By Holly (she/her)

MN WINTERS

Two inches? 12 inches? Flurries? Polar Vortex? Grey skies for weeks. Bring it.

Several years ago I decided to limit my complaining about the weather and instead embrace the coldest/darkest days of MN winters. The idea was that I wouldn’t be setting myself up to feel frustrated and miserable. Hopefully, I would spend time enjoying things that I previously wrote off and not fight the inevitable.

It worked! I had a great winter (it was the year of the Polar Vortex). I learned about bird activity in January and February. I discovered this #lovemnwinter blog. I started noticing MANY signs of spring, starting in mid-January, that kept me going. I found that I especially loved SNOW!

Changing my expectations of winter for the positive, expecting it to bring me joy, has changed my life. Now, I LOVE SNOW and I look forward to winter-only experiences. Reminding myself to do this every year is now a part of my seasonal mental health care and I can’t recommend it enough for anyone who struggles with the cold and snow.

Pro Tip: Let people around you know if you are trying to change your negative feelings about winter. Ask them to not share their complaints with you and, if they are up for it, to help you think of more things to enjoy!

By Patrick Weber (he/him, they/them)

SELFIES!

By Patrick Weber (he/him, they/them)

Patrick is back with a story of transition in the winter time.

TANKSINWINTER

Winter layers always meant something special to me. Each piece I would put on myself felt symbolic to what it means to survive not only in this chilly, frosty state, but also having to put on layers to protect myself from society. When I would cover myself head-to-toe, no one can tell who I am truly on the inside, and I liked having that mystery as I did not always know who I was in daily life.

Late this winter I began to shed layers as a new transition in my life began. With each clothing piece that is no longer needed to keep my body insulated, I show a bit of my true self on the inside. I am beginning to feel freedom, and able to begin to find my true self beneath past layers.

This piece was inspired by my body becoming a sauna during the negative degree week we had in January, as I had begun HRT for testosterone, and noticed body changes within the first month. Thank you Grease Rag community for helping me figure out how to relayer myself so I would not overheat, and for your support in my new life transition.

Low is a pickle-making cat-petting moon-worshipper.

February is a hard month. And this year it’s an extra day long! To combat hardness, I am embracing softness. Hunkering into a soft cashmere scarf around my face. Hopping on my bicycle on a relatively warm day to wheel through soft mushy snow. Letting the soft gray light in through my rose colored lenses. Replacing my Franklin Hill grimace with soft, rosy cheeks and easy breaths. Watching small birds huddle outside my window, fluffed up and chittering. I love wrapping myself in all this softness as a buffer against the icy, harsh days and realities of winter.

By Patrick Weber (he/him, they/them)

Patrick is a 24/7 bicyclist with heart of neon glitter love of snacks. You can follow their bike adventures on Instagram @prince_of_glitter

MEMORIES

2 Years Ago Today

• Digging my bike out through thick snow in my driveway… Walking my bike when the roads got too deep for my Raligeh commuter bike to plow through… Learning how to pizza cut when the roads were mediocre but I was still too stubborn to bus to work because it was my first winter bike season…
• Note to future self: buy bar mitts, get wool gloves and socks, invest in actual winter boots instead of using old hiking shoes #probsuffered #frostbike #ohyeah #livenlearn

1 Year Ago Today

• Never ending dark morning ride to work but biking provides me the most warmth and happiness I need to get through the temp gig in the burbs… Bus ride home provides interesting opinions on how people view winter bikers as I put my bike in the racks… One of the morning bus drivers recognizes my red Banjo Bros backpack, and says they are impress always by my strength when I ride in the morning…
• Bar mitts saved my hands from further damage… Wool socks have saved my toes… REI big boots saved me from further frostbite and helped me hike over snow hurdles on the sidewalk corners from the never ending snow winter we had…
• Still need better wool gloves as the wool mittens with fingerless option did not work out

*Black, Indigenous, People of Color and Femme, Trans, Women. In other words, people who do not benefit from white/cis male privilege

CAMPING SIGN UP HERE

VOLUNTEER SIGN UP HERE

Accessible bike camping trips

We aim to have our trips be low barrier, fun, skill building, safer spaces

Low barriers!

A vehicle option to get you and your gear to the camp site. Sliding scale $0-$20 camping fee. Hooking you up with the gear you need. Clear expectations and established a safer space. Lots of encouragement!

Fun!

Biking, talking, eating, and being with each other is fun!

