a bright headlight on the handlebars and a red blinker under the seat.
For my own self, a balaclava keeps my ears and neck warm as well as keeping my breath moist so my lungs don't hurt, an old ski mask keeps the wind from blowing in my eyes, and I double-layer my gloves since my fingers are stuck way out there in the cold. I only have to survive a 25min bike, so it's not too bad. I'm often too warm in my torso and rather cold in the fingers, though, and I wonder if I should invest in some sort of battery-powered heated gloves or something.
If I misjudge the weather, I can opt to ride the bus with my bike in the carrier on front. I generally don't do that because of the aforementioned interminable sloth, but I like to know it's an option.
I recommend commute-biking in the winter if you have a sub-20-min commute, a plan for how to abort if the weather turns south, and are free of annoying circulatory disorders like Raynaud Syndrome. Spend some thought on what equipment you'll need for yourself, and don't feel guilty if a day looks too grimy to make the effort.
My bicycle is a bog-standard hybrid (tyres are wider than a city bike, narrower than a mountain bike) with no special equipment. Cables run under the frame, and I've had to have them replaced once because they'd stretched so far one snapped. My chain is somewhat angry with my decision to winter-bike, so I ply it with lubricant and frequent cleanings. I have a bright headlight on the handlebars and a red blinker under the seat.
For my own self, a balaclava keeps my ears and neck warm as well as keeping my breath moist so my lungs don't hurt, an old ski mask keeps the wind from blowing in my eyes, and I double-layer my gloves since my fingers are stuck way out there in the cold. I only have to survive a 25min bike, so it's not too bad. I'm often too warm in my torso and rather cold in the fingers, though, and I wonder if I should invest in some sort of battery-powered heated gloves or something.
If I misjudge the weather, I can opt to ride the bus with my bike in the carrier on front. I generally don't do that because of the aforementioned interminable sloth, but I like to know it's an option.
I recommend commute-biking in the winter if you have a sub-20-min commute, a plan for how to abort if the weather turns south, and are free of annoying circulatory disorders like Raynaud Syndrome. Spend some thought on what equipment you'll need for yourself, and don't feel guilty if a day looks too grimy to make the effort.