Ten ways of making cycling bearable in November

Since no one has responded to my post about eco-friendly cars, I’m sticking to bikes. My own vehicle of choice. But I’m struggling. I mean, how does anyone carry on saddling up in cold, rainy winter months? This guy has no problem with it. But then I only started cycling this spring, so I fear I’m a fair weather cyclist. Here is my list of ten ways to make cycling bearable when it’s cold. Feel free to suggest add your own or let me know if I've got it all wrong. In which case, I'll take the car...

1/ Buy some lobster gloves. So called not because of red hands but because they are claw-like, divided into two fingers. A happy compromise between mittens and gloves, they give you more control over your bike. You can buy a decent pair here

2/ Explore the wonderful world of neck gaiters. As the chap in the video points out (don't let his American/Irish hybrid accent put you off) scarfs flap around and you risk losing them in your spokes You can also pull neck gaiters up over your face, bankrobber style.

3/ Learn how to do the farmer's nose blow here. A trick that comes in use not just when the cold makes your nose drip but in countless other tissue-less cicrumstances.

4/ Get some battery-free lights If cycling is not enough for your green credentials. Watch out for the fact they don't flash when you're stationary, rather defeating the point of them since safe-cyclists will have to have an additional, presumably battery operated, pair. Here's a review of them.

5/  Think about your eyes if you're heading out into the sleet and snow. I don't know about you but I've always had a fear of something flying off a car and into my eye, a nasty shard of glass or some other lethal object - a horrible thing to happen in either summer or winter, but somehow worse to be blinded on a dark November day. Short of wearing my swimming goggles, I wasn't sure what to do. Sunglasses are great if it's bright, if it's gloomy, there are clear lens glasses out there for people like me.

6/ Wear two pairs of socks. Or there are neoprene overshoes that do the same job. There are even winter cycling shoes here – how technical do you want to get?

7/ Be Seen on a Bike is the place to buy all manner of bright flashing stuff. Decorate yourself and your bike with reflective strips and fluorescent clothing. There’s even gear for your dog although I doubt the site is recommending that you cycle with mutt in tow.

8/ The worst bit is stepping out of your cosy home and doing the first 100 metres. Your body has to get warm, as do your muscles. Once you get going, most people say that cycling in winter can be better than in the summer as you sweat less. Especially if you’ve invested in gear that cleverly wicks away your sweat. Endura is a UK company that also sources its materials for cycling gear in this country, testing them in the Scottish Highlands.

9/ Spend some time on the Icebike website mentioned above to familiarize yourself with the hardcore species of cyclist. The picture on the homepage says it all. Compare to the conditions that these nutters take on, a touch of drizzle is nothing. Check out this super geeky but oddly compelling bike forum which is discussing winter cycling.

10/ Most crucially of all, allow yourself to feel stupendously smug on arrival. Making sure your helmet is visible – if in any doubt carry on wearing it and then feign forgetfulness - ask your friends/colleagues about their bus, tube or traffic-clogged car journeys. That should be enough to make you want to repeat the experience. Don’t worry if the process, loses you friends. You don’t need them, you can make new ones on a cycling forum.

Comments

[Ian Murdey]

In addition to gloves I'd add neoprene overshoes. Your feet don't move very much and so toes can get very cold. They usually allow cleats to protrude out of the bottom for people who like to clip into their pedals.

I also wear clear lens sports glasses to keep snow/rain/sleet out of my eyes. The more ventilated the better because hot face + cold air = misting of the lenses.

You should also invest in lots of bright clothing - preferably reflective, and a good set of lights. I recently invested in the Electron Light System with a rechargable battery from www.chainreactioncycles.com and have found it good value for money.

Finally, a bandana under my helmet to make up for the lack of natural insulation some of us have ended up with!

