Bracing for Winter
It will not be my first New England winter, but it will be my first biking winter. Currently the weather is unusually fall-like but I am trying to wrap my head around approaching cold and snow. After some research and talking to people it sounds like I am supposed to buy a lot of stuff until I look like this:
However what I have learned so far in my years of biking is that no matter what I always take the wrong advice and I always buy the wrong stuff.
So I have been very concerned about researching, being cautious, and making the best decision about the right gear for my commute style. I expected a long process ahead of me. I made a trip to the local sports equipment store to review my options starting with gloves. However I discovered that my gear decisions may not be that hard after all.
Apparently they don’t expect women to go outdoors until spring.
Regarding grip – I have plastic handlebar grips on my bike, and I find that leather gloves grip them incredibly well, almost too well sometimes. They aren’t the warmest, but if you can get ones large enough to fit a thin wool layer underneath, you’re good to go.
Other than how large a particular size is, is there a difference between women’s and men’s gloves? I mean, women’s hands don’t seem to be shaped differently than men’s, and they tend to have to same number of digits. I say that as a man who owns a few pairs of women’s socks – they are nice wool hiking socks that were on clearance, while the men’s were out of stock. They are the oh so feminine color of gray heather.
A motorcycle store may offer you some functional glove options as well.
Granted, I live in a little warmer climate (Washington, DC), but it does get cold, snowy and yucky…but I found I can bike up to 3″ of snow….after that, it just gets too difficult. Actually, you really don’t need a whole lot of clothes to stay warm – just a few layers. You warm up as you ride, just as a car engine does. 🙂 You’ll probably experiment and tweak your riding clothes as you go through winter, to see what works and what doesn’t. Bravo for you for even trying! Lots of people (guys included!!) don’t dare to bike in the winter. You can show them that it can be done. 🙂 Just make sure you keep warm (not TOO warm though), and dry. Those are the keys. 🙂 Good luck!! Charmaine
I biked through a Michigan winter, and I got by with minimal gear! Thick mittens, a fleece + windbreaker (I used a cycling rainjacket), jeans + long underwear, thick socks + hiking boots, and lab goggles + a wool skullcap under my helmet. It worked pretty well! I only fell on the first day, on a patch of ice.