Winter bike commuting

If it’s below freezing and you still think commuting by bike is a good idea, you are among a brave, noble and fun loving minority. We salute you and have asked our bike guru to offer some tips on winter bicycle commuting to aid you in your noble pursuit.

If this is your first foray into frigid pedaling, you can rest assured that these tips are well tested. If you’ve done this for many a year and have newer, better or simply different ideas, please send them along and we’ll add them to the list (with credit of course) and leave it on the website for all to see.

Be Seen: Riding in the winter often translates to riding in the dark, especially in Maine. You want at least one serious headlight and maybe a blinking headlight next to it and the same for the red lights in the rear. Load up on reflectors, especially on your helmet and ankles. You want to do everything you can to make sure people recognize that you are a bicycle rider, not a mailbox or a snow drift or a parked car. Drivers can give you more room if they know what and where you are.

Break out the ski gear: If your commute is short and/or you don’t plan on breaking a sweat, alpine type ski gear is great. Just wrap your right ankle with an elastic reflector so your snow pants don’t fall victim to a hungry chain. If you are pushing hard and sweating a lot, then you an start blending cycling shorts/tops with cross country ski hats, gloves, face wraps and such. Tricky spots are hands, helmets and feet.
Hands: If you have shifters, and plan on using them, you probably need gloves. Pearlizumi and some other companies make gloves that have a spot for a thumb and then then pair up the other four fingers for warmth. With these, you can still shift or brake and hold the handlebar at the same time, but your fingers are much warmer than full fingered gloves. If you have no gears and one speed, use mittens. They are always warmer.
Helmets: You definitely want to wear one since you are even more likely to crash, but they are not really made to keep your head warm. So try getting a less expensive second helmet that fits over your hat/balaclava. Or sometimes a thin hat and a helmet cover will do, if paired with a scarf or other face wrap.
Feet: If you have clipless pedals, you have a choice to make. Either try the neoprene bootie over your cycling shoes or ditch the pedals and put on platform pedals and wear hiking boots. I’ve always preferred the later as my old SPD pedals would clog with ice anyway, rendering them useless and my feet cold. My Sorrel boots are huge and clunky and wonderful to ride in when the white stuff is blowing.

About your bike:
Be forewarned, winter riding takes a toll on gear. Salt and sand from the roads will eat rims, brakes and cause all sorts of corrosion. Diehards use a “beater bike” for winter that they build to suit. Often this means one gear and cheap wheels that can get trashed with minimal heartache.

You want brakes and gears too? Well that might be asking a lot but lets see what we can do.
Most bikes use lubricated cables to activate the brakes and gears. When these freeze the oil can get stiff and not let the cables move freely. If you find your brakes wont release and your gears shift on their own, this is the first suspect. Try a thinner lube inside the cables.

Brakes: They will wear out quickly so dont forget to watch the pads. And after two sets of pads, stop by a shop and have them check your rims for wear. Salt and sand on brake pads chews up aluminum rims rather quickly. Plus, by then, the whole bike will need some love.

Gears: With the right lube, they can be made to function in the snow, but often they have a few more bugs than in the summer. The easiest suggestion is to not use them much. Pick a good all around gear and leave it there. Either way, pick up a good chain lube. Not too thick when frozen, not to thin when bathed in salty slush. Apply often.

Tires: Studs are nice. Really nice. And they look downright necessary after a quick dump on the ice. That said, many folks don’t use them. It all depends on how the roads are, how fast / far you are going and how much you like sliding. Look at winter biking as a whole new sport, kind of like unicycling and ice skating combined. Just have fun along the way. That said, if you have the money or the time, buy or make studs to see what it’s like. Both setups are fun.

Fenders/Racks: Yes and yes. Fenders make a huge difference but you’ll need a fair bit of clearance between the fender and the tires for snow to pass through. If they pack with snow, you will learn to hate them quickly. Racks are key for holding gear. Especially in the slippery stuff, do yourself a favor and don’t load your backpack full of weight. You’ll have your hands full already. A rack and rack bag will be your new best friend in no time.

How is our region’s transportation changing?

How do you maintain aging transportation infrastructure when funding is on the decline? How do you prepare a region for shifting transportation demands? How do you encourage good transportation planning and cooperation among communities?

The Portland Area Comprehensive Transportation System, the metropolitan planning organization for 15 communities in southern Maine, has released its 25-year long-range transportation plan: Destination Tomorrow. And this video talks about what shifting transportation trends may have in store for residents of the region.