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Not Too Cold to Ride

Sharon shares her survival guide to all-weather biking.

Tuesday Nov 20, 2007.     By Sharon Hoyer

Lifestyle Feed

Believe it or not, this intrepid urban greenie didn't start out as hale and stalwart in the face of bone-snapping cold as she is today. In fact, I came to Chicago a borderline-anemic grad student, who would hole up with a pot of tea, an epic novel and a Netflix subscription from mid-November through late March. But now, a few short years later, I'm pedaling in the snow ruts of the cockiest bike messengers. This winter marks my third year of cold weather biking.

For those who've wanted to try their hands at winter biking, but shied away at the first blast of the cold nor'easter, I offer the following guidelines to keeping safe and warm(ish). By braving the temps, you’ll save hundreds (of dollars and tons of CO2 emissions) on gasoline or CTA fare, stay svelte through the bloated holidays and look pretty damn tough to boot.

Visibility: vital year round
Because drivers don't expect cyclists on the road in winter and bike agility is severely impaired in snow, being seen is essential. Extra reflectors on your clothing, helmet, wheels or frame help, but you must outfit your ride with a white front light and blinking red tail light. Pop the extra couple bucks for an LED (most bike shops carry these almost exclusively now anyway); they’re brighter than halogens and use a lot less battery power.

Don't be timid about taking a little extra lane space: Cars will see you better and swerve wider to pass you. Besides, the only thing worse than getting doored is getting doored into a salty slush bank.

Torso layering: synthetic, wool, waterproof
Avoid wearing cotton next to your skin; you'll wind up soggy and chilled by the end of the trip. Silks and synthetics keep you dry and comfortable, and wool provides a fantastic insulating layer. Dress so that you're chilly when you first start out; 10 minutes into the ride you’ll be generating plenty of heat.

A good top layer keeps you dry. Bulky coats aren't ideal, as they feel cumbersome while riding and, believe it or not, make you uncomfortably hot. I've been using the same windbreaker I found at a thrift store for years. It's lightweight, white (i.e. visible) and I don't care if it gets ruined—and it will get ruined, which is another reason to save that North Face parka for the train platform.

Long johns: your new best friend
Layer up those legs too! Two layers are often enough, though on the coldest days I like to put tights on under long johns, too. This may seem like a luxury of the fairer sex, but honestly, if you boys want to add extra insulation by throwing on some Danskins before your long underwear, who's to know? Now that leggings are the rage, ladies fashion need not suffer while biking. I've found two pairs of tights topped by knit leggings and/or legwarmers are just as cozy.

The extremities
In the negative temps, it's usually frigid hands and feet that make me cry uncle. Double gloving or, my favorite, putting gloves under mittens will keep those digits warm. For extra heat, try sewing a small pouch of uncooked rice into each glove. Microwave the pouch before you leave the house, and you've got a nifty set of hand-warmers that'll last for a good hour or two.

To keep your tootsies from freezing, wear at least one pair of wool socks and insulated, waterproof boots with a little wiggle room. You'll also want a thin hat that covers your ears and fits under your helmet. When temperatures fall into the teens, I pull out my balaclava and 180s—those low-riding earmuffs—which fit sleekly beneath the facemask and don’t interfere with helmet wear.

Gear and maintenance
Road salt is as hard on your bike as it is on your clothes. Give your ride regular cleanings, and be sure to thoroughly dry all moving parts after a scrub down; you don't want any axles unexpectedly icing up and locking. Lubing the chain and gears weekly will also retard rust and help prevent the works from freezing.

Do yourself a favor and invest in a fender. It's the difference between a little road smut on your trouser legs and feeling like you sat in a bucket of ice water during your commute.

Go easy on yourself
Remember, we all have our limits. Sometimes it's just too darn cold. Or slushy. Or you don't feel like arriving at your destination as salty as an Alaskan fisherman. Taking a few days off doesn't make you any less of a winter biking badass, and you can always hop back on when temps are more to your liking.

For more helpful tips, visit www.bikewinter.org.

It took a move from the regimented lawnscapes of the suburbs to the congestion of a major metropolis for Sharon to look twice at what she puts in the trash, down the sink and into her own body. She reports fortnightly on her endeavors to change "greening" from calculated deviation to a practicable way of life. You can contact her here.