Skill building!

We will have a planning meeting to talk about cooking, packing, and gear. We will share skills about building fires and setting up tents. We can provide additional skill shares if you have other topics in mind, too!

Safer spaces!

We will establish a safer space policy up front, provide a quiet area of camp, designate people to help deescalate conflict, and provide name tags with pronouns.

About the Grease Rag Group Camp Trip

Want to give bike camping a try in a safer and supportive environment? WE GOT YOU.

• Don’t want to/can’t bike? We are arranging a vehicle to get you to the camp site.
• Don’t want to/can’t pay $20? It is a sliding scale of $0-$20 fee.
• Don’t have all the gear you need? We will hook you up with borrowed gear! Our community is mighty, and will provide us with everything we need.
• Don’t feel confident about your ability? You can do this! Our route is mostly flat, mostly on trails, at a casual pace, and we will have mechanical support on the ride. Come to a BIPOC FTW Ride Together group ride to get your legs ready.

Art by Cori Nakamura Lin

Don’t let the whiteness and the cis maleness of the outdoor industry deter you from enjoying the outdoors with us. For inspiration, follow these Instagram accounts dedicated to us outside.

@IndigenousWomenHike on Instagram

@TheBlackOutdoors on Instagram

@BrownFolksFishing on Instagram

@FORUSftwofcolor on Instagram (That’s us!)

Read this wholesome account of the last BIPOC FTW camping trip, or this account of a recent beginner bike camping trip.

BIPOC Bike Camping Trip

Recap of Grease Rag Group Camp 2017

Schedule

Sunday 8/18

• 6:00 – 8:00 PM – Mandatory Planning Meeting at Midtown Global Market
• One week before the trip!
• At this meeting we’ll do a trip overview, answer questions y’all have, and sort out any final gear shares. It will be a great opportunity to chat with each other before the big trip too! The Grease Rag community has a lot of communal knowledge, and we are here to make sure the trip is a success for everyone.

Saturday 8/24

• 11:00 PM – Meetup in Powderhorn Park
• We will have a few ice breakers and casual get to know you activities before and after the ride.
• 11:45 PM – Roll out
• 3:00 PM – Arrive at Carver Park

Sunday 8/25

• 10:00 AM – Roll out
• 2:00 PM – Return to Midtown Global Market

What You Are Responsible For

• Having a bike in decent working condition
• Getting your labeled gear to the meet up (masking tape and a permanent marker works great)
• Adhering to our Safer Spaces policy (Read it here)
• Your own snacks, lunch, and beverages
• Having your tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad arrangement worked out- Gear Email will be sent on August 10th)
• Bringing eating utensils (see list under Food)
• Contributing to our salad bar and breakfast bar (see Food)
• Yourself!

The Ride

This is the Route (bookmark me)

The ride is 26 miles, almost all on trails with some on-road riding, and mostly flat. There will be multiple ride leaders, mechanical support, and up to 35 of us riding together. This will be a great experience! We will be rolling at 10-12mph, and no one will be left behind.

To get us to our campsite we will bike out on the Greenway, to the North Cedar Regional Trail, where will will take our first break at Texa Tonka Park. We will continue on Minnetonka Blvd for a short distance to Minnetonka LRT trail, where we will continue to Excelsior Library, where we will stop. There is a brewery and a grocery store. We will continue on the trail until we reach our campsite.

Campsite

The campsite is the group camp site at Three Rivers Park District Carver Park: Zumbra 2. It can accommodate 35 people, 5 vehicles, and has a large stone shelter in case it rains, fire ring, and picnic tables.

Food

We will provide

• Supper basics (vegan/halal rice & lentils/beans)
• Spinach greens for the supper salad bar
• Granola and plant milk for the breakfast bar

You need to provide

• Snacks for the ride out and back- enough to sustain yourself from noon to 4pm
• Beverages, although there will be plenty of water
• Your own plate, bowl, napkin, fork, knife, spoon, mug, cup, water bottle
• A “salad bar item” that we will put out buffet style, so you can build the salad of your dreams- Think proteins, dressings, and whatever is fresh fresh from your garden. Whatever you like!
• A breakfast bar item that we will put out buffet style so you can build the granola bowl of dreams. Think nuts and fruit and whatever else!
• Bring your own snacks.

What to Pack

In addition to what is listed above, in the food instructions, you may also want to refer to these packing lists.

