Cold Weather Gear: This is one area where I admit bike commuting can be a little pricey, at least in the beginning. In the long run, it is a hell of a lot cheaper than a gas bill. If you plan to commute all winter (and again, you are!!) then you will need some quality cold weather gear to make your riding comfortable. I find that I can ride to work until the temperature gets to about 15 degrees, at which point even I find my breaking point. First and foremost, a GoreTex or other wind and/or rainproof jacket is a must. There are a bunch of companies that make great options, but I recommend a company that makes bike specific jackets. They are designed for the body as it sits on the bike, and usually have a slightly longer tail to cover your bum from the cold and road spray (if you don’t have fenders, that is).
To keep your legs warm, I find that if I pair my bike shorts with a good pair of leg warmers, I can wear the same bike shorts year round. Another option is buying a pair of tights, but I prefer options from which I can get more use.
You’ll need some quality cold weather base layers to put under your jacket. You can use anything from traditional long underwear to wool or silk base layers. Whatever keeps you warm will work! Cotton is not a good idea.
Most importantly, you need a good pair of gloves to keep your hands warm. Nothing is more miserable and at times more frightening than having your hands go frozen and numb on a ride. It can be dangerous for many reasons, not least because it can hinder your bike handling. Again, bike specific gloves are the best option. The wool mittens from the hardware store are not going to cut it.
Bike Shoes and Pedals: I wouldn’t say these are a must, but I highly recommend them. Bike shoes are made with a stiff sole that maximizes power transfer into the pedals and the back wheel. A regular shoe will also bend over the pedal, crimping the shoe and the bottom of your foot. This can lead to very uncomfortable feet, to say nothing of the lack of pedaling efficiency. Bike shoes are best used with a clipless pedal system. These are systems where a cleat on the bottom of the shoe locks into the pedal, much like a pair of skis. Like skis, they will release should you fall, so no worries that your bike is going to drag you along in case of an accident. Keep in mind that when starting to use a clipless pedal system for the first time, make sure to practice getting in and out of the pedals before hitting the open road. You don’t want to find yourself tugging at your pedals at a stop light! There are many systems that use a recessed cleat in the shoe so that you are able to walk without any trouble.
Gloves: The latest fashion among the wannabe bike racer crowd is to not wear gloves. I’m not sure why this has come about, but it is pretty stupid. Gloves take the edge off your hands, and protect them in a crash. Who wants road rash on their palms?
Bike Jerseys: Not a must, but some sort of moisture transferring top is a better option than a cotton tee-shirt. They dry out faster and are much cooler. If the bike jersey style is not for you, check out shirts by companies like Under Armor or Champion.
Safety
Rules of the Road: Although cyclists are afforded the same rights and responsibilities on the road as automobiles, it doesn’t take a genius to know that these rights are not exactly respected or enforced. It’s hard to prescribe one remedy for all scenarios, but I think in general a good rule of thumb is to ride on the road with confidence and in a manner that shows you belong there. In my experience, I find that riders who sheepishly share the road with motorists as if they are asking for a favor are readily taken advantage of. Riders who ride like they got a pair and behave responsibly are more likely to receive respect from motorists. Of course there will always be the crazy yahoos who just don’t get it, but there are crazy yahoos in all aspects of life. We can’t go about avoiding life for fear of crazy yahoos. If we did, we would never go outside.
I stress that cyclists should in turn behave responsibly on the road. As the saying goes, you reap what you sow. I’m always amazed when I see a cyclist moan about aggressive motorists and then shortly proceed to run a stop sign in front of a car that had come to a complete stop and was ready to go. I put those cyclists in the “why they hate us” category.
I recommend cyclists pick a route to work based on safety and comfort rather than choosing the fastest route. For my part, while I could take a direct route to work that would be about 8 miles, it would mean riding through some fairly unfriendly roads and downtown streets that I prefer to avoid. Instead, I take a route that uses a bike trail for a good portion of the commute, and skips many of the more dangerous roads in my town. The side benefit is that I get a bit more time on the bike and more exercise.
Advocacy
Fight the Power!: If you’re going to join the two-wheeled masses, I highly recommend joining one or more of the many groups dedicated to championing the interests of cyclists in the United States. On the national level, there is the League of American Bicyclists, which is one of the oldest cycling organizations in the world and pushes for national level policies to benefit all kinds of cyclists. There is the Rails to Trails Coalition, which focuses on converting abandoned rail roads into bike trails. Most likely, your local area has a cycling advocacy group that focuses on the needs of cyclists where you live. Support them and get involved! You may find that if you don’t, other non-cyclists will start making decisions that affect you and that are not in your interests. Case in point, local authorities recently placed speed limits on the bike path I use to get to work. While this was in theory a response to an increased frequency of accidents on the trail, the decision was made without any input from area cyclists or cycling advocacy groups. It was the non-cycling users of the trail that pushed this through. While much of my frustration is with these groups, I cannot help but feel that it was a lack of involvement and engagement by cyclists that facilitated this chain of events. If we had been more involved, we might have made an impact.
On that note, it’s time to tune up your bike and hit the road. Stay safe and get to work!