Tips for Riding in Snow/Adverse Conditions

[dasgeh]

Oh, and of course: dress any little riders warmer than yourself: they will not be doing any work. Consider whether they’ll be out in the wind — they’ll need to be extra bundled against it. Some bike seats (like the BoBike Mini) and some bikes (like the Bakfiets) have wind screens or rain covers that keep little riders warmer. Pro tip: you can leave the windscreen on, even if you take the seat off.

[Greenbelt]

Bonus ronwalf sighting at the very end

[video=vimeo;58262373]http://vimeo.com/58262373[/video]

[Steve O]

@dasgeh 96786 wrote:

People who are too hot or too cold make stupid decisions.
Thirsty people make stupid decisions too.

I have been at the perfect temperature as well as wonderfully hydrated, and I still make stupid decisions. Is there any hope for me?

[dasgeh]

@Steve O 100493 wrote:

I have been at the perfect temperature as well as wonderfully hydrated, and I still make stupid decisions. Is there any hope for me?

No. But we knew that

[chris_s]

@W & Odie 96855 wrote:

You could also try dishsoap before you head out into the cold. Use a drop (no water) and smear a thin film over the whole lens on both sides. Wipe clean with a soft cloth.

I think it’s time for me to try the dish soap trick – I had a lot of fogging issues this morning, I think largely because my balaclava tends to direct my breath up toward my eyes.

[PotomacCyclist]

Baby shampoo might work too. Some people use it for swim goggles. It works sometimes for the swim goggles, but on other days, the goggles fog up in the water. I haven’t tried baby shampoo for outdoor riding.

[Alcova cyclist]

Lots of people have mentioned variants of this, but I think you should really stress the “hold your line” bit.

As a relatively new snow/ice rider, I have found I really have to fight my natural tendency to turn away from danger — when I hit an unexpected patch of ice or slush, my immediate urge is to turn sharply toward firmer ground… If you can do that BEFORE you hit the slick spot, that’s great, but once you’re in it, hold your line until you have more traction available to support a turn.

[wheelswings]

Just seeing this thread now…lots of good ideas. I would add:
-Keep your seat on the low side and be ready to jump off at any time.
-Use a low gear. You’ll have more control.
-Be super-careful going downhill on ice (this is how I generally crash in wintertime…)
-Clean your chain. Otherwise it’ll make crunching sounds like mine (from all the salt and gravel).
-Take care of your thumbs. I use surgical gloves, then wrap my thumbs in aluminum foil, then put on under-gloves or liners, and finally cover everything with my snow mittens.

[brendan]

@wheels&wings 105511 wrote:

-Take care of your thumbs. I use surgical gloves, then wrap my thumbs in aluminum foil, then put on under-gloves or liners, and finally cover everything with my snow mittens.

…foil? Can you explain?

B

[wheelswings]

Tin foil on the thumbs…

The foil seems to reflect your body heat back into your fingers. Many sports products include reflective liners, e.g. the Columbia brand of “omni heat silver dot reflective” products.

One morning last winter I got early-stage frostbite in my fingers on the way to work. The thawing process was reminiscent of my drug-free childbirths… i.e., it really hurt. So for my return trip, I searched the office for something to protect my fingers. There was tin foil in the kitchen, and it worked well.

I now wrap my thumbs in foil for all my coldest commutes.

[OneEighth]

I tend to line my helmet with it.

[dbb]

@OneEighth 105549 wrote:

I tend to line my helmet with it.

Thanks. That explains a great deal.

[wheelswings]

I’ve got a new finger-warming technique – this time not involving tin-foil or plastic bags! Maybe it’s all in my head, but it seems to work.

For years I’ve been doing finger exercises when my thumbs or other digits get cold. It doesn’t really help. But in recent weeks I started doing these same exercises but with my hands no longer positioned at my handlebars. Rather I hold my arms straight down by my sides. I just do this at stoplights, for 20 seconds or whatever I’ve got.

I don’t feel the difference right away, but within a minute or two of starting back up I find my fingers are far warmer. Several times, they’ve gone from beastly cold to comfortable. For some reason, getting my arms down by my sides helps kick-start the blood circulation. I’ve got no science to back this up, but it seems to work.

Feel free to try it if your fingers get cold. :+)

[PotomacCyclist]

It’s probably the circulation that is helping. I notice the same thing with my feet and toes, when comparing winter bike rides to winter runs. I haven’t done too much of either (with most of my limited number of runs taking place on the treadmill) this winter. But in the past, I’ve found it very difficult to keep my toes warm on the bike. I’ve used chemical warmers, socks, MTB shoes and neoprene shoe covers, which don’t help that much. (The problem is the hole on the bottom of the shoe, for the cleats.) On sub-30F days, my toes get very cold within 45-60 minutes. Even when I’ve worn regular non-cycling winter shoes on CaBi, my toes still get cold within an hour.

However, on the run, it’s much different. I don’t think I ever wear socks while running outside in the winter. I’ve been OK doing this in temperatures as low as the mid to upper 20s. Exposed skin gets a little irritated, but my toes hold up OK. Your feet and toes are much more active while running than while cycling. It means more circulation. I wonder if the impact of running also plays a part. Whatever it is, I know that I can run in sub-30F weather without wearing socks and be fine, but on the bike, it’s hard to keep my toes warm when the temperatures drop below 40F.

[APKhaos]

Dickie mentioned this earlier but a recent gnarly experience really drove the point home for me.

I was cruising back on a 30 mile ride in the low 30s which is balmy by BAFS standards. Perfectly comfortable and running with lights heading west on the W&OD approaching Carlin Springs Rd. An unwise decision to futz with my rear light resulted in slipping off the trail right and hitting a large drainage cover dead hard. Not one but TWO pinch flats.
Within 10-15 minutes of stopping I began to get seriously cold. The gear that had kept me perfectly comfortable while riding was not doing the job once off the bike. I had a miserable walk to Falls Church rather than spend 30 mins or so fixing the two flats. Don’t underestimate the dangers of sub 30s temps if you are forced to stop riding and have no shelter avaliable.

[Author]

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