GR Bicycle Camping Packing List – a handy spreadsheet

Bike Camping Packing Pack List – a big list with tips and recipes!

Volunteers

Sign up to volunteer! (Some roles are paid)

If you have any questions or concerns, please ask: greaseragmpls@gmail.com

CAMPING TRIP SIGN UP HERE

Thank you both!

Julia W

FTW-Style Self Care

Self care can be equally as important as mechanical maintenance when it comes to biking. To preface the session Lo reminded us “not to let shame or bad feelings get in the way” and that sometimes, when the weather is just too cold or you are feeling too tired,  the best thing to do might be to “give yourself permission to take the bus”.

Biking can make you feel good, but a holistic self care strategy is crucial sustaining your own emotional and physical health, which feedback into one another. Lo suggests using physical movement (move your body, get those endorphins pumping!), outdoor experiences (Vitamin D!), getting together with friends, and attending Grease Rag events. These experiences can in turn promote emotional health, your feeling of belonging in a group, framing your own experience in a larger context, and maybe even a little “tree therapy” will pull you out of that winter time slump that kept you in bed in the first place.

Stretching

Next Lo explored more ways to take care of your body both inside and out. Evening or morning stretching and movements throughout the day will prevent soreness and give you a moment for reflection to check in with your emotional health. You can do some of these favorite stretches, or try following a simple YouTube stretching sequence.

What’s On the Body

Your living and working environment can effect your physical and emotional health too. When biking in cold weather, temperature regulation is crucial. Staying hydrated and dressing in layers can help prevent both over and underdressing. Also pay attention for open windows and cold air leakages in your own home, and invest in a humidifier if you are prone to dry and creaky joints.

Need a little more body care? Try soaking your feet or entire body in Epson salts (mix a few drops of essential oil for added aromatherapy benefits), and rubbing balms and oils on dry weathered skin. Aly suggests using Coconut, Almond, or Olive oil (good for those with nut/seed allergies) combined with essential oils to make your own balm using this simple recipe:

Basic Body Balm

• .2 oz beeswax
• 1 oz coconut oil
• 1 oz almond oil
• 12-24 drops essential oil (optional)

Heat the beeswax in a double boiler over low heat, When the wax is melted, mix in oil, mix until uniform, remove from heat and add essential oil. Transfer balm to a clean sealable container.

Not sure what oils to use? Aly suggests these ones:

• Eucalyptus – cool and refreshing, it stimulates the immune system, acts as a decongestant, anti-inflammatory, and relaxes the muscles.
• Rosemary – invigorating, it improves circulation, relaxes muscles soothes joint pain and calms headaches.
• Citrus (lemon, orange, grapefruit) – cheerful, energizing and uplifting.
• Lemongrass – uplifting and muscle soothing
• Mint – stimulating and uplifting, it helps with breathing, soothing headaches and muscles.
• Clove & Ginger –  spicy and warming, it improves circulation, soothes joins and pains.

What’s In the Body

What you eat affects how you feel, and in colder weather it is important to consume warming foods (use spices like tumeric, cumin, and chilli) and fueling fats (butter, oils, fish, seeds and nuts). It may be helpful to also take supplements like Vitamin D and magnesium (found in leafy dark greens, dairy and fish) or other minerals if you still flee sluggish. Talk to your doctor or a registered dietician to figure out what would be helpful for you. Aly shared her recipe for Chicken Ginger Soup as a warming mean that is good for fighting off the cold and viruses.

Ginger Chicken Soup

• 1 oz dried shitake mushrooms
• 3 cups boiling water
• 1 lbs chicken
• 1 inch piece grated ginger
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• I head chopped bok choy
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• Cayenne pepper to taste
• 2-3 chopped green onions

Pre soak mushrooms (follow package directions). Add everything except green onions in a pot, bring to boil and let simmer for 20-30 minutes. If using pre cooked chicken or meat alternative – substitute vegetable/chicken stock for water. Garnish with green onions.

How do you self care?

