Riding on icy mornings

[Bike2Work4Me]

I was all set to ride to work this morning with my neoprene socks and gloves and other new Christmas attire when the weatherman said it was a balmy 28 degrees outside and to watch out for black ice. I reluctantly changed my clothes and drove to work only to find no ice and a beautiful sunny day in the 40's. What would you have done? Braved the ice and hoped you wouldn't find any? This cold/wet weather is putting a damper on my determination to ride this year.

Gretchen

[Veronica]

I would probably have ridden anyway. But my commute is very short. I had rain both directions today. I worry more about the drivers than anything else.

V.

[yellow]

I think it depends upon what your commute route is like. I don't ride to work much in the winter because the road is shaded (which means that it's usually icy) and there is no shoulder (not even a fog line) and the consequence of a mishap is a tumble down an embankment. Very ugly, not even counting the drivers!

Make note of where the shady spots, etc are and how you may be able to avoid them. Then go! You'll be glad you did, I'll bet.

y

[JanT]

Ice scares me! That's why I live in Phoenix now. But if I lived back in the snow and cold, I would skip an icy commute. I need all my body parts functioning to do my job, so I am careful in the risks I choose to take. A rocky downhill where I can keep my bike under control: OK. Black ice where control may be impossible: no way--especially on the road where cars might be out of control as well!

Why do you commute? To save money? For the pleasure? To keep in shape? What would it mean to skip the commute? What would it mean to take the risk? What are your values? And, is there anyone else you need to consider? If you were hurt, would it affect anyone else, eg. SO or children?

That being said, I hate when I plan rides around the weatherman's predictions, and then he is wrong! So I share you frustration on that score.

[Veronica]

What Jan T and Yellow said. My commute is short, mainly residential and has a good shoulder. I ride just to have a little time outside every day. And because it makes me happy. It's about a ten minute ride each way, less if I get the light at the bottom of my hill. I can pretend to be some intrepid adventurer on the crummy days and not get too uncomfortable. Really foggy days are the ones that make me nervous. Not all drivers remember to turn on their lights.

V.

[DeniseGoldberg]

I have to say that I'm jealous of all of you who manage to ride to work year round! And I'm very impressed too.

I only manage it in the part of the year when I can manage the ride in daylight the whole way. My commute is 16 miles, and it pretty much follows roads that are heavily used by commuters in cars. This time of year my riding is unfortunately limited to weekend days...

[Bike2Work4Me]

My commute is about 10 miles each way with bike lanes or shoulders most of the way. I usually ride because it means one less day I have to spend inside on the spin bikes or the trainer. I really enjoy my rides to work and like arriving at work wide awake with rosy cheeks. One of my coworkers did ride yesterday and said it was pretty slippery. Guess I'm going to have to wait a week or so until the big chill is gone. We don't get a lot of really cold weather in Portland so it's frustrating when it's finally sunny but too cold to ride.

JanT thanks for the thought provoking questions. It made me stop and think how important it is for me to ride. Getting hurt wouldn't be a good option for me since I'm the main bread winner in the family.

C'mon spring!

[CorsairMac]

having lived in a messy snowy area once upon a time - I would also ask "is there any snow on the route?" You can always use the snow to ride on as it provides traction. I ride on a bike trail the whole way to work and some days its Gorgeous, some days in the winter I do NOT want to know if that was water or ice I just rode over - its just best that way! As theres only me and my cell phone - I ride pretty much as often as I can! (but I'm down with a cold right now so riding isn't in my forcast! - its a breathing thing ya know?!) Anyway - like everyone else said....if you have an option and it Isn't your only means of transportation - you gotta make the call based on your level of comfortability - after all, in the end it isn't gonna matter if you rode this day or that one or drove!

[JanT]

I have great respect for all of you who commute in the snow and rain! I have been spoiled living in the desert so much that I can't even bring myself to go for a ride in the rain, let alone commute. So give yourselves a pat on the back from me.

[jobob]

now here's a commute. Oy

http://lava.nationalgeographic.com/c...day=04&year=05

[CorsairMac]

OK Jobob...you win!! ROFL...Thats more of a commute than even I would do - and I"ve ridden with temps down to 9! LOL

[jobob]

now here's a commute, of the Bay Area in Winter variety.

Oy!

[nuthatch]

Gosh, you icebike commuters are hardy souls! My fun/agony tolerance ratio must be set much lower. My commute is only six miles each way but I stopped when it got dark with the same thoughts JanT had - my kids still needed a mom! I was also having a lot of trouble regulating my temperature in the cold, despite shedding layers like a moulting bird - is there a trick (wearing wool or whatever) to this or do you just get used to the icy/sweaty condition (this is the first winter I've tried riding in)?

Also, I've noticed that reducing my two-way commute to a single ride on a trainer indoors has left me really groggy in the afternoon - that afternoon ride back home was a real stimulant.

Ditto - c'mon spring!

[mtbstarr]

As far as the warmth thing goes, I have ridden in temps sub 20s and here's my secret......I wear a wicking layer right next to my skin. The best thing I have found for that layer is some wicking thermal underwear from LL Bean. Over that I add only one layer of the warm fuzzy stuff, and then I put on booties and a wind-breaker jacket. The windbreaker is key for me. It keeps the wind off, which is the cold part to me, and allows me to unzip to get circulation. Other than that I just expect the first sweat. Once that's initial sweat is over I usually regulate. Be sure to wear tops with zippers so that you can unzip even centimeters. Believe me, exposing a centimeter of skin around my neck sometimes is all I need.

Just my two cents

[nuthatch]

Thanks, mtbstarr! I'll definitely check out the wicking layer under everything - I hadn't been wearing anything like that, just a regular jersey. I've been reading "Miles from Nowhere" and I just can't believe their determination to keep riding in cold rain, snow, etc. with the bare minimum of protection.