Winter Wisdom: Clothing and Layers

When the temperature plunges to sub-zero temperatures, your primary concern should be staying warm.  The cold isn't just some sort of discomfort; you can die from exposure to cold weather.

It might seem counter-intuitive but it's also important to stay cool.  The physical activity of riding a bicycle generates a lot of heat.  Heat means sweat, sweat means wet and being wet in the cold is the last thing you want.

This is why it is very important to wear the right kind of clothing, in the right amount.  Experienced winter cyclists layer their clothing.

Base Layer

My facial hair, the ultimate base layer!

You want to keep sweat far away from your skin.  Sweat is one of those things that happens while winter cycling.    Sometimes you will be sweaty before you even set foot out the door; the pre-sweat while wearing several layers and trying to tie up your boots.

The best way to keep that sweat off your skin is to use clothing that wicks, or draws liquid away from you.

In my not-so-humble opinion, the best material is either wool or synthetics designed specifically for wicking.  Do not use cotton unless you enjoy being cold and miserable!  It does not wick well and loses all insulating qualities when wet.

My base layer almost always has a padded layer for where my ass meets the seat.  Depending on the level of cold, I either use cycling shorts or a cycling liner (think underwear with the pad from cycling shorts).  Old cycling shorts are great for this purpose.  The material is usually a synthetic material that can wick the sweat away from your skin.

For a shirt I either use a winter cycling jersey or a polyester workout shirt.  If I'm using the latter it's because I'm using the jersey as a mid-layer.  Typically the jersey is really warm and I can usually get away with just that.

For my feet I will use merino wool socks or wool socks.  Usually I will have the wool socks when I'm using merino wool as a mid layer.

For pants I use a pair of Pearl Izumi Thermal Tights or a pair of MEC Watchtower workout pants.  Both keep me fairly warm and wick very well.

Shell Layer
For me, the most important thing about the shell layer is that it be wind and water resistant.  Wet means cold, you want to avoid this if possible.  Wind will make you cold very fast, if you can keep it out you will stay warm a lot longer.

It's important to note that a shell layer isn't always required.  If it is not too cold, you can get away with just your mid layer, or even a warm base layer.  If it is snowing, a shell is advised.  Even if the precipitation in question is very frozen, it will melt when it comes in contact with you and you will get wet.

Coat and pants should be wind and water resistant.  The best material is Gore-Tex or similar, as it is both wind and water resistant, and the material breathes as well.  Some rain jackets and pants work well if they have flaps to vent or circulate.  If your gear doesn't breathe it will still be very effective at very cold temperatures.  My current gear is not breathable but I can skip my mid layer entirely.  Speaking of which...

Mid Layer
The middle layer (or layers) serve two main purposes, insulation and moisture transfer.  No matter what you do, you will end up sweating while cycling in the winter.  You want that moisture to transfer out to the middle layer so that wetness isn't up against your skin.  Therefore it's important to wear clothing that still insulates while wet.

Wool has great thermal properties which continue to insulate even when wet.  There are synthetic materials that are pretty good at insulating and wicking moisture.  Fleece and down can insulate while wet but aren't great at moisture transfer, so if using these, keep them on the "outer" mid layer.  Avoid cotton at all costs, it is a terrible insulator when wet.

Miscellaneous Layers
The one thing I usually add an extra layer to are my knees.  My knees are in great shape and I'd love to keep them that way.  Knees don't have a lot of blood pumping through them and can get cold pretty fast.  I have knee warmers that I usually add under my base layer.  They're synthetic, wicking and help keep my knees toasty warm.

My cheap pogies keep me warmer than gloves.

Gloves really depend on how long I've been in the cold and whether I'm using pogies or not.  Pogies on a bike will keep your hands surprisingly warm.  They keep the wind off your hands entirely.  Many rides I've gone bare handed in my pogies.  I usually have a pair of wool one-size-fits-all gloves and a pair of MEC cycling gloves in a pocket.  If it does start getting cold, on go the MEC gloves.  Even colder?  The wool gloves, then the MEC gloves.  I have heavier gloves but I've yet to need them.

Eyewear is always a must. Either I'm wearing sunglasses or I'm wearing goggles.  The key factors are temperature and wind.  If it's windy enough to make my eyes tear up, I'm putting on goggles.  One day I'll get some tinted lenses for my goggles and get the best of both worlds.  I always carry a pair of folding goggles as a back-up in case my sunglasses or goggles break.