Other Grease Rag people shared their own self care tactics like scheduling regular dinner date appointments with friends, planning outings in advance to hold yourself accountable to showing up, going to the gym or library, opening your blinds early each morning to let the sun light in or investing in artificial sun lamps, going on walks outside, playing with kids, surrounding yourself with bright colors and comfy fabrics, practicing yoga, getting body work done (i.e. massage, reiki, or acupuncture), and prioritizing your own mental health. Try out some of these awesome FTW-owned resources:

• Am’l K & Kim at Constellation
• Zum bars from Indigo Wild
• Mizashima at the People’s Movement Center
• Sarah at Village Healing Arts

Hosted by Atsuko Fukushi of TacoCat Racing

Cyclocross racing is a fun type of off-road bike race, typically happening in the autumn months. There are official and underground races, but figuring out how to get into the sport can be confusing. This skillshare covered the different types of races, how to find out about them, how to prepare for them, and what to expect on race day.

What is cyclocross?

Cyclocross (often abbreviated to “cross” or “cx”) is a circuit race, meaning you do multiple laps, on non-paved terrain. Laps are usually around a mile long and can consist of grass, gravel, mud and sand. There are natural and human-made barriers that may require you to get off your bike and run, such as stairs, sand pits, stream crossings, hairpin turns, and barriers to jump over. It can be a contact sport, with riders jockying for position on the course. Throughout a race, there are many changes of speed and direction.

Terms to Know

• “off camber”: riding across a hill, rather than straight up or down. This can be tricky especially in wet conditions.
• “Getting lapped”: Sometimes, slower riders will get passed by the leader of the race, who has essentially ridden one lap further and is coming up on the back of the field to pass. The leader should give a verbal cue that they are passing, but it is up to the rider who is being passed to decide when it is safe for them to move over to let the lead rider pass.
• “Heckling”: is when spectators jokingly taunt racers during their race. Rather than cheering encouraging words, heckling is often yelling insults to encourage riders to go faster. Heckling is part of the cross culture – but spectators should only be heckling people they know. If someone is rude to you, don’t hesitate to tell them to shut up.
• “Handups”: When spectators hold out beverages (sometimes alcoholic) or food for racers to grab and drink/eat during the race. These are technically not allowed in sanctioned races and you may be disqualified if you are caught taking a hand-up.
• “Barriers”: Wooden structures typically 16” high that are spread out the full width of the course. Typically there are 1-2 sections of barriers in every race. Most racers, especially beginners, will need to dismount their bikes, lift their bikes up, and leap over the barrier, before getting back on their bike and continuing the ride.

• “Skinsuit”: A one-piece garment designed for bike racing. These are preferred by many racers because there is less loose clothing to snag on the bike during a race. They typically have a chamois (pronounced “shammy”) in the crotch. A skinsuit is not required for racing.
• “Pre-ride”: Checking out the course before your race starts. You can either walk or ride around the exterior of the course while other races are happening, or you can ride on the course when there are no races happening. This allows you to get a feel for how to approach technical sections.
• “catting up”: during a sanctioned race, riders are awarded points based on finishing place. A rider must accumulate a certain number of points from multiple races before being eligible to upgrade their race category. All beginners start as a category 5. As they increase their skills and start placing well during races, they will “cat up” to a category 4 and so on. Category 1 races is the highest level of the sport, where athletes typically travel across the country and world to compete against other elite athletes.
• “Embro”: short for embrocation, a type of skin salve that helps the skin feel warmer in cold weather. Some racers prefer to add this gel-like barrier to their skin instead of wearing extra layers of clothing. A cautionary warning – this only gives the body the illusion of feeling warm, you will still need to dress properly once your race is over.
• “Sanctioned vs Unsanctioned”: Sanctioned races are the official races with the seal of approval of USA Cycling. They require each racer to obtain a license to race. You can either purchase a seasonal license for $75 or a one-day license for $10. Sanctioned races require a registration fee (usually around $30) because they are staffed by race officials, the events carry insurance, there is usually medical staff on hand, you can earn “upgrade points” if you place high enough in the rankings, and there is often prizes or cash to win. Unsanctioned races are not approved by any governing body, they are often free, casual, and just for fun

How do I find out about events?

