Winter Cycling Necessities

For the last week in Chicago it's been so cold that the Stem Captain thermometer on my bike has been pegged out at zero to the extent that I'm worried the indicator is bent. If you're like me and you have to bike everywhere, all the time, then having solid winter gear is crucial. Here is a list of some of the winter cycling things I have used and approve of. Some of these things were not specifically made for cycling but in my opinion work better.

Clothes:

Snow Mobile Gloves: Real cycling winter gloves, like the Sugoi Firewall GT, are good because they have reinforced padded palms and are pre-formed to fit your hand to the bike. The problem is even the best gloves are made for the cyclist who stops riding at 20 degrees. What if you got to go out no matter what, and stay out for more than a little while? That's why I bought snow-mobile gloves. They are wind-proof up to 50 miles an hour, the cuff goes to my elbow, and they are still designed for enough dexterity to operate all the shifters, lights, and bells on my cockpit. At $50 they are less expensive than the best from Pear Izumi, but are just as warm and almost as tough. The palms on my pair are starting to get raw after 3 seasons of use.

Snow Goggles: This are especially key for the glasses wearer who doesn't want to get fogged up. My Smith over-the-glasses style goggles keep the whole upper half of my face warm and deflect the breath that comes up from my scarf. They also keep snow and road debris out of my eyes. My pair cost $20 on sale.

Big tube of fleece: I found this thing in a discount bin somewhere. It's tube made of fleece that looks like a haulter top, but fits around your head and neck like a scarf that never unravels. Sugoi makes something just like it called the thermal tube.

Snowboarding pants and O2 rain slickers: I used to put long johns under my pants to stay warm, but I've since learned the pro thing to do is put pants over your pants. Snowboarding gear has room enough in the knees and is baggy enough to fit your clothes under. On warmer days I wear my O2 rain slickers, because they cost $20 and repel both wind and water.

Bike:

Mountain bikes are best for winter, but who cares really. Just ride some piece of junk because it's just going to get ruined from the salt and road crap.

Stan's sealant: There's a lot of crap on the ground and if you get a flat in zero degree weather you can kiss your fingers goodbye on that cold steel quick release. Stan's or Cafe Latex or whatever sealant costs around 5 bucks but will save your life. The other option is to get a Vittoria pit-stop cartrige. It's basically a CO2 unit with sealant incuded. I've never used it in frigid weather, so good luck.

Fenders: Duh.

Tires: On my mountain bike i've been using regular 2.3in Kenda Nevangal and Conti Speedmax on the back, and they've worked fine both on the icy stuff and snow up to 4 inches deep. I have, however, used Nokian Hakkapelitta studed tires on my cross bike. They are heavy, but really tough and the grip is excellent on ice while still being managable on dry pavement. Still, I prefer the big fat mountain bike tires.

Attitude:

Accept that it's going to be cold, you're going to crash, and your bike will be destroyed. But be comforted by the stories you'll get to tell yourself about how tough you are, while you're swimming to shore after your bike falls off an iced-over bridge.

Good luck!

Winter washing station