Winter cycling

Davids on augusta in kensington has overshoes which do work for some running shoes as for the numb hands stop at home depot and get a pair of work gloves that are waterproof you can usually get em sized so that they'll fit right over your riding gloves not only does it keep your hands dry in the rain and snow but your hands will stay warmer as my mom used to say its all about the layers. Also mecs got the polyester/spandex thermal baclava's in stock on the second floor there thin and warm i've been putting mine to good use on my commute's to newmarket in the early morning where they've already had some good snowstorms thank god nothings stayed yet though.

Dude, you have useful information here, but I can't bear to bulldoze through it.

...I agree. Good ideas will only come across if you communicate them effectively.

None of the bike shops can beat MEC for prices: 'economy of scale'. However, MEC has fewer sales than other shops. The bike shops have more sales as customers drop away in the cold.

The main things I'd say about winter clothing are layers and 'softshells': Your clothes have to breathe well, because if you get sweaty you'll never stay warm. I'll also say that merino wool base layers (esp. socks!) are more comfortable than synthetic.
http://www.mec.ca/Main/content_text.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder...

I'll list my gear for the coldest winter day, because on warmer days I just remove some. This gets me through any weather in Toronto.
- merino boxers
- thick merino socks
- merino long underwear top and bottom
- extra footbed in shoes
- softshell shoe covers
- neoprene toe covers
- softshell tights/pants
- thin fleece zip-t
- thin softshell jacket
- thin insulated wind-proof vest
- thin glove liners
- gloves, thick/thin depending on the weather
- toque or balaclava
- helmet cover (ski helmet this year?)
- cycling glasses or ski goggles (clear are available)
If it's a long ride, you have to drink something. I finally got a bottle that shouldn't freeze, is cheap, and fits in a bottle cage (aluminum! plastic cages snap in the cold): http://www.thermos.com/Product_detail.aspx?CatCode=THER&Su...

You really want fenders, of course. Salt will play hell with the parts on your bike, but less so with fenders, and less so with singlespeed or fixed-gear. Studded tires or no? Nice to have a bike with each... You don't need studs if it's dry, but Toronto winters are so variable, there's usually some melt and ice. Studded tires are slower and noisy, but you can ride over ice almost normally!

This took me a few years' experience to gain. Good luck!

Almost forgot the most important! You're riding in the dark much more in the winter so light well. I run my lights all-day all-year anyway. The Planet Bike Super Flash and Blaze are inexpensive and very bright lights available at MEC, and take standard batteries. As for batteries, lithium and NiMH rechargables work much better in the cold than disposable alkaline. http://www.mec.ca/Main/content_text.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder...

A trick I recently learned is to add lights to your helmet (front and rear). It lets you point a light where you are looking, be seen over parked cars, and aim light into the eyes of witless drivers. These allow you to put a headlamp onto your helmet (I hang a rear light off the strap at the back): http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3E...

More information: http://www.mec.ca/Main/content_text.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder...

Thanks for all the tips, and especially the links. It's all a bit overwhelming, but the fact that I can do my shopping online greatly increases the odds that I'll actually get around to it.

I was just talking to another wannabe winter cyclist this morning and we both agree that the greatest impediment is not the cold, it's just getting equipped properly and the extra hassle (lugging office clothes, recharging batteries, etc.). I get tired just reading the MEC webpage on winter bike maintenance. I have to confess that my bike was outdoors all winter last year, and that I rode it in slush and snow on a few occasions (in the daytime), and never did any of those things. I know it's just a matter of making it part of my routine, and it beats cramming myself into a packed subway every day, just gotta get myself over the initial hurdle.

Annie

It can be real fun and exhilirating especially for those of us who love to hit the trails and be the first one to make tracks. Also fun to see the look on your co-workers faces when they realize you rode your bike into work through that.

GAH! wd40 is evil. It is a solvent and any lubricants it touches will be reduced to gunk that will attract and adhere to grit every road will toss at it. This will nicely score all your bearing surfaces. Using Phil's Tenacious oil ("a little dab will do ya") is a whole other world. Judicious lubrication will reduce the probability of freezing.
http://www.icebike.com has other suggestions on negotiating the joys of winter cycling. If memory serves there is a link to winter chain waxing involving double boilers and parafin blocks.

Hey Andrew! Good points.

Hey James and EnigManiac! Spelling and grammar flames are kinda tired. How about offering to help ?

I did: he used periods.

How about "Streetcar tracks: and you thought they were treacherous in the warmer months"?

(Broke my shoulder this past Feb. crossing some streetcar tracks in morning light slush. Had to go 6 weeks without riding my bike while it healed--of course I cheated.)