Monday, March 11, 2013

Winter Riding in Wisconsin

Feeling great after a downtown ride!

Riding a bike is pretty rad. It's good for you, cheap/saves money, saves the planet, and I'm sure other cycle-nuts will give you more reasons. But I hear a lot of people say it's a 3 season sport...

I think that's crap.

Biking is a year-round sport... you just have to have a balance of the right gear and ambition to make the ride enjoyable. I wholly expect some people to say "no no no, not for me." which is fine. It's not for everybody. But for that person with that special sort of crazy... it's the cat's pajama's.

As I live in an urban environment I am constantly challenged by the need to find new places to ride. I do use my bicycle as my main mode of transportation, I'd like the streets often, but my favorite kind of riding is trail. I'm lucky that I live about two or three blocks from the Milwaukee River and along the river is a wonderful trail which Milwaukee has been working to regrow into the states largest urban natural forest. If you don't like the mud we do also have a few paved trails which run through the park systems of Milwaukee such as the Oakleaf and the beer line. Both are great especially year-round because you get to see the scenery change and still have a guaranteed solid surface to ride on.
Beerline before hopping on to the Oak Leaf Trail

Riding the trails in the winter is my absolute favorite, it definitely beats out the summertime any day. I rarely see anyone out on the trail biking in the middle of winter like I do, I suppose that's a little sad, but at least I have a nice open-space of very few people to bother me :-) And since I'm kind of an ice nut (I study glacial geology) I love seeing the icebergs that pileup along the river when the ice shifts from the freeze and thaw. It's a serene moment where color film turns to black and white life, you get to simplify as you move forward and lose the worries and heavy thoughts of everyday life. For me biking serves a dual purpose, I use it as transportation as well as an escape from the things that weigh me down. 

My hardtail off-road bike, my main lady, she does the trick!

However… I do have to say that there is a learning curve when attempting your first winter bike rides. I remember hitting a patch of ice and spilling or feeling frozen because I wore the wrong clothes or was blocking traffic because I had no idea what was going on ... So let me cover a few things you might want to know about winter biking before we go on.

First and foremost is your protection. As bikers we take a relatively big risk when we ride especially if we are riding in an urban area. Make sure you have appropriate protective gear such as a helmet and other things like knee guards elbow pads or shinguards depending on what you need. You never know when you're going to take a digger. Once you have your protective gear you have to outfit your bike a little differently. Everyone should have a bike light both front and back when they ride, that's a given, but in winter you might want to change your light to a brighter setting a multicolor setting or a strobe. Snow reflects light very easily and in the winter especially at night there's a lot of light coming off of the stars and moon or peoples headlights or streetlights and other sources; this will cause your light to drown out and loose it's brightness. Next are your tires. There's a wide variety of tires you can put on your bike to adapted for winter writing. Many people I know strongly support spike tires, which have little metal spikes that screw into them for better ice traction. It's the same idea as chains on your car tires. I don't use them but they definitely do work. I prefer a little more slip in rear wheel so I have a regular gummy super knobby back tire which gives me excellent traction as well as sliding power. The tire itself is only slightly wider and the knob sickout only slightly more at the edges which gives me a little more side crib if I lean into it. For my trail riding, this works best.

Icicles formed on bushes, sharp as nails.
If your road biking your thinner tire is naturally going to have less traction. My suggestion then would be to use spike tires. The small amount of lien that you will get out of your tires if you don't use the spikes will decrease your speed as well as you're enjoying your ride. Now if you ever owned a car you've probably dealt with what we Wisconsin call snow boogers, it's the pileup of snow slush ice and other crap in the wheelwells of your car. The same thing will apply to your bike. Snow ice and slush will come up in the tires brake system chain gears and anything else that has a moving part on it. Being a towel to wipe your bike off after or during your ride. Sticky parts can be a big hazard and cause mechanical failure. Remember to grease your chain regularly as well. A lighter grease such as motor oil (5W-30 works great) or a silicone mix will offer the least stick for the snow to gum up on. You can use a thicker grease if you'd like, but I find it gets more snow and grit stuck in it causing faster breakdown .
Milwaukee River & Trail
Check your brakes often, not only will snow gum up he works but it will also melt due to friction and work as well as if it were pouring cats and dogs out. This is main reason I like having a little skid on my read wheel, I can lock up my brakes (or if the lock up on their own) I'm able to safely skid the bike to a gradual stop. I don't recommend this for everybody, so please be safe and smart when making your choice.

Now beyond your bike you should always dress appropriately for the weather. I see a lot of bikers out there riding in the most skintight thing they can find to cut resistance. Great, if you're biking the Tour de' France, but I'm not so I'll stick to warmth over drag.

Riding in an urban setting is a bit different then riding trail. You need to be aware of the cars and people around you as well as the rules of the road. In Wisconsin, bikes follow the same rules as cars do on the road, this is true in many other areas of the US (and world). Make sure to be respective to the people around you, but also be aggressive, take the lane and let them know you are just as important as anyone else and deserve the same respect. When you put your biking prowess out there people seem to recognize it and give you that room you need. Be careful, always look, and when in doubt give way to avoid getting nailed! Remember too that your bike is a good piece of property and a lot of people are going to look at it enviously. I can't tell you how many stories I've heard about people's bike's being stolen due to no locks or inadequate locks. You can see in some of my pictures the GIANT chain I have, get one or a badass U-lock, you will thank yourself (and so will your bike!).


Layer system, I can't say it enough. Layer it up!

So you say you ride... then lets!
1.) Base Layer: Skintight, covers most of the body, wicks away moisture from skin keeping you dry.

2.) Warming/Insulation Layer: Lays on top of wicking layer, can take many forms such as wool, down, primaloft, etc. This is meant to keep heat in your body, if possible choose a layer that will help wick away moisture from your body while insulating (such as wool).

3.) Shell: Outer layer, blocks wind and precipitation. This needs to be tough while still providing the comfort and breathability that you need. A hooded jacket is what I prefer (gore-tex and nylon/pvc).

4.) Feet/Hands/Face: Socks should be insulating and warm, smartwool variety, NO COTTON. Depending on your biking style you'll either have clip in shoes designed for biking or you should invest in a pair of waterproof boots/shoes. Hat/gloves/buff/etc should all at least be in your pack. I have a thin wicking layer set of gloves I wear my leather-palmed bike gloves over and a set of shell gloves in case all hell breaks loose. I always have an extra hat in my bag as well as scarf or buff. Remember when suiting up that spaces where air can get in will cause problems, make sure your layers are long enough to fit compatibly together.

While you're at it, lets not forget the awesome amount of fun you can have. Stop to take a picture of yourself looking epic as hell or set up a ridiculous shot for your friends to take! If you catch a whiff of something delicious, stop and ask for a sampler (cause you're a hungry biker who explores to find places like that!). When you see an alley, street, path you haven't taken, make a turn! Stop and have a beer when you find a brewhaus that looks interesting. You have a perfect excuse to since beer is a good recovery drink after a workout (go figure!). Maybe be a kid again and pull your brake into a turn and skid through or splash through a puddle and get dirty! Anyway you do it go out and have fun! I'll leave you with one of my favorite recent pics from Instagram, hope it's inspiring! Remember, just because it's winter doesn't mean you have to stop riding! Cheers, beers, and the great outdoors!

~Eco
Ride. Because you can. Ride. Because it will take you places and show you things. Ride. Because even if you go slow or not too far you are lapping the people on the couch. Ride. Because adventure doesn't wait for you, it makes you chase it. Ride. And I'll ride with you.