It’s no secret that many people think winter is too cold to bike in. But if you try it once, you’ll find that it can actually be a lot of fun. Even when it’s minus thirty! The frost on your face feels nice and the frozen coating makes driving on ice much smoother than usual. It’s important to stay warm when you’re skiing, and that means wearing windproof gloves and goggles. The worst snow is usually the wet, sticky kind – but it should be between 0-minus 10 degrees C.
Why ride a bike in winter?
Gym time during the winter is integral to developing good summer fitness. You can start working out again in the spring after things have slowed down, but you will need to give yourself a break before you get back into top form. If you work out a little in winter and at a lighter pace, then in the spring you don’t feel like a vegetable.
There are other opinions, some say they enjoy driving in winter as it provides a different experience than summer. They attribute this to the cold weather and can also roll around in the snow while they’re at it.
Other cyclists have indicated that they find their bike handling skills are improved in winter and, when summer rolls around, this translates to more confidence on the level tracks.
Despite the frost and snow, someone is still biking to work.
One large myth about cycling in winter is that you need to spend a small fortune on the right bicycle.
1. A bicycle is a summer vehicle, it is not functional on snow and ice, furthermore, the lubricant freezes in cold weather.
True: in our climate, it snows some distance from the entire winter period and the temperature can drop below zero, often just for a month or two. The rest of the time falls on late autumn or early spring when you can ride without any reservations.
But even when the ice and snow comes, cyclists just change to studded tires. They wear down for a long time, so you get your money’s worth and can go through many seasons before needing to buy new ones.
Studded bike wheels don’t handle like a regular tire, but they won’t make you fall off when you’re tackling surface ice. There are no issues with using studded tires on pavement or sidewalks during wintertime.
2. Riding a bike in winter often results in people getting sweaty and swallowing cold air, the freezing and the catching of a cold.
The fact is that sweat production largely depends both on the intensity of physical activity and on the season. For example skiing or winter cycling can produce as much sweat as jogging or other strenuous activities in summers but causes little to no perspiration during winter months.
It doesn’t seem like anyone is afraid of sweating and getting sick after going skiing. A bike is the same equipment, you get benefits out of this for your body as well as pleasure.
The common problem of sweating and freezing is resolved by modern winter cycling clothing, which allows you to go out with more ease. In contrast, wearing heavy layers increases the risk of overheating.
You can get away with wearing three layers of clothing in clear weather and including a membrane jacket for the top layer. These will keep you warm and allow you to enjoy physical exertion, even on chilly days.
Travelers with experience say that you can still ride a bike in winter, but there are a number of things to take note of. A major one is the technical state of technology. The bike enthusiast maintains that the bike should be looked after, and in winter you need to clean it three times more often than in summer. After each ride, they advise you to clean it from dirt and snow. If you find yourself too busy to keep your bike maintained or looking nice, but you still want to use it, then you might be able to rent a bike. They’re often checked for safety and regularly cleaned.
“For convenience sake, I would also advise you to pay attention to your vehicle’s wings , especially the use of full-size wings. However, often times our street cleaner is lacking which can make roads and sidewalks messy with mud after a snowstorm. If you want to get to a place in clean, then big fenders will make life easier. Another important point is lighting equipment. It is better to put additional lights, headlights and flashing beacons. It gets dark very early in winter, and because of that you should have good batteries for headlights. It is a good idea to carry around a spare set these days. With sunless weather and snow, it’s important to have your lights on, day or night,” the expert advises.
The cycling safety rules aren’t different in winter. Pro tip: the controlling limb tips backward or forward when your foot slips on ice (just like with walking). A bike can only fall sideways. However, this will happen under the same conditions as when a person falls or a car drives into it. For example, if you turn sharply on the ice. Tires will hold better than 90% of winter shoes, and the chance of falling is lower than that of a pedestrian.
Here at Bike Point in Boston, we offer a variety of winter equipment to maximize your experience with cycling.
Winter tires are the best choice for people who drive every day, to work for example. However, if you drive carefully in good conditions, it is possible that ordinary tires are enough.
How to ride a bike in winter, and what not to do- probably unsurprisingly there are a lot of hazards!
You can’t make sharp turns while riding during the winter time, because you’ll likely end up crashing. Even on snow, ice and other slippery surfaces, side parts of the tread of a tire won’t be able to grip well – pretty much guaranteeing that you’ll fall. Winter tires can help in this regard though.
A much greater danger than ice or other slippery surfaces is uneven packed snow, frozen with potholes and pits. In summer, if your wheel slips sideways off the curb you are far more likely to fall. A snow “border” can appear anywhere. When driving on uneven ice, you need to be extra careful to hold the steering wheel firmly and to go straight.
Use your bike all year round and have fun!