Since I'm a natural klutz, I always wear a helmet.  I have a thin toque that stretches over my ears and fits quite comfortably under my helmet.  If it gets very cold I usually have a warmer toque I can wear under my helmet.  For the rest of my face, my beard is my base layer.  When it gets very cold I put on a face mask that can convert to a scarf.  Frequently I will flip it back and forth depending if I'm facing the wind or not.

My base layer for my face is ... my beard!  It insulates and breathes better than anything else on the market.  Sometimes my face needs a second layer.  I have a Seirus face mask for that.  It can convert between covering my face and being a scarf.  Some days I am constantly switching back and forth between modes to get that perfect balance of hot and cold.

Boots are always a requirement.  Boots should be wind and water proof.  I keep 2 sets of boots for this purpose.  One is a pair of Merrelle hiking boots that are windproof and water resistant.  The other is a roomier pair of Merrelle Opti-Warm boots that can accommodate multiple layers of socks.

Mixing the Layers
In reality there isn't a firm "You must wear these 3 layers."  In fact I often mix and match my layers.
Depending on the inclement weather and how warm you are, sometimes you can skip the mid layer and just use a shell, skip the shell and use one (or more) mid layers, or sometimes skip both entirely if it's warm enough.

When the temperature is -5C or warmer, I will often go with my base layer and my hiking boots.  If it is very cold but not windy or snowing, I will keep adding on mid-layers.  If it is -15C and very windy, I will skip the mid layer and go right to a shell and my bigger boots.

There are times when you might want to mix things up on the go.  For example, on a long ride you might want to be wearing warmer apparel by hour 3 than you would at the start of your ride.  Extra layers can be stowed in a backpack or a rack trunk.

It's All About You
I recently read an article that dictated what you should wear at various temperatures.  I got a good laugh out of it.  If I followed that guide I'd be overheating like mad!  There are many factors that come into play, such as weather, temperature, air pressure, proximity to heat sinks (large bodies of water, urban areas) and so on.  But just as important are factors that are all about you.  Your age, your weight, your gender, how acclimated you are to the cold.  Even your grooming style plays a factor; my long hair and beard have been helpful insulators during the winter.

As I mentioned before, your physical activity also generates heat.  This means you are like a personal heating unit.  If you want to turn the heat up, just pedal harder.  Getting too hot?  Pedal more slowly.

The best I can recommend is, write down what you wear and record how you felt at different times on your bicycle ride.  Take note of things such as the time of day, the temperature, how much effort you put in, what you are wearing and speed/direction of the wind (and how exposed you were to it).  Eventually you will accumulate enough data to know exactly what you need to wear, and when.

In other words, there's no substitute for experience.  Crack out your bike and shred some snow!

Winter Wisdom: Know Your Snow!

A great day for a bike ride!

Intro

In this instalment of Winter Wisdom I will be going over different types of snow and ice.  Knowing what you are in for is the difference between enjoying a ride and eating a face full of snow.

Please note that this is specific to my experiences in Ontario; you may experience different winter conditions depending on where you live.

Powder snow with fresh tracks.

Types of Snow
They say no two snowflakes are alike.  But some are definitely more different than others.  When you start winter cycling you learn to identify different types of snow because it directly impacts your handling.

In general fat tires can float on top of it and narrow tires can cut through shallow snow. But it's not always that straightforward. Below are several types of snow and some general recommendations.

Powder
It's light, fluffy and usually has fallen recently.  If it is shallow it can be fun to cut through on a bicycle.  The deeper it gets, the more difficult it can be to pedal through.  Once it's about mid-calf it interferes with your pedals and becomes impossible to cycle through.  Having a fat tire enables you to float and you won't sink as deeply, which means you can handle deeper snow.  But even fat tires have their limits.

Snirt and road grit covering packed snow.

Packed
Snow that has been compressed by snow plows and vehicular traffic.  It is very dense and can be almost as hard as ice.  It can also be as slippery, especially if covered with a light layer of powder or snirt. Knobby tires and studs give great traction on this sort of snow.

Packing

Multi-layered crust.  The broken top layer makes it difficult

to continue with regular width mountain bike tires.

Think of snow that is perfect for snowballs; sticky and near it's melting point.  The closer it is to its melting point, the heavier it is. It can be cut through with narrow tires when it is shallow.  Knobby tires can provide good traction at various levels and densities of packing snow.  Fat tires can provide flotation on packing snow.

