Cold Weather Bike Commuting
You Don't Have to Bike Like This!
The cold weather is here in the U.S. and those of us on the east coast have been taken a bit by surprise with the recent cold-weather snap. Many people wonder how it’s possible to still bike in colder weather, but I can assure you that, with the right gear, you don’t have to stop bike commuting simply because it’s cold outside. Following are a few cold-weather bike commuting tips that might come in handy.
- Layer, layer, layer - It’s the only way to bike commute, especially if you travel a significant distance. Wear a layer of synthetic material closest to your skin, and layer on out from there.
- Don’t Break the Bank - There are some great synthetic material clothes available at Target for very reasonable prices. Also, check sales racks of outlet stores. You don’t have to wear anything fancy, just functional.
- Let There Be Light - IMO, you can never have too much lighting on you in the winter time. I may look like a really tacky xmas tree, but people can see me. I am currently wearing three lights on my backpack (which puts them in a position more visible to cars) and two headlights on my front handlebars. I also recently ordered some valve stem lights. They should be here any day and I can’t wait to see how they work.
- Fingers and Toes - What you will want to invest in is good cycling gloves and decent winter socks. If you’re biking in weather below 40 degrees F, pick out these items with care. If it’s really cold and wet, I have found that plastic bags OVER my socks do a good job of keeping my feet dry.
- Head - You’ve gotta wear your helmet, but a nice balaklava under it and a helmet cover on top will keep your head toasty warm.
- Legs - If you’re cheap like me and don’t want to invest big bucks in expensive long john’s, I would highly recommend women’s tights (yes, even you guys out there will like these). They are very lightweight and inexpensive. A single pair for $5 can last you a good portion of the winter months.
- Outer Layer - I like to layer my jackets just like the rest of my outfit so that I can remove things incrementally. I wear a nice fleecie close to my body and a water-proof/wind-proof shell for my outermost layer. I have done this for years and it really works to keep the heat in and wind and cold out.