Winter Cycling

Well I am going to start this year. I was at a shop fixing my brakes last weekend and I asked the guy about some winter tights. We got on the subject of riding in the winter and it led to him telling me he will be selling studded knobbys this winter and that led to a full blown debate about derailers freezing up and having a second wheelset for the salt and snow so you dont trash our 600.00 set up. Im going to wear pretty much the same stuff I hike in the winter with as far as windproof fleece gloves and top. I want to get a nice set if bibs for winter riding, they are suppose to breath out the back and block freezing temps from the front. I have visions of riding fast across glare ice frozen ponds, and hard packed trails. I dont know how the road riding will be, most likely dangerous.
I am looking forwrd to it, its all new. all good.

living in Ohio, if you dont ride through the cold and wet, you dont stay in shape. yes, i ride in a variety of conditions. dressing in layers, the cold is fairly easy to contend with. the wet, cold rains that often fall are another matter. even expensive goretex is only so water tight, and it is easy to get wet and cold. i tend to use the attitude of riding when the whether is fit, and sticking to weights, diet and a little indoor riding on the days i can't ride.

i find good clothes are even more important than the bike you choose. that doesnt mean you have to buy expensive, just stuff that fits well and works well with your body. i invested in gortex pants and jacket, and when the whether is at its worst i layer it over tights and a turttle neck. my riding buddy has this suit that looks like a wet suit that he wears.

fortunately in ohio snow melts off the roads with a few days of falling usually, and i wait for the majority to melt before rides so i am not out on slick pavement. it isnt me i worry about as much as some driver hitting a slick patch and sliding into me.

A strong advocate of winter cycling. I maintain a full arsenal of winter gear and will ride at just about any temp. Since I am strictly a roadie, the only thing that will keep me off the roads is snow and ice.

Last year was a particularly snowy and cold one in Maryland. The only days I did not ride were when the roads were snow-packed or there was ice on them.

Otherwise, I layered up, including a Gore-Tex Windstopper Vest, winter cycling gloves, and a full-head covering balaclave that fits under my helmet.

The rules are always dress as if it were 15 degrees (F) warmer, as 15 minutes into your ride, you will warm up. I hate to be cold, so I ignored this advice, and usually got a real good sweat going. By the time I'd finish the first hour, my gear would be nearly soaked, despite the top layer being a breathable rain suit.

A bad day cycling is better than a good day sitting on the couch and flipping through the channels.

Xue,

I am a year round bicycle commuter in Norfolk, VA. It doesn't get as cold or snow as much here as it does up North, but since I have to be ready to ride every day, no matter what the weather, I did a lot of research about clothing and equipment before my first winter of commuting. I got a lot of good information off of the IceBike website:

http://users.rcn.com/icebike/

There is also a listserv associated with this site:
http://www.joeclark.org/icebike.html

I haven't joined this listserve, so I have no idea about the quality or quantity of the content.

I agree with much of what the previous posters have said, dess so that you are a bit chilly when you start out, with a good base layer of clothing that will wick moisture. Pay particular attention to you hands and feet.

Good luck with your research.

Thanks Fatherzen.