Crust
When the top layer of snow is stronger than the layer(s) below it. This is caused by the top layer partially melting during the day and then re-freezing when the temperature drops again, usually at night.   If a crust can hold the weight of a human it is considered to be "Supportable." If it cannot it is considered to be "Breakable." It is very possible to have a crust that is supportable when you are on foot but breakable when you are riding it on your bicycle. Studded or Knobby tires help with riding on supportable snow whereas breakable snow is extremely difficult to bike through.  Fat tires may be more supportable than skinnier tires but may also run into issues if the crust is very icy.

Slush

Made up of partially melted snow but more watery than packing snow.  Slush is formed when prevailing conditions begin to warm, or on road as a result of being heated and mixed by traffic.  Slush isn't very slippery on its own but contributes to decreased traction when coupled with ice or packed snow below it.  Its watery nature can be hazardous to a rider without fenders or mudguards.

Snirt

Snirt

This compound word describes what happens when snow is mixed with dirt, usually from plowing or from motorized traffic stirring up snow. It is brown to maple in colour. Snirt can be very slippery on it's own but becomes more treacherous on packed snow and ice.

Crust surrounded by powder snow.

Types of Ice

One very iced over bridge!

On paved roads, ice is usually formed from melting and re-freezing or from precipitation or other weather conditions.  In off road conditions ice is encountered commonly as a frozen body of water, such as a lake, river, pond, creek, et cetera.  Ice is extremely slick and dangerous.  Studded tires are usually advised for icy conditions.  Below are some specific subsets of ice to keep an eye out for.

Black Ice
A very thin layer of ice that is thin and transparent.  When formed on black asphalt it is nearly invisible, hence the name.  It can be dangerous if you ride on it unaware; studded tires handle black ice effectively.

Glaze ice
Usually a result of freezing rain, it literally glazes everything.  Road patches, other kinds of ice and snow and any part of the terrain will be coated.  Watch out for nearby trees; if they are coated as well they can be hazardous if they fall.

Pellets
Round small pellets of ice that either precipitate in that form or are formed from thawing and freezing.  This ice can be treacherous as it can vary in slipperiness and sinking can be common where it is deep.  There's no specific tire that is great for ice pellets; one patch might be great for fat tires and the next patch will give an advantage to knobby tires.  Approach with caution!

Spray Ice
This is formed near large bodies of water such as rivers which haven't frozen over.  Currents, depth and width all play a factor in a river not freezing.  But spray from the river will freeze very quickly. In a windy winter storm, crossing a bridge can feel a lot like being sandblasted by these particles. Bridges and adjacent roads

A pathway covered in frost.

Frost
When temperatures reach below freezing, frost can form.  It usually coats the ground with a very thin layer of ice crystals.  Soft rubber winter tires can  easily handle frost.  Normal tires can usually proceed fine in a straight line; some caution is required when handling in corners.

Conclusion
Getting to know snow and ice has definitely made my winter cycling experience a more enjoyable one.  Knowing what is on the ground and how my tires perform help me select routes where they will excel; it also enables me to avoid paths that will be a complete suckfest.

Your mileage may vary, pun intended!  There are many types of snow and ice not discussed here, such as glacial ice, firn, penitentes, watermelon snow and many others.  Hopefully this post gives you a head start; but there is no substitute for experience.  Get out there and ride!  

Winter Wisdom: Winter Bicycles

My winter bike; studded knobby tires, disc brakes, pogies, I'm wearing a
hydrapak under my coat, front/rear derailleurs, front and rear mudguards,
energy drink in bottle cage.

Intro

Cycling in the winter was long considered a "hardcore" form of cycling but has been gaining in popularity.  There is a lot of advice floating around the internet about what sort of bicycle is well suited for winter cycling.  But for me, it comes down to what sort of components you are using, not the bicycle in general.

Tires

Bicycle tire technology has come a long way.  There are several types of tires that can keep you spinning in the icy cold.