[Tom Whitwell]

Lots of tips at the fantastically hardcore ICEBIKE site ("Home of the Winter Cyclist, and Other Crazy People": http://www.icebike.org/

More general info here:
http://www.bicyclinglife.com/Recreation/wintercycling.htm

including the hopeful tip: "Expect to be treated better by motorists in winter than in summer."

Howies are good for general gear - http://www.howies.co.uk/ , but has anyone found anywhere selling ethically produced raingear? I can't help feeling all that breathable polyester must be bad somewhere along the line.

What about mudguards? I'm always amazed when I see serious-looking cyclist pedalling along with a thick layer of grit and mud and water all up their back and over their expensive courier bag.

Best tip of all: Be like David Cameron, and never leave home without a nice warm chauffeur Lexus purring behind you, in case it gets just too chilly.

[Gareth Kane]

I cycle all year in inappropriate clothing - I did a 12 mile round trip in a pinstripe suit yesterday - which was lovely on the way out, but wet on the way back. My best purchase ever was a pair of cycle clips as they have turned me into a daily city cyclist, rather than the lycra clad weekend trail basher of old.

I have a very light raincoat, gloves and, as I don't wear a helmet (http://eco-living.blogspot.com/2006/09/cycle-helmets-friend-or-foe.html), a fleece hat. When it is very cold, I find a 'neck gaiter' is v. useful in place of a scarf at keeping that cold air out.

[Anna Shepard]

Now Gareth, you say you cycle in inappropriate clothing, but are you sure? All this talk of neck gaiters, cycle clips and fleece hats sounds deeply appropriate. Are you sure you're not kidding yourself that you're a laidback suit wearning chap when actually you're a lyrca clad fiend?

[Claire]

My top tip for winter cycling is - JUST DO IT. Even if it looks foul, most of the time it's not as bad as you think it'll be once you get going. Do make sure you'll still be visible if the weather is bad or gets worse or it gets dark early though.

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[Robin Bather]

I admire your green ideals Anna but trying to make November cycling tempting seems an impossible task to most of us, somewhat like attempting to convince your child that going to the dentist is a fun event to be looked forward to.
I recall many years ago, when as a young man I braved the icy cold Arctic sleety winds of Suffolk on a pushbike but I wouldn't recommend that to anyone.
Good luck anyway.

[FlatGreg]

Robin - I'm sure it's unbearably cold in some areas especially the UK, but here in the southern U.S. it's 64-79 degrees F today! Granted it'll drop by the end of the week, but there are still plenty of great biking opportunities especially if we take some of the hints listed here. I'll have to pick myself up a neck gaitor!

[WinterLover]

I live about 120 Km north of Toronto, Canada where the chappie in the video is telling us about the joys of winter biking. In Toronto and a few other southern Canada cities this may make sense. However, I challange any but the most hardy or skilled to bike through the 30cm to 100 cm of snow the regularly blankets the roads in most of Canada from December to April. Not to mention minus 10 to minus 30 degree celsius temperatures.

XC Skis and snowshoes are a more sensible mode of transport if one feels compelled to abandon one's auto here in The Great White North.

[Joe Below]

I live just south of the North Pole and bike 100 kilometers across great expanses of open water. I challenge anyone to come up with a less relevant statement.

[Karen]

This is my 3rd winter of cycling to work (a 12 mile round trip). As a 50 year old woman, and never considering myself sporty, I agree with the just do it attitude. Even with the SW winds that I tend to encounter on my way home alongside a river I find there are very few days when I really can't cycle. I don't have any fancy clothing just plenty of layers and 2 pairs of socks and gloves when it's extra cold.

[John]

Like the guy on the video - one of the things that makes cycling much more enjoyable is listening to music on an MP3 player. A few chords of AC/DC will launch you on your journey!!

[Anna Shepard]

I thought that listening to music while cycling was a total safety sin...
And judging by the vicious comments I've been receiving about my student cycling antics (see post above), I'd watch out!

