WINTER RIDING IN TORONTO!!
Well, quite frankly we’ve heard a number of reasons. For some, it is because bicycling is a great way to get some exercise. For others, it is because biking provides a low-cost means of getting around. For others, it is because biking in the winter is FUN. All in all, it seems that biking in the winter is done for the same reasons people bike in the summer, spring, and fall. It’s just that riding in the winter provides some scary obstacles. This is where we come in.
What to Expect?
Look, nobody is going to lie to you. Biking in the winter is different than other times of the year. You already know to be alert and to anticipate. This is also true for winter riding, but there are some things that you should be prepared for:
· snow and ice patches;
· skidding cars;
· longer commutes;
· drivers may not expect to see you;
· loss of bike lane and/or shoulder;
· anything! – be prepared to use a different route.
Winter Bicycling Techniques
· LIGHTS!!! Look, it is the LAW in Ontario to have a steady white headlight and a steady red rear light. PLUS, reflective tape (sold at Bikechain) is also REQUIRED by law: you must have white on the front forks and red on the back seat stays.
o Make yourself visible. This is super important with the shorter days.
o Use LED Lights – they’re brighter and last longer;
o If you have baskets or panniers, they should have reflective tape, too.
o Having a light on your helmet is also a good idea
o Make yourself visible with Leg Bands for your pants. We recommend YELLOW: MEC - $3.50 each.
We always send folks to MEC. MEC is the cheapest and has a ton of different lights.
§ Solid Headlight: MEC Shark One Watt LED Light - $11.50
§ MEC’s low-end (but great) rear lights range from $4.25-$7.00
§ MEC’s Turtle lights are great and cheap. You can decorate you and your bike. Plus, they’re so cheap, that you won’t be too devastated if they get stolen: $3.00
§ A mount for your helmet is an additional $2.75
§ Planet Bike Blaze lights are in the $20-30 range and can be purchased at MEC, too.
· Anticipate snow in bike lanes and side of the road/shoulder
o It is a very good idea to have an alternate route, just in case
o Streets that have cut-outs for parking spaces (eg, College) can be particularly bad. The City might not plow the spots, so cars park in the bike lanes. Avoid weaving in and out among parked cars. Take a lane if you have to. In Ontario it is legal for cyclists to occupy a lane to themselves if there is no safe alternative.
o If you need to move over – or take a lane – be sure to communicate this with vehicles. Look around a lot and signal clearly. Drivers will appreciate communication and predictability.
· SNOW AND ICE
o Don’t bike over snow, it covers ice
o Unplowed snow can have big ice chunks in it that are nasty to run into
o According to the City of Toronto, “If you encounter black ice, steer straight, don't pedal, and try not to brake as this could cause you to skid and fall.”
· METAL. All things metal freeze. And they are also covered with snow.
o Be careful of streetcar tracks. Try to avoid crossing them.
§ Make indirect left turns or walk your bike instead
§ The City of Toronto says, “If you must cycle across, always cross at a right angle, stop pedaling, keep your pedals horizontal, flex your arms and legs to absorb the shock and lift off your feet.”
· Braking:
o You will need more time to BRAKE, so be sure to brake sooner in the winter
o Wait for traffic to stop at intersections instead of going right away when the light turns (cars can slide through the intersection. Spectacular to see, and very dangerous.)
o Brake with the back wheel first. If you brake and then skid on the back wheel, it's easy to keep your balance. On the other hand, skidding on the front wheel will cause you to fall.
· Shift and shift often: This keeps snow from jamming up the chain
· You’re going to move more slowly. Be prepared for commuting times to increase.
· Lowering your seat can provide you extra security by allowing you to slam down your feet.
· Keep your bike inside when you can, and lock your bike in covered areas and on the sidewalk side of posts. The street side may have snowplows going close by, and they will demolish any bike they hit.
· Keep a subway token in your backpack for the really nasty times.
Strategies (From Chicago Bike Winter)
· In wet or icy conditions, pump the brakes gradually to stop, ride more slowly, keep your weight stable and on the back wheel, and don't lean into turns as much. Stay the course and keep pedaling--your bike wants to stay upright, and momentum will help it.
· When it is wet or icy, make turns much more gradually. If you turn too abruptly, you might skid and lose control.
· When it snows, follow the ruts created by cars, avoiding ridges which can deflect the front wheel and cause a spill.
EQUIPPING AND MAINTAINING YOUR BIKE IN THE WINTER
Salt, snow, ice, slush...OUCH! All of that is really tough on you and your bike. There are certain things that you can do to keep your bike clean[er] during the winter. Keep one thing in mind: Your bike needs more love during this season.
