Jeff Ballweg

This is quickly shaping up to be one of the snowiest winters on record. We’ve got a good start to surpassing the record snows we got last year.
The National Weather Service says we’ve gotten 17 inches of snow this year, and they’re predicting that we could get a foot or more in the next week.
In light of that news I thought I might share a few tips I’ve learned about biking in the snow.

The Surly outfitted for snow

• Pick your line.
  Just like on skis, you’ll want to pick a clear line on the bike. It takes a little practice, but you’ll learn fast. Basically I chose spots of pavement first, then flat ice, then flat snow. Bumpy snow and bumpy ice are last. The toughest obstacle out there seems to be when crossing the little berms the plows make at intersections. I simply try to get a little bit of a run at them and stay straight. They’re usually soft enough that your biggest worry isn’t going to be getting over it so much as making it through without running out of momentum.
• Gear down.
  I remind myself that I’m not going to win any races on a snow day anyway, so I keep geared down a couple gears lower than I normally would. This helps me put on the power when I need it. Falls aren’t common, and I haven’t fallen in a long time, but when they do happen its not because I careened out of control at high speed, its that I ran out of power and tipped over (or had to get off and push). The aforementioned berms are the classic place to do it too… you go into a berm nervously and 5mph to be careful, and you end up stuck half way through it. Staying in a low gear ensures that as you slow down you’ll be able to pedal out.
• Not too tight.
  You’ll be tempted to have a death-grip on the handlebars, but relax. You’ll find that your bike likes to stay under you, and it’ll stay there even if things are sliding around a little, but you need to give the bike a little room to slide, but you dont want to be pushed around. Leave those arms lose.
• Dress warm, but not too warm.
  One of my first mistakes was to dress too warm. I found last year that I was comfortable in rain pants, a fleece and a raincoat. That’s probably a little lighter than most people would go, but remember that you’ll be generating a considerable amount of heat, so if you feel warm walking out the door, you’ll be sweating by the time you’re at work. The key, of course, is layers. If you’ve got a few layers, preferably with zippers, you can let more air in when you get warm.
• The right gear helps.
  I hate to tell anyone that they need to buy anything, but there are three things you can buy to make your life on the snow better. 
  

  Kenda Klondikes on my Long Haul Trucker

  A winter helmet, a pair of goggles, and at least one studded tire. I have a Pro-Tec B2 helmet and some Oakley goggles I’ve had for years. This stuff is pretty much just alpine ski/snowboard equipment available at your local sporting goods store. Other than that I just wear my normal winter jacket and the pants I want to wear at work. If it’s snowing, I add rain pants over them. Personally, I don’t wear snowpants on my bike, I find they’re so puffy they get into the chainring, plus I’m warm enough in my rain pants. Studded bike tires can be tough to find, but they’re starting to be more common. I have Kenda Klondikes on my Surly. I chose them mainly because they were in stock at REI when I was there. They help you stay up on ice and hard-packed snow. I really recommend them. You’ll soon find yourself using lakes and skating-rinks as shortcuts – they’re that sticky.

For more info try to find a winter biking class in your town. We’ve got a group called We Are All Mechanics that teach a ladies-only bike maintenance class, and they offer a winter bike handling skills clinic for anyone. Otherwise watch a class they recorded on Mediasite a few months ago. (Disclaimer: MATC’s Mediasite installation was before my time, so if you have any issues with it, please post a comment.)