[Squaggles]

I can honestly say that in 20 years of cycling I have never been too cold in this country . The worst part is when you leave the house , before you have warmed up , after that it's no problem .
I must admit I don't like icy roads though , a lot of motorists have no idea how to drive in those conditions so watch out .

[Tim]

Regarding "battery-free" (dynamo-powered) lights -- there are models available from a German maker named Busch & Mueller that incorporate a "standlight", an LED that turns on when you come to a stop. The LED is powered by a capacitor that charges up while you are moving. Very handy at stop lights and such.

[David Dring]

Ian's point about a bandana under the helmet is good, particularly with newer helmets that have lots of slots in them. Another tip that may be of interest if you are caught short on a cold day is to carefully insert a couple of pieces of paper (A4) into your helmet. This creates a layer of insulation between your head and the airflow through the helmet slots. Might be low on street cred but it's got me home on many an occasion. Keep up the cycling and check how invigorated you feel when arriving at work compared with those complaining about traffic jams etc.

[Michael Strelitz]

A few things to add:

1. My ears get very cold, so I wear one of those skibands that go over my forehead and ear.

2. My nose runs a lot, so I tuck tissues under the strap of my gloves.

4. Lab safety glasses (not quite this year's high fashion) work very well to protect the eyes from cold.

3. There was snow on the ground, but the guy in the video was not wearing gloves!

[alex]

how can ye be calling yourself an eco-worrier & be basically recommending that we get more questionably necessary specialised gear? ok it sounds groovy to have 179 pairs of gloves, shoes, scarves, hats, anoraks each for the different situations we venture into but a true ecologer will improvize & not gadgetize. Don't just cycle but recycle & adapt stuff.

[Neil Warner]

A couple of good products are http://www.dotbike.com/ProductsP1886.aspx this fits under your helmet or these http://www.dotbike.com/ProductsP389.aspx which you can use off the bike and have little pockets for your headphones. Layered clothing is the key, silk base layers from Patra http://www.patra.com/ProductDetail.asp?ProductID=25&C1=&C2=&C3= are excellent as are their sock and glove liners. Get your core temperature up by spinning a smaller gear than normal as you start off raising your heartrate and not straining cold knees.

[Helen Dowling]

How come nobody here has mentioned the essential "Stirnband"?! While growing up in the South of Germany, my mother was forever harping on about wearing one. I refused (Item essentially ruled not cool) and accepted ears, painfully frozen instead. However, since moving to Finland, I have chosen "uncool" over loss of ears by frostbite. If you're a cyclyst and insist on cycling in anything below 12C (personally tested ideal temperature), then you need to get one of these. It's like a woolly hat, just without the top part, covers the ears and forhead and fits nicely under a helmet.
Moving back to the UK for 6 months in December. Am a student with no money. If you don't want your bike during winter, I'll take it.
:)

[WinterLover]

If Joe Below thinks he's been biking "100 kilometers across great expanses of open water" just south of the North Pole (Is that the magnetic or the geographic North Pole?)he clearly hasn't been to either North Pole.

What's your point, Joe?

My point was that winter biking is just not realistic for many of us even with all the high tech, eco-friendly? gear. Not all of us live in Smogvilles such as Toronto where any snow that falls instantly turns to grey slush.

[freewheel]

This guy is immensely likable.

[Anna Shepard]

On my way to work this morning I noticed how low winter sun gets in your eyes at the crucial moment. Does anyone have a remedy for that?

[sportcrazy]

Serious light - L&M Arc. I bought one recently, fantastic. Review here:
http://sportcrazy.net/cycling/review-light-and-motion-arc-nimh/

I'm going to have to get something balaclava-like to avoid face & ear wind-chill - I don't have a problem with the top of my head, it's the exposed bits that go first!

[Gareth Price]

Biking in the winter is no problem. I did it for years. My coldest day was 28 below zero F. I was the only one at work, because nobody's car would start.

Neoprene overshoes are the big key, because your toes get some serious wind. They will get really cold otherwise. I also recommend putting something over your mouth if it's significantly below zero to prevent lung freeze.