• Fat tires: These wide tires have been around for a few decades but have seen a recent surge in popularity.  The original fat tires were called Snowcats that had rims that were 44mm wide; they could be fitted to most bicycles capable of equipping a mountain bike tire.  The more recent incarnations come with a rim width of 80mm or more and require a specialized bike called a "Fat Bike."  The tires can be run at a very low pressure, enabling you to float on top of snow.
• Studded tires: These tires literally have studs embedded in them.  Originally steel was used in production.  Most commercial production of studded tires uses tungsten carbine, an incredibly hard alloy.  There are also many DIY studded tire instructions on the Internet, usually by modifying a knobby tire with outwardly protruding wood screws.  Studded tires can dig into ice and provide solid traction.  While studded tires on cars are banned in certain jurisdictions, studded tires on a bicycle are usually exempt as they cannot cause the damage that studded tires on cars can.
• Soft tires: These are bicycle tires made out of similar soft rubber compounds found on automotive winter tires.  They excel at providing traction at sub zero temperatures.
• Knobby tires: Sometimes the best thing to use in shallow, sticky snow, knobby tires can be used for traction, just like in muddy scenarios.
• Thin tires:  Instead of floating on top of the snow, a thin profile allows them to cut through the snow to where the pavement is.  Works best in clear roads and shallow powder snow.
• Any tires: Sometimes the best tire for the job is the one you have.  If you commute where the road is dry or regularly gritted or salted, as long as you ride slowly and with caution, you should be just fine.
• Combinations: You can get multiple features on one tire.  For example, there are studded fat tires.  My Ice Spiker Pro's are studded knobby tires.

Brakes

Braking technology moved in starts and stops (pun intended) since the very first bicycle.  There are many different types of systems; I will just speak generally about what I know.

• Rim Brakes: A braking system where the brake pads are applied to the rim of the wheel.  These are a very poor choice for winter cycling.  While they're very easy to fix if they break down (again, pun intended), their proximity to the ground means the rim can be caked up with snow and ice.
• Disc Brakes: This is a very popular type of brake for off road vehicles.  The disc is close to the center of the wheel, which means it is away from the ground and all the snow and ice.
• Drum Brakes: These resemble drum brakes in cars.  As they are an enclosed system they do not suffer from poor weather conditions.
• Coaster Brakes: I have fond memories of coaster brakes from my youth.  As it is an enclosed system it does not suffer from poor weather conditions.  It applies braking power to the rear wheel only.
• Fixed Gear: Not a brake type per se.  But fixies and track bikes have a fixed gear where slowing the wheels can be accomplished by slowing the pedals.  In winter conditions you don't tend to be a speed demon so this can be accomplished easily.
• Flintstone Brakes: Borrowed from a cartoon of the same name.  If you aren't familiar with it, they drove around in stone cars and would brake by putting their feet on the ground.  So in order to accomplish this, keep your seat lower so you can put your feet on the ground.  While I would never recommend this as a primary braking system, it can assist you while braking with other methods.  If done correctly it can help with stability too.

Protection From the Elements

So we've covered important things like traction and stopping.  But an often overlooked subject in winter cycling is protection from the elements.  Keeping yourself dry in the winter is very important.  Keeping your bicycle free of crud and salt is good for its health too!

• Fenders: Coverings for front and rear wheels.  They are usually close fitting and cover a large expanse of your wheel.  They usually provide great coverage, keeping you and your bicycle dry.  An added flap on your front fender helps protect your bottom bracket.  I haven't seen many for wider wheels.
• Mud Guards: If you have wider wheels, mud guards will be right up your alley.  They don't tend to provide as much coverage as fenders.  But as they are open, they don't tend to get clogged like a fender can.  Usually they won't protect your bottom bracket.
• Chain Guards: This is like a covering for your chain.  There are different configurations which go from partial to full protection of your chain, in both permanent and temporary fixtures.
• Pogies: Their name comes from a type of bait fish as they were originally designed for kayak paddles.  Several years ago they were adapted for bicycle use.  The great thing about them is they keep your hands out of the wind and can retain heat inside.  I find they are great as they allow you to fine tune the level of warmth you need.  For example, I'll put gloves in my pockets and ride bare handed; as I get colder I add a pair of gloves.  In the past I'd just wear the gloves and they' end up getting sweaty and uncomfortable; now I'm always warm and dry.

Gears

Bicycle gearing is definitely something to keep in mind when cycling in the winter.  It's an integral part of the drive train.  You do not want your drive train to go south on you while peddling around the frozen north!

