I got back into cycling (mostly gravel and paved multi-use path) about a year and a half ago. Last winter, I more or less put biking aside and just tried to do more walking instead.
This year, I’m trying to continue biking a bit more throughout the winter because firstly, I enjoy it, and second I don’t want to be as out of shape come spring.
I’ve gotten myself some warmer gear (not a ton). I’ve given myself permission to just try to get some seat time in while not really pushing for distance or speed.
Lately the weather has been more of a challenge and I’m feeling myself falling behind.
So, what’s the community’s approach to winter?
Do you suck it up and go for it like it’s still summer? Move into the garage/basement and go 100% indoor trainer?
I commute every other week (I still use a car for the weeks i have my child with me, though the plan is to go 100% car free soonish). I’ve been using both my ebike and an old mountain bike. The last week I rode was about -2C, on this coming monday it’s projected to be -10C. My commute to work is at 4:00 AM, and I return at 2:00 PM. So, it’s dark in the mornings.
For the bikes, I use my mountain bike exclusively when there’s snow or ice. I’ve got studded tires on it, and it’s slow enough to not make it sketchy if I hit a patch of ice and need to stop. My ebike is a small frame cargo bike with 20" x 3" tires and I have a set of home-made studded tires (with screws) but I haven’t installed them yet, so I’m using the ebike only on dry days. Aside from the tires, I have a pair of bar mitts I use on both bikes.
For clothing: I have a skull cap to block the wind that I wear under my helmet, and a neck gaiter to cover my lower face (my helmet is the kind with magnetic visor on it, absolutely a game changer in the cold). Regular clothes, including jeans and on the coldest days I add a base layer under my jeans and that cuts out the wind. I have a cycling jacket and a pair of insulated gloves (in addition to the bar mitts). I keep a wool sweater and spare work clothes in a dry sack on my rear rack. My cycling jacket seems thin, but when you’re pedalling (even with an ebike) it’s plenty warm enough because it blocks the wind. I still get sweaty on sub-zero days.
Regarding the ebike: i only really use it on the lowest pedal assist level. Maybe bumping it up for a left-hand turn at an intersection, or when I’m crossing the major highway when there’s traffic during the day. Though I’m commuting, the journey is part of the enjoyment for me, there’s no damn point to blaze down the street the fastest i can go. So far, the battery has held up really well in the coldest days, though I will keep it fully charged in the winter since everyone says higher charge levels keep it healthier in the cold. In the summer it needs to be charged once a week.
I’ve yet to experience riding DURING the snow, I’ve been really lucky. 100% of my commute is on roads with no sidewalks, most of it is a state highway, and I’m dreading the day we get a major storm as I’m not likely to have enough of the shoulder cleared of snow to safely travel alongside cars/trucks. But, that’s a wait-and-see scenario.
I get the impression you’re not commuting so I realize only some of my details are relevant to you, but I figured oversharing in this case might be more helpful than otherwise.
I’d highly recommend staying active on your bike over the winter, there are so many reasons why it’s a good idea, and the preparation you need to keep cycling through the cold really isn’t that much.