I started riding in the wintertime in 2018 and have really enjoyed it. I wish more people would do winter riding honestly. I decided to make this guide to help new people understand what is needed for winter riding. I will break this down into three categories: clothes, bicycle and weather.

Clothes

I made up a chart that I actually use all the time when winter riding, you can find it here https://www.drunkbrian.com/app/assets/img/temp_clothes_chart.png

I usually ride at least once per week all winter long and I first see how cold it will get at night and use this chart. For this article I will be looking at clothes that are listed for temperatures in the 30s or lower. You must also remember that something like 35 degrees in the day and 35 degrees at night are two completely different things! If you have the sun on you then you can be warm but all that changes at night.

• Top layers – I usually start off with two shirts, a thermal long sleeved shirt underneath with a short or long sleeved shirt on top of that.
• Bike pants – I got this great pair of winter biking pants off Amazon here https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PGR8SI8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I just wear bike shorts under them (for padding). They are warm enough until it gets in the teens then I usually put on some thermal pants under them at that point.
• Coat – I usually wear my winter coat while riding with it’s thermal liner inside it.
• Boots – I have a nice pair of winter boots I wear while riding. I also tuck in my shoelaces so they don’t get caught in the front gears. For socks I first put on a tall pair of socks and then put on a thicker pair of winter socks over those. Usually don’t need more than 2 pairs of socks, any more would be too thick.
• Winter helmet – I found a brand new snowboarding helmet at Goodwill for like $10 and that’s what I use. You will want to get a helmet that doesn’t have vents on top of it for your heat to escape. You can wear your summer helmet but your head will get cold even while wearing a stocking cap.
• Hands – You will want gloves, maybe a variety of kinds and thicknesses.
• Head – You will want a variety of caps to keep your head warm, stocking cap, biking cap, etc.
• Face – You will want to have something to cover your face as well like a gaiter, balaclava or scarf.

The number one things about winter riding clothes is to carry more on your bike! You will want extra clothes of everything listed here. It’s better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it! I always carry an extra long sleeved shirt, socks, thermal pants, gloves and caps.

The three areas on your body that get cold while riding are your extremities: your feet, your hands and your head. Boots, bar mitts and a winter helmet will help these areas. As long as your keep your core warm, your heart and chest, then you should be OK.

You will get cold while winter riding but you need to be able to also get warm. You are usually warm when you are riding your bike, since your body is producing heat and when you stop you will eventually get cold by standing around outside. You want to be warm but not hot. You can very easily have too much on and overheat. When that happens you sweat, your clothes get wet and they remain cold and never dry. I like to use gaiters to help keep my face warm while riding but they get wet from breathing through them. I usually twist it around on each stop to have a dry spot cover my face. By the time I get about halfway on my trip it’s wet all over so that’s when I put on the dry second pair I brought!

Bicycle

For winter riding you will not want to ride a road bike but something with a wider tire like a hybrid or a fat-tire bike. Any wheel with knobs for extra traction really help too. I also recommend not using clip pedals during the winter. There are a few things you may want to purchase to put on your bike for winter riding. Bar mitts are gloves that attach to your handlebars and help keep the wind off your hands while riding. You can also use them as extra pockets and keep gloves in there. Sometimes I’ll toss pocket warmers in them to help keep hands warm while riding. You may want some kind of fenders on your bike to help prevent you from getting wet from snow and puddles. You will also want storage on your bike to haul your extra clothes. Don’t forget the things you normally bring on your bike too like your tools, extra tube, etc.

While riding you will ride over ice and snow. You can ride over ice safely most of the time. When riding over ice keep your speeds low and don’t make any sudden changes like turning left and ride or speeding up and slowing down. You will probably fall every once and a while, I know it sucks but sometimes its unavoidable. The best way to fall is to land on your upper arm, do not put your hand out to catch yourself, you usually won’t catch yourself and could injury your hand or wrist. Keep your head up as well to prevent your helmet from hitting the pavement and require replacement. When riding over snow you will get a variety of consistencies from fluffy snow to wet snow to hard snow. You may find out that your bike tires preform better on some kinds of snow than others. Find out what works for you and your bike. This will help you as you travel along trails. A lot of the time you are constantly moving from the left and right of the trail always looking for the best place to travel over with your bike.

Since you will be constantly riding through puddles, wet snow, etc this will get on your bike and also your chain. You may want to oil your chain more frequently to help with this.

Weather

You may find you can ride at some temperatures comfortably and others may be uncomfortable for you. I think any temperature 20s or higher is OK to ride. Once you get below that your body gets cold quicker and you will need to change up your game plan when going out. You would try to get to warmer inside places more often. Also check the wind speeds. Little wind is preferred because high winds with chill you to the bone very quickly.

You will also want to pay attention to the last snowfall. If it snowed 8 inches yesterday then there’s a good chance the trails are cleared yet. If it’s been at least a few days then they most likely are already plowed.

You also want to stay dry so if it is raining or snowing wet snow you will want to find shelter every once and awhile to get out of it. Even a bike tunnel will work or under a bridge. Remember, once your clothes get wet they will not dry and remain wet and cold.

The cold temperatures and wind will also suck the battery juice out of electronics as well, especially electronics that are mounted on your handlebar. It always decreases the battery levels in my GPS and any mounted phone or speakers. If you have some kind of electronic on you that you want to preserve its battery level then keep it in a pocket or bag, just out of the elements. You may also want to carry a USB battery pack on your as well to charge a phone if needed. I would also recommend having extra lights in case some go dead. This will help keep you safe especially while night riding. I always have two headlights and two taillights. If any of those die I turn on the other one.

I like to take beers on my bike for winter riding as well. If I go out for a 6 hour night ride they are usually OK but if it’s an all day thing then I sometimes run into the problem of the beers freezing up on me. They usually stay cold on their own but if you wanted to get them a little colder just throw a couple handfuls of snow on them, it’s free ice!