Still the Cheapest Way to Travel
A Guide to Outfitting Your Bike for Winter
Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you need to, or even should, stop riding your bike. There are a few quick and cheap fixes you can apply to a bike you already own, or to a cheap “junk” bike. Here are five tips to help you coast through the slush safely and in style:
1. FIND A CHEAP MOUNTAIN OR HYBRID BIKE ONLINE
Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you need to, or even should, stop riding your bike. There are a few quick and cheap fixes you can apply to a bike you already own, or to a cheap “junk” bike. Here are five tips to help you coast through the slush safely and in style:
Kijiji or Craigslist are normally good places to look. It should preferably have a steel frame for added weight and staying power. The type of bike you’re picking up is important since road or cross bikes often won’t fit the thicker tires (knobblies) you’ll need to kit them out with.
2. INVEST IN A PAIR OF KNOBBLIES IF THE BIKE DOESN’T COME WITH THEM
These are pretty basic tires, and an overall necessity for biking in the winter. If you want to feel a little safer in the ice you can pick up studded tires, just be careful when turning since they do tend to turn slower than pure rubber tires.
3. GET SOME FENDERS
These are a winter essential, whether you’re wearing rain pants or not (and I suggest you do). When riding in the winter your bike will kick up snow and slush behind the tires which means you’ll get soaked without a mudguard.
4. CLEAN YOUR BIKE
This is another basic which will go a long way in keeping your bike running without a hassle. Chains tend to wear much faster in winter and with the amount of slush you’re going to be dragging your bike through, rust is always a possibility. Additionally, in Canada we have to deal with the ever-present salt which causes as many problems as it solves. Cleaning is pretty simple, especially if you have a new chain. Just take a cloth and wipe your bike down after every ride, if your chain is older or your bike has seen a few other winters you’ll probably want that cloth doused with a mild solvent.
5. DRESS FOR THE WEATHER CONDITIONS
Of course this article wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the clothes you’ll probably want. Rain pants are always preferable to snow pants as they’re less bulky and easy to wrap a band around to avoid getting them caught in a chain. You may want to wear thermals or leggings underneath your rain pants to stay warm on those -30°C days. Gloves are also a must, as are scarves or balaclavas.
