Photo Credit Lloyd Alter
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Winters aren't as harsh as they used to be, so why not try to bike all winter? This writer did (trusty steed shown above). Anna Shepard of The Times of London made a list that makes it easier and more comfortable:
1. Buy some lobster gloves: So called not because of red hands but because they are claw-like, divided into two fingers. A happy compromise between mittens and gloves, they give you more control over your bike.
2. Explore the wonderful world of neck gaiters: Scarfs flap around and you risk losing them in your spokes You can also pull neck gaiters up over your face, bank-robber style.
3. Learn how to do the farmer's nose blow here: A trick that comes in use not just when the cold makes your nose drip but in countless other tissue-less circumstances.
4. Get some battery-free lights: If cycling is not enough for your green credentials. Watch out for the fact they don't flash when you're stationary, rather defeating the point of them since safe-cyclists will have to have an additional, presumably battery operated, pair.5. Think about your eyes: If you're heading out into the sleet and snow. I don't know about you but I've always had a fear of something flying off a car and into my eye, a nasty shard of glass or some other lethal object-a horrible thing to happen in either summer or winter, but somehow worse to be blinded on a dark November day.
Short of wearing my swimming goggles, I wasn't sure what to do. Sunglasses are great if it's bright, if it's gloomy, there are clear lens glasses out there for people like me.
6. Wear two pairs of socks: Or there are neoprene overshoes that do the same job.
9. Spend some time on the Icebike Web site to familiarize yourself with the hardcore species of cyclist: The picture on the homepage says it all. Compare to the conditions that these nutters take on, a touch of drizzle is nothing.
10. Most crucially of all, allow yourself to feel stupendously smug on arrival: Making sure your helmet is visible-if in any doubt, carry on wearing it and then feign forgetfulness-ask your friends/colleagues about their bus, tube or traffic-clogged car journeys.
That should be enough to make you want to repeat the experience. Don't worry if the process loses you friends. You don't need them, you can make new ones on a cycling forum.
We will add some of our own tips tomorrow. ::Times Online
Difficulty level: Moderate
Read Part 2 of Ride Your Bike All Winter
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