• USAC and MCF websites: USAC website lists all sanctioned bike races in the US. This is where you purchase your annual license, pre-register for races, and find races in your area. The Minnesota Cycling Federation website is for the Minnesota chapter of USAC. This will only list races happening in Minnesota.
• How do I register, online or day-of: Sometimes you can save money and time by pre-registering for races before the day-of. This is often non-refundable, so I only register for races that I know I will go to for sure. You can register the same day as the race. Be sure to arrive with plenty of time before your race starts, as there are often long lines.
• What race do I choose: If you have never raced a sanctioned cyclocross race before, you will be in the Women’s Category 5 race. This is for beginners, and races are usually 30 minutes. If you weigh 160 pounds or more, you can enter the Athena category, which races at the same time as the Women’s Category 5 race, but has separate scoring and podiums. Once you have done 10 races or have placed high enough in the category 5, you may be eligible to “upgrade” to category 4. *USAC does not currently use language that includes non-binary or transgender individuals. I don’t have experience navigating this, but my gut says to just go ahead and register under the category that you would prefer to race in. If you want support doing this, please let me (Kat McCarthy) know.
• How do I read this race flier?: Once you find an event, view the Race Flyer. This has all the information for the race including location, cost, time of races, prize money, and how to register. Look for your category listed to see when the start time of your race is. Your category may have multiple options. For example: a Category 4 woman can race in the 45 minute Women’s 3 / 4 race at 9:46am or in the 30 minute Women’s 4 / 5 race at 2:25pm. You can choose to race one or both of those races. Multiple races can be happening at the same time, but will be scored separately.

How do I prepare?

What do I wear?

Since cyclocross if a fall sport, what you wear will change as the season gets cooler. You will want to wear clothes that are comfortable for biking. Most people wear some sort of padded short because the courses are often bumpy and you will be jumping on and off your bike many times during a race. Some folks wear a “skinsuit” which is a one piece lycra racing uniform. These are quite expensive and are not required, but folks like them because they are very tight fitting with no opportunity for clothing to get snagged while mounting/discounting. If it’s cold, you may consider wearing arm-warmers and leg-warmers. Some people use “embrocation / embro” (defined above), in lieu of wearing extra layers. Gloves that allow free range of movement and dexterity are recommended for retaining the ability to shift and brake efficiently. It’s recommended to bring a few changes of clothes: a set of warm cycling clothes to wear during your pre-ride warm up, your racing outfit/”kit”, and a set of warm and dry street clothes to wear after your race.

What kind of bike can I ride?

A cyclocross specific bike looks like a road bike but has clearance to fit wider, knobby tires. It is legal to race mountain bikes in local cyclocross races.

Where do I go to buy a cx bike?

If you want to buy a used bike, there is a buy/sell/trade group on Facebook for women/trans/femmes in the Twin Cities. Lots of local bike shops carry new cyclocross specific bikes.

What to bring to a race?

The three changes of clothes outlined earlier (pre-ride warm up clothes, race outfit, and dry street clothes for post-race). You will also want to pack your helmet, bike specific shoes, snacks, water bottles, checkbook or cash if you are registering day-of. There are usually basic bike repair facilities on-site, and basic first aid supplies handy.

What happens on race day? During the race?

How early should I get there?

To have plenty of time, look at the race flyer to determine the start time of your race, and work backwards. You will want to have time to pre-ride the course before the start of your race, so look at the start time of the race that happens immediately before your race. You will want to pre-ride the course before that race starts. For example, if you are racing the Women’s 4 / 5 race at 2:25, the race before yours starts at 1:20. You will want to be ready to pre-ride between 1:00 – 1:20.

Getting numbers, chips, etc

If you pre-register, you still have to check in when you arrive to get your race number and timing chip. Volunteers should tell you which side of your back your number should be pinned to. Typically the timing chip is strapped to your left ankle.

Warm-up routine

The course is “open” for pre-rides when there are no races in progress. Typically, there will be a sign near the start/finish line that will say “Open” or “Closed”. When in doubt, ask a race official (khaki pants and baby blue polo) or listen to the announcer for cues. If you are wearing a chip timer during your pre-ride, do not ride across the start/finish line, even if no races are in progress. Ride one full lap of the course slowly so you can take in all it’s features and get a sense of where the hard parts are. If time allows, practice riding or running through the challenging areas and make note of how you want to execute it during the race. While other races are happening, walk along the outside of the course to watch other races to see how they handle each section.

When to be at the start?

You will want to start heading to the start area of the race about 15 minutes before your race time. The officials need you there early to give instructions and get everyone lined up. They don’t wait for stragglers, so be there early!

How the lap counter works, bell lap

During the first lap, officials will time how long it takes the leader of the race to complete one lap. Then, they calculate how many laps can happen within the race time. Typically for a 30 minute race, you will do 2-4 laps. At the start/finish line, there will be numbered cards showing how many laps remain. When you hear a bell, that means it is the last lap for everyone in the race. If you get passed by the leader of the race (“getting lapped”), you will finish on the same lap.