· Preparing for the winter:
1. Make sure all bolt holes in your frame are sealed with grease and screws.
2. Paint over a chipped up frame to prevent rust .
· Fenders Fenders are essential as they keep you and your bike clean. Full fenders should be used on both your front and rear tires. Be sure to get the right size; fenders for narrow road tires won’t fit wider mountain bike tires. MEC is probably the cheapest place around for fenders (and almost everything else)
·
o Low-end: Apex MTB Front/Rear Cycling Fender – Cost: $24.00 @ MEC
o High-end: Soma Eurotrip fenders – Cost: $50.00 @ Urbane
o Fenders can be made from a pop bottle and duct tape or nicer ones out of wood or plastic, instructions online athttp://www.sfbike.org/download/tubetimes/html/issue066/05february2000.html
· Seats: Consider protecting your seat with a waterproof cover (about $10). Plastic bags also do the trick
· Pedals:
o Flat pedals are great – work with all footwear.
o Toe clips are BAD – what if you need to put your feet down in a hurry?
o Clipless pedals are COLD and must be lubricated.
· Tires.: Deflate your tires to the min PSI to increase traction. Road tires? Thick tread mountain bike tires? Studded tires??
o Road tires have the advantage of being faster and slicing through snow to the pavement, but...
o Thicker tread tires increase traction in soft terrain.
o Studded tires? Not really necessary in the City.
· Brakes: Checking your brakes is key. Brakes wear out much faster in the winter (see above, salt and slush). When brakes wear down, they expose the metal behind the brake pad, which will ruin your rim. Be sure to clear away gunk that gathers on your rim. You don’t want anything between the brake pad and the rim when you brake. To ensure your rims are clear of slush you can brake slightly from time to time to clear slush from your rims and ensure the brakes will function when you need them.
· Locks: You don’t want them to freeze!
o Keep your lock keyhole facing down to prevent rain and ice from getting in.
o Prevent freezing by oiling or using graphite lock lubricant
o Carry a lighter just in case!
· Cleaning: Cleaning your bike at the end of each day is ESSENTIAL. All that salt. All that slush...It all leads to a mess mucking up the moving parts. And then there’s the rust. It’s all pretty bad.
o Wipe your bike down.
o Brush away the dirt and salt from your rear derailleur and freewheel.
o If you use water, be SUPER careful. You don’t want water to get into your cassette, freewheel, or housing. The water could freeze!! Be sure that it is dry before going back outside.
· Lube: Chain and Freewheel EACH WEEK
o Salt and slush = RUST and drying out of moving parts. Keeping everything well oiled will prevent your chain and freewheel from wearing out or breaking.
Recommended Weather Wear
· Head: There are a few solutions to keeping your head warm
o You can wrap a short scarf around your head or wear a thin tuque under your helmet;
o You can purchase hats and ear covers designed to go under your helmet (Try Sugoi brand at Urbane)
o You can also buy a helmet cover ($30 dollars at Urbane; $24 at MEC)
o Don't wear a hood because you can't look behind you
· Face: When it gets REALLY cold, you’re probably going to want a little more protection than just a hat.
o A scarf can do the trick
o Balaclavas can do the trick (MEC: Seirus Hoodz - $29)
o A face mask will allow you to use whatever you prefer under your helmet
· Eyes: You’ll want to protect your eyes from the wind – try ski goggles. If you wear prescription glasses, gel toothpaste can act as an anti-fogger (Avoid baking soda as it will scratch the glass)
· Hands: This is especially crucial when the temps dip below 0° C.
o Waterproof and Windproof are essential.
o The “newest” biking gloves are lobster gloves, which are a mitten/glove combo: ($35-$75 at Urbane)
o Glove liners are great! They’re cheap and add a ton of warmth.
· Feet: Okay. You need to keep them warm and dry. We’re talking thick wool socks. But there is quite the debate between boots versus shoes. It is a good idea to keep a pair of waterproof shoes or boots available for the commute and another pair at your office. Keeping snow out of the shoe is your challenge.
o Boots: high boots will prevent precipitation from getting into your shoe;
o Waterproof gaiters ($39 at MEC) can be used instead of investing in high boots.
o Specialized shoe covers are available at cycling shops ($35 -$70 at Urbane)
· Torso: There’s no trick. There are two MUSTS:
o Waterproof & windproof jacket;
o Layers
§ First (closest to your body): thin, synthetic or wool baselayer. Cotton is not so good as it will hold moisture. Damp. Sweat. Bad.
§ Second: Heavy sweater or fleece.
§ Third: Your waterproof/windproof jacket “shell”.
· Legs: This is more contentious. How do you keep warm and dry and have good mobility?
o You can adopt a similar layering approach as with the torso;
o Your waterproof layer can be a pair of rain or snow pants; or
o There are specially designed cycling pants
o Ski or hiking gaiters may be useful.
More Great Resources
We didn’t come up with this ourselves! Check out these sites for more tips and ideas. Be sure to check out the City of Toronto’s site for winter events.
Chicago Bike Winter is AMAZING: http://bikewinter.org/main.php
City of Toronto Bike Winter Site: http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/bikewinter/index.htm
City of Toronto Bike Maintenance Site: http://www.toronto.ca/bug/cwc_maintenance.htm
Ice Bike (It has it all!): http://www.icebike.org/Default.htm
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