Winter Bicycling

Ok I get it, it's cold out. The good thing is that as you ride your bike, your core temperature goes up. So as long as you have a nice warm coat, you really only have Four areas to focus on keeping warm:

• Face
  
• Hands
  
• Feet
  
• Legs

First we're going to take a look at how to keep your face warm while on your bicycle.

Obviously, when you're biking you're always going to have the wind in your face. This is great on a warm sunny day, but in winter time it is not nearly as refreshing. Scarves can only really do so much, especially if you're trying to cover your nose and mouth with them for longer than 5 minutes. Generally the condensation will build up and then you're breathing into a wet scarf- not ideal when it's 15 degrees out.

In comes the Balaclava. There are many different types out there, but the basic model is the same- it covers everything but your eyes, with a nice breathable but warm material to reduce that condensation you get with your scarf. It also nicely fits under your helmet without being too bulky. Sure, you may look like you're about to rob a bank, but i can guarantee you're face and neck are super warm!

My favorite one is the Smartwool balaclava, but there are many different brands offering different features. Below you will find a handful of different models.

Now that we have our face covered, lets move down to the hands.

I have found, your hands are the hardest part of your body to keep warm. I had tried tons of gloves before I found the right combination. For me, the Ibex glove liners, coupled with Pearl Izumi's Lobster Gloves, keeps my hands nice and toasty.

I had found originally with just the lobster gloves, I was having the same issue many have with the scarf over the nose- my hands were getting sweaty, and then as they got wet, they got cold again! I was so frustrated until I found the Ibex glove liners. These are made of 95% wool, so it wicks away the moisture from your hands. With the lobster gloves on top, your hands will be so warm you'll almost forget you are outside!

Below you will find the links for the glove liners, as well as a few different types of lobster gloves.

Although our legs are really the powerhouse of our body when biking, in the winter time they too still get cold. I have experimented myself with different types of leggings and long johns, and finally broke down and got a pair of bicycle tights to wear under my pants.

I found the Pearl Izumi thermal cycling tights to work amazingly well, but again there are a number of different brands to try out there. These ones have a nice soft lining that wicks moisture away from the body, but keeps you super warm. These are to be worn when it's super cold out, if it's above 35, you will get too warm!

There are many different styles as well. Some have the chamois built in, others do not. This is all personal preference, depending on your needs and how far/long you plan to be riding.

And finally we come to the feet. For many (myself included), even when wearing warm socks, there are just no good shoes to wear while biking in the winter time to keep the wind out. I find after only being on my bike for ten minutes are so, my feet are already freezing. Last winter, I made it a point to find something that would alleviate this problem.

What I found were the Gore-Tex City Overshoe. These are a type of booty that you velcro on over your shoes. They are 100% wind proof, and let me tell you they are amazing! There are many different types of these shoe covers, I chose this specific one because they are easy on/easy off, and fit over your street shoes. They also have ones that are less for commuting, and more for long rides that coincide with clipless pedals. Below you will find links for a few different types of shoe covers.

So now that we are all warm on our bicycle, lets talk a little bit about safety.

A lot of times people are very concerned with ice and snow. This is understandable, but there are many things you can do to keep yourself safe even in the worst of conditions. The first thing we will talk about is tires.

If you have a mountain bike, chances are you can go ahead and skip over this section. However, if you are a road biker, this is something you should pay attention to. Most road bike tires range from about 700 x 23c to 700 x 35c. This is a big range! The bigger the second number is, the wider the tire. This is the first thing you want to look at when picking winter tires.

Depending on what kind of bicycle you have (and what kind of brakes), depends what size tire you can get. Bicycles with Cantilever, Disc, or V-brakes, can generally get as big a tire as they want. Bicycles with Caliper brakes generally have more limitations when it comes to tire size. Your local bike shop will be able to help you find the right fit for your bicycle, but if you can, getting 700 x 35c tires would be ideal for winter riding.

The next thing on the tire you want to look for, is the tread. The more tread there are on those tires, the more they will stick to the road, even in icy conditions. There are also studded tires on the market. Although I myself have not invested in studded tires, I know many people who have and who love them.

One other safety concern, is being seen. As it gets darker earlier, and most of us are getting out of work when it is dark out, it is important to make sure that cars and other traffic can see you when you're on your bicycle.

An easy way to do this is getting bike lights. For not that much money you can get a set of lights; a white headlight, and a red rear light. These are essential for night riding.

If you are still concerned about being seen, you can also get a number of stick on reflectors, as well as a reflective vest. Many tires nowadays even come with reflective tape on the sides!

So there you have it, no more excuses! May you and your bicycle have a great winter together!