What’s the etiquette when I pass someone?

When you are coming up behind a rider that you would like to pass, call out to them that you would like to pass when they have a chance to move over. They may need to wait for a clear opening before it is safe for them to move over. Thank them when you pass.

What’s with people yelling rude things at me and handing me food/beer?

See “heckling” and “handups” defined earlier.

What do I do when I’m done?

The race officials will tell you when your race is over (if you happen to miss the bell lap or lap counter cards. You will need to turn in your chip timer – typically they have buckets set out after the finish line. You’ll want some time to cool down, grab a snack and some water. Usually about 20 minutes after a race, the results are posted on print-outs near the registration table. If you want to stay for the awards ceremony, those can happen up to an hour after the race.

How do I eat for the race?

This comes down to personal preference. Some folks try to eat two hours before, some prefer to eat within about 45 minutes of race time. You’ll have to experiment to see what types of foods you like and how soon before racing you need to eat to feel great.

How do I set my tire pressure?

Tire pressure is also a personal preference, and will also depend on what time of wheels/tires you have, your body weight, and the terrain of the course. Generally speaking, for 700c wheels, a range of 15-30 psi is average. If you have inner tubes, you will need the tires to be pumped up on the higher end of that spectrum to avoid getting a “pinch flat”. If you have a tubless set up, you can run lower tire pressure. If the course is hard-packed or grassy, you might want higher pressure so you can go fast. If the course is sandy, rocky, or muddy, you will want lower pressure to give your tires more traction. This will take some practice and experimenting to find the right combination for your body, bike, and the terrain.

How do I improve my racing?

Practice, practice, practice! You can practice all on your own, or will a group of friends. Or, if you are wanting to get serious, you can hire a coach who will meet you with you one-on-one and provide you with a training plan.

Check out the Facebook group “Twin Cities Cross Practice” for dates/locations. Some bike racing teams will host practice nights.

It’s not the gray days or the cold temperatures that make me feel melancholy. But this time of year is tough. It’s not the winter season but the transition to the new year that preoccupies me with the frustration of things I didn’t accomplish in the previous 365 days and the anxious weight of my self-inflicted expectations for the next journey around the sun.

And this year has been more difficult than usual. My feelings of inadequacy in my job, my relationships and showing up in the community have felt particularly accute. Being the steward of the #LoveMnWinter series made me feel less alone.

Yes, there was humor and joy and badass empowerment in this year’s posts but there was also vulnerability. Candid acknowledgment that sometimes we struggle to summon the strength to do any more than just make it through another day — and we don’t have the pretend that it’s not hard. That we all need moments of stillness and silence and straight-up surviving until the internal and external weather warms.

So huge thanks to everyone who contributed; I know I’m not the only one who took strength and solidarity in your knowledge and contributions to the Grease Rag community! In case you missed a post, here’s a recap / run-down with some of my favorite phrases or tips!

Day 1: Snow goof!

Day 2: Jump up and down and shake all of the feelings out of your body. Leave them there… Remember that we are deserving of love, kindness, comfort, hugs, compassion, & dumplings.

Day 3: Collected winter memories…

Day 5: I love turning on my blinky lights and gliding out into the empty streets like a tiny human shooting star, pedaling into the still unknown with endless possibility.

Day 6: Winter is my favorite time to drink port wine and tell myself I’m going to become a writer, a poet, or chess master. I’ve never bothered with these sorts of lies in June, July, or August.

Day 7: People view me as a badass, while I view myself as someone who is just living their life, and enjoying a new adventure with new friends and old friends.

Day 10: “Stay loose, flexible but firm,” kept going through my head, from the wisdom of Grease Rag(gers). That trifecta got me through a terrifying but thrilling ride.

Day 11: This is a season of letting go, stripping down. Trees have let go of their flowers and leaves, we’ve put our gardens to bed. There isn’t an outward sign of growth — the work is underneath, in our roots.

Day 12: My winter body gets to transform. It gets its own sensations that my sumer body will never understand.

Day 14: When I’m biking, I’m truly by myself. There is no one to entertain, no calls or messages I can answer. It’s just me and the bike.

Day 16: A few weeks ago, on a snowy February night, I leisurely scanned the colorful cards, smiling at the beautiful and silly sentiments from dozens of fellow cycling enthusiasts.

Day 18: There’s no time for bullshit. On the brutally cold days, I come home and it is all I can do to eat and go to sleep. I live more essentially, thinking not of wants but of needs. The clarity of it stuns me, when my body and my heart demand that they come first.