Just remember: if it's really cold, you can't be wet, and if you're wet, it can't be really cold!

[toocrazy]

I ride all winter in Toronto.

Two tips: watch out for black ice. If you hit some, ride straight over it without turning or braking. And stick to the side streets - much more pleasant and safe.

[VancouverCyclist]

Living in a Canadian city that is used to snowfall for the winter season and that have the requisite snow removal equipment are great, however here on the west coast we have very poor snow removal. As much as I'd like to ride my bike all winter, some days, like these last 4 it's less than feasible. Little to no snow removal on side streets and some of the worlds most retarded drivers on the main streets. Luckily this weather doesn't last long, I'm looking forward to the wet 'n dark commute that I've come to love and despise.

[Ian Murdey]

Try a 'Buff' to avoid face and lung chill. Keeps you warm and folds down easily if you get too hot.

[Dave]

I have a giro 9.9mx ski helmet that I've been using on my bike as well. It has an indentation and snap-strap for keeping goggles in place, removable ear pieces, and inserts for the to vents.

[Ex-British Cyclist]

Can't help you there I'm afraid, my December cycling leaves me drowning in sweat with serious sunburn. From my Pommie days I can only advise - keep moving! You only get cold when you stop. Good on you for persevering.

[John Stoner]

This guy is missing something vital--fenders! I'd never bike in the winter without fenders.

[Michael Browne]

Here's the big thing to remember regarding your feet:

LAYERING SOCKS MAY MAKE YOUR TOES COLDER.

Here's why: when you pack in two layers of thick wool socks under shoes you'd normally wear in the summer/fall, you cut off circulation to your feet.

I've found that a pair of winter shoes sized one full size larger allows me to run one thick pair of wool socks with a liner sock and stay comfortable down to 0 degrees C and lower.

[Anna Shepard]

What on earth is a fender? Sounds a bit nautical if you ask me.

[Winter Lover]

Anna,

RE: Fenders

Remember when we were kids (at least we old geezers) all bikes had curved metal things that went around the upper portions of the wheels to keep one from getting covered in mud thrown up by the tires/tyres. This was in the "Dark Ages" before high tech mountain and road bikes becames everyone's norm. In North America they are called "fenders" just as we call the bits over the wheels of a car/motor/automobile (Oh m'god, I said a naughty word!) the fenders. In the UK, I think they are called the "wings" on your motorcar. Not sure what one calls them on a bike over there.

You can still buy plastic versions of fenders to add to your bike even if they are no longer standard equipment on most bikes. Perhaps not a cool look, but very practical for city biking. Keeps your bespoke Saville Row suit clean on the back.

[Winter Lover]

http://www.icebike.org/Default.htm
ICEBIKE website

Written buy some hardy/foolhardy soul in Ottawa - Canada's frigid capital city.
Yes, you can winter bike and even commute to work in some parts of The Great White North.

Lots of good info if you live and want to bike in a REAL WINTER climate. Probably not the way most of us would try to reduce CO2 emmissions, but "Good on you, mate" if you're that committed (or maybe you should be committed!)

Note this guy's descriptions of "Chocolate Mousse" in his Deep Snow advice. We see a lot of that where I am from. Be afraid, be very afraid!

[dr venables preller]

Up to 80% of heat loss if from the head, so the wooly hat is extra important, two thin ones better than one thick, as fine tweaking by partly using one as an adjustable brim.

A thin windproof outer top garment to a fleece can be adjusted for ventilation if it has a full zip.

a thin pair of thermal gloves inside fleece mitts keep hands warm.

a tracksuit bottom inside windproof out trousers should work in the coldest weather. you may need a backpack to carry the extra layers discarded after a steep hill climb.

[Paul]

Fenders... that would be mudguards this side of the pond.

We only get a few days of snow a year around London - and none in town.. although that's usually enough to stop the trains running....

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