Cold Weather Bicycling

[sporky_rat]

So, best ideas for cold weather bicycling? Granted, I'm not in the coldest part of the US by any means, but still, 38° for Mississippi is not fun.

Comments

[dragonfly]

I was just wondering about this. I have snow and cold. If I asked for advice about biking in snow and ice would people just laugh and say, stay home?

[kuwdora]

Hardly. I've seen/heard of people cycling in the winter in Milwaukee and Chicago on occasion and there are plenty resources out there devoted to riding in the winter: a brief google search turned up these results: Winter cycling and another one from bicyclinglife.com.

[kuwdora]

What kind of ideas are you looking for sporky_rat? Are the temperatures keeping you too cold while riding or has there been rain on the roads that've made it more difficult to ride on?

[sporky_rat]

There's been rain and drizzle (just enough to make the road slick) and I'm not able to drive (somehow the arthritis hurts less after bicycling than driving, I like my bike, I'm not questioning it) so I was wondering how to make it a little safer and keeping fingers warm while still keeping them available for braking.

[ell]

These:
http://www.rei.com/product/806764

I just got them last week and my hands are never cold :-)

[dayblaze]

I like these. They aren't enough for New England winter, but I used them well into fall.

http://www.pearlizumi.com/publish/content/pi_2010/us/en/index/product_series/ride/women/mtb/gloves.-productCode-14241010.html

If visibility is poor, get a reflective jacket or vest.

[ell]

cold weather commuting tips:

1) spend the money on appropriate gear. I have these: http://www.gorebikewear.com/remote/Satellite/PROD_FCITYO?landingid=1208436871979A and I love them to death. I have a helmet cover, I have lobster claw gloves, rain pants, rain jacket, etc. I have a bike with decent commuting tires and waterproof panniers. All these make biking in the cold and the wet not only bearable but fun

2) be prepared to go slower and be careful

3) be visible in the dark (lights and reflectors)

4) get a balaclava/ski mask if it's really cold

5) ice is dangerous. They make studs for bikes, but in Mississippi, you shouldn't need them.

[darkemeralds]

I'm blessed with a very mild, albeit wet, riding climate, but I avidly follow Dottie of Let's Go Ride A Bike, partly because she commutes daily in Chicago, throughout the winter, and her wonderful posts on winter riding were what first made me realize that no day where I live is ever too cold to get on a bike.