Winter Cycling Tips
First off, we confess that we have come to love winter cycling. Cycling through the winter can be fun, you generally keep really warm due to the extra effort required, you have the pathways almost to yourself, and motorists are often going much slower than summer due to the road conditions.
The keys to a successful season of winter cycling are -
1 - Preparation of your bicycle
2 - Planning of your clothing choices
3 - Route planning around the city
Your Bike
If you already have a bike you use for commuting or running errands, you can do a few things to that bike to get it ready for winter:
1 - The most important accessory is a set of full fenders, if you don't already have them. Full fenders will keep you dry and keep the nasty road salt off your bike too. There are sizes to fit most, but not all bikes, and this single investment can make the biggest difference in keeping you clean and dry, also keeping the nasty road salt off the working parts of your bike, thus reducing maintenance costs.
2 - Consider giving your bike a pre-winter service to make sure all your cables and drive train are well lubricated and that your brakes are working well. Any amount of water that gets into your cables/housing can freeze, seizing your shifting or making your brakes much less effective. Upgrade to end-to-end brake and shift housing which can eliminate entry points for water.
3 - For icy conditions, or just to increase your confidence, consider a set of studded tires. They are available in many sizes and can make a huge difference in making it easier to choose to cycle on marginal condition days. There are lower priced options out there but be warned: tires that do not have stainless studs or carbide tips will wear out a lot faster. In our experience, avoid those cheaper tires and get the better stainless stud/carbide tips models - they'll last for many years - especially if you rotate them front-to-back every season.
4 - Lights. Get. Lit. There are so many high quality lighting options available these days that can fit any budget. We highly recommend purchasing USB rechargeable versions and also recommend having an extra set ready to go, just in case. Colder temperatures eat into battery life so keep them charged.
And be nice, don't set your lights to blinky mode when on the pathways - save that for the roads. Blinking headlights can make it hard for approaching cyclists to see - so be nice, be solid (light mode, that is).
After many decades of winter cycling on every type of bike imaginable - cyclocross, road, fixie, gravel, MTB, fatbike, cargobike, etc - we've finally settled on what we feel is the best all-rounder winter commuter for use in Calgary. But before we talk about that, remember that there is no magic perfect winter bike for everyone - your specific needs, route, use-case, and budget are most important.
If we were to recommend one bike style that works great for winter use in Calgary, it would be one of the many 2.5" to 3" tire sized "bikepacking" type MTB's that are popular. Bikes similar to the Surly's 27.5" wheeled Bridge Club or Ogre, Brodie Torque, or even Breezer's all new Thunder would all make great winter commuter bikes.
Fatbikes are great too but suffer some when conditions are clear and fast, it is almost impossible to find good quality full fenders for them, and studded tires are a small fortune.
Full fenders? Check.
Room for wider tires? Check.
Simple 1X drivetrain? Check.
Efficient on bare roads? Check.
Capable in deeper snow and ice? Check.
Your Clothing
One word for you - Layers! We’ve all heard this before but it bears repeating - layer your clothing for maximum warmth but also the ability to remove layers if you get too warm. Thinner layers close to the skin, thicker layers on the outside. Being really cold can be dangerous, being really cold and damp is even more dangerous! If you have a good ski/snowboard coat, that will probably work for those really cold days. On the “warmer” winter days, you might find it tough to get the perfect combination of layers - just keep experimenting and find what works best for you and your style.
Wool! Wool! Wool! Personally, I find merino wool layers are unbeatable in winter. Although they can be more expensive to purchase then other options like cotton "longjohns" or techie-poly base layers, they are unmatched in their performance characteristics, which include -
- Anti-stink: Wool is natures wonder material and has anti-bacterial characteristics which keeps you from smelling like a sweaty hockey bag
- Moisture wicking: Wool maintains its insulating properties even when it's soaked and is amazing as moving moisture away from your body
- Warmth: There is no better material out there for keeping you warm. There are many different "weights" of merino available. We recommend purchasing some micro-weight base layers and a couple mid-weight mid-layers.
Keeping fingers and toes comfortable can be tough and everyone has different comfort levels. There is no magic bullet here, simply try different combinations of socks and gloves. The “layering” principle discussed earlier is worth trying too. Pogies are also a great option for many looking to keep their fingers warm - just be aware that bike thieves like to steal them off bikes locked up downtown.
For those who have the budget, and prefer to be clipped in, there are now companies making very warm winter-specific footwear. Waterproof, lightweight hiking boots can also be a great choice if you prefer to use standard pedals.
Finally, a selection of toques and neckwarmers or scarves will go a long way to keeping you comfy and if you wear a helmet, covers are available to keep the wind out of those helmet vents. More and more bike helmet manufacturers are making helmets with visors or you can use a ski/snowboard helmet if you want.
-30c morning in sunny Alberta
Your Routes
Here is Calgary we are blessed with a great pathway system - and in winter, the pathway is cleared of snow regularly making it the ideal choice for getting to downtown. (The pathways are almost always cleared before the roads, but shhhhhhhhh - don’t tell motorists!) If the pathways are not part of your cycle route, consider using the following strategies.
Calgary's pathway map has a function inside it where you can see which pathways are winter cleared - just click the "Snow Clearing" tab at the top.
- Use the City of Calgary's Park-n-Bike locations to get in and out of downtown. Not only will you have a great time cycling, you'll probably miss a lot of the usual winter gong-show that is getting out of the downtown on poorly maintained streets. By the time you get to your car, traffic will be lighter, your day will have eased away, and your daily exercise has been taken care of! Win-Win-Win!
- Turn on your lights during the day so cars can see you easier.
- Take your space on the road by riding in the right-most tire rut.
- Signal your turns so motorists can anticipate your actions, be predictable.
- Take quieter side streets - if they are rideable - so you can be separated from heavier trafficked roads.
- Simply slow down and take it a little more easy, especially if you are sharing road space with cars. Ice can be hiding under the snow or that "brown snow" or "brown sugar" or "SNIRT" can send you to the ground in a heartbeat.
Finally, have fun out there and remember that not only are you having a blast in the snow, you are getting fitter, saving money, and making your community more livable - all by simply riding your bike.
Get out there this winter! You'll love it!