• Derailleurs: Having a variety of gears is great in the winter.  It enables you to take on various types of terrain with just the right amount of effort.  But because they are fully exposed to the elements, they are always at risk of being clogged.  Or worse, freezing!  Ways to mitigate this is to keep your drive train protected (mud flap on fender, chain guard) or to keep changing gears often.  Worst case scenario, try to keep yourself in a gear that you won't mind being stuck in!  Front derailleur freezes still gives you a fair amount of gear changes.  A frozen rear derailleur may affect the chain slack so you can't shift front or rear.
• Internal Hub: As this is a completely enclosed system, it doesn't suffer from winter weather.  Gearing systems start at 3 speed and if memory serves, you can get ones that go up to 11 speed.
• Fixed Gear or Single Speed:  There is no gear system here to freeze so there's no problem.

Water

It is very important to stay hydrated any time you are engaged in physical activity, including cycling.  More so in winter, when the air is dry and evaporated sweat may make you think you don't need as much.  In addition, lower temperatures will bring your bottle close to freezing.  Frozen water worse than no water at all; it weighs more and hydrates you exactly the same.

• Water Bottles: You should be OK with water bottles so long as you are out for a small amount of time.  Assuming you fill the bottles with warm water, you have about an hour before frozen nozzles become an issue.  You can extend this period of time by making the water hotter beforehand.
• Water Bladder: Namely Camelbak or hydrapak style systems.  These use a large vessel filled with water.  It usually dispenses through a hose to a nozzle.  The issue with these is the stream of water in the hose is very small with a large surface area in the hose.  This means it is very susceptible to freezing.  There are hose insulators out there but most reviews point to them being ineffective.  I've found two great ways to keep the water going.  One, keep the nozzle section inside your coat.  Two, keep the nozzle, hose, and the entire bladder inside your outer layer of clothing.  The latter is extremely effective.
• Energy Drink: Not really water per se, but a great source of hydration, energy and electrolytes.  It also doesn't freeze as quickly as water.  I've found a room temperature energy drink will last an hour an a half when the mercury drops.  I usually keep on in a bottle cage and I drink that before I drink any water.
• Thermos: Aka an insulated beverage container.  The nice thing about a thermos is you can put in soup or coffee for extended trips and have something that can warm you from the inside out.  They can be as simple as one that fits in a pack or something that fits in a bottle cage of your bike.

Lighting

In the winter days get shorter and nights get longer.  This effect increases as you get further north.  Go far enough and the night will last six months!  Around the 45th parallel daylight only lasts for a shade over 8 hours at winter solstice.  That's assuming no storms and no cloud cover.  This means most rides have an increased chance of occurring in the dark or low-light conditions.  The selections below are not exclusive, I would recommend all of them if you can.

• Front Lights: Almost always a white light but there are a couple of configurations to think about.  There are lights that illuminate a large spot in front of you.  Others will "zoom" out and provide greater lumination at a distance.  Fortunately you can fit several front lights on a bike so you don't have to choose.
• Rear Lights: Almost always a red light.  Usually there is a solid light and several blink settings.  They usually don't go really high in the lumen scale as they are used to be seen, not to see.
• Head Lamps: In off-road situations it can be hard to look around as only the area in front of you is lit.  Having a head lamp on your helmet means you can still have a good range of visibility around you as the light is always shining where you are looking.
• Visibility Lights: Whether you are on road or off road, you want to make sure to be seen by motorized vehicles.  Good front and rear lights can do this for you but you aren't limited to them.  There are several systems that can help you light up your frame and wheels.  One novel approach was to light up your wheel using a valve cap light.  I have some cheap red/white usb lights that I point downward to light up my bicycle.

Conclusion

So what's the best configuration?  There is none.  Do the best you can with what you can afford.  My icebike has knobbed studded tires, disc brakes, mud guards , pogies and front/rear derailleurs.  I have my main light system from my summer bike on (front 480 lumen spot, rear 5 led with lasers, backup lights to light up visibility).  I haven't had issues stopping nor traction concerns on icy surfaces or in shallow snow.  I have had my gears freeze (front one sucked; rear one really sucked), so I try to shift gears often to avoid freezing up.  For water I use all listed methods (bottle, bladder, energy drink, thermos); what combination I use depends on ambient temperature and how long I intend on being in the cold.

Many of these suggestions can be done on the cheap.  You can make your own studded tire, or stick to dry roads with a regular tire.  There are DIY instructions on making your own fenders and mudguards out of things like cans and pop bottles.  If you are decent at sewing you can make your own pogies.  You can get pogies cheaper if you shop around for scooter or ATV mitts (Apparently putting the word "cycling" on a box of pogies triples the cost).