Sure it’s wetter, colder and darker this time of year, but we hope these nuggets of info help inspire you to keep peddling through the winter.
Bike right.
Winter biking requires some common sense: slow down, brake earlier than usual and make wider turns. Read more here.
There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes.
A rain jacket, rain pants and gloves make a huge difference. You can go further with gear for your head, face and feet. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on these items. In fact, you probably have workable examples of this gear in your closet.
Have the (b)right equipment.
Illustration by Douglas Scott
In the dark days of winter, it’s a priority to be seen so adequate bike lights and bright clothing are a must. A fender can make a big difference in keeping street grit off your back.
Exercise your options.
If you biked to work in this morning but the afternoon bike ride doesn’t look so good because it’s pouring, the temperature has plummeted or you just don’t feel like biking home in the dark tonight, you have options: put your bike on the bus or leave your bike at work and ride it home another day.
Well, it could be a lot worse!
Sure, it’s colder now than the middle of July, but keep in mind that we live in a mild climate. Fellow bikers in the Midwest and Northeast face freezing and even sub-zero winter temperatures. Better to be a bit soggy than frozen!
We need exercise in the winter even more.
In the sunnier months we naturally get more exercise from outdoor sports or simply walking. Your body still needs the exercise in the winter. In fact, we’re in the season of chocolate, cheese and (insert your favorite holiday food here,) so you need that biking exercise more than ever!
See you out there!