Day 19: Pretty much everything is more fun and enjoyable when shared with a loved one, whether they be your significant other, friend, or even random stranger that gives you a thumbs up for slogging in the opposite direction through salty slush.

Day 20: Biking in the winter has changed my life. It’s not always easy and has tested my limits — physically, mentally, emotionally — but, I know I’m better for it! I’m thankful for the bright sun on cold winter days, for how my body has adapted to weather changes, getting time outside, learning how to layer and thinking about how I spend my time differently.

Day 21: NO SHAME! Seriously! If I feel like taking the bus, or driving, or staying home, no one shames me for not being “hard core” enough. You all understand that we need to listen to our bodies and do what is right because winter is harsh.

Day 22: Besides washing your hands and drinking lots of water, what else can you do to give your body its best chance at warding off illness? Fire cider and raw honey.

Day 23: Warmer days and green things coming from the ground is coming soon. Today is February 23, and there are 26 days until the first day of spring.

Day 24: It’s weird that a few months ago the trail had so many people on it, and there were the sounds of nature. I had to strip down to my sports bra because of the heat. Today I was praying my hand warmers would last a bit longer, and wishing there were more people around me to enjoy the trail and view.

Day 25: All of these things started off as a tiny ice cube, but I started exploring and discovered a whole iceberg of things to learn and people to meet. Did anything get produced? “Done#8221; Not really. But my relationships are growing, my brain is being fed, and I wouldn’t have had the attention span in the full swing of summer. I love winter for being a blank canvas for my busy mind.

Day 26: I love walking through fresh snow when it’s late at night and you’re alone.

Some of us Grease Rag Friends attended a free saddle and fit workshop put on by the Hub, Surly, Midwest Mountaineering, and Gladys Bikes. This post isn’t a recap of the event, but a combination of some things I know and some things I learned, from my perspective as someone who wants biking to be as accessible to you, FTWs.

Images from the event via Surly Bikes

Images from the event via Surly Bikes

Does something hurt?

Here are some things you can do that don’t involve touching your bike:

Did you fall/injure yourself?

Take some time off. Recover. Care for yourself and come back when you are ready.

Could it be fixed with a clothing adjustment?

Is something too tight, not allowing your skin/you to breathe? Is there a seam that is rubbing or pinching you? Are you washing your clothes enough to prevent infections? Change it! Some people really like padded shorts, and other people hate them- it’s really individual. If you’re having pain, consider switching it up. Your tastes could change over time, even seasonally!

Are there things you can do off the bike to help?

Stretch. Drink water. Eat food. Strengthen your core muscles. Allow injuries to recover. Regularly do other physical activities besides biking.

DIY Bike Fit Tips

If how your body and your bike work together still doesn’t work, it’s time to look at bike fit. There’s this combination of your machine, your body, your clothing, and your riding style that make you very unique. How all this stuff fits together is “bike fit.”

Golden Rules Guidelines

• Bike fit is all about guidelines. There are no rules
• Biking should not be painful. Although it can be uncomfortable at times
• Fit your gear to your unique and beautiful body, don’t try to change your body to fit your gear
• You know you best. Be confident and assert yourself- remember, there are a lot of bike shops out there and it is not worth it to work with anyone who does not respect and validate your knowledge of yourself
• Love at first sight is probably not real- take two rides to see if you like your setup
• ONE THING, JUST A LITTLE. Just change one thing at a time, and make small adjustments. If you change too many things or make too big a move, it will be hard to determine if you’re moving in the right direction
• Fit is frustrating. Pain sucks, and it is easier to give up on biking than to fiddle and tweak what isn’t working. Come to Grease Rag for emotional and mechanical support. We get it. We got you
• Change what makes sense. Where does your body contact your bike? Those are opportunities for change. Handlebars/shifters/grips, stem, head tube, saddle, seat post, cranks, pedals…

Bike Saddle = Bike Seat = Cinderella’s Slipper

One of the things that can be fitted to you, and something that can really be a dealbreaker, is your saddle. To find the right saddle, Leah from Gladys Bikes in Portland, OR asked us the following questions. All of these things will help you narrow your search. The final step is trying things out until you find one that does the job.

• Does your bike fit?
  • Is your frame the right size? Does your riding position feel good? Are you experiencing pain elsewhere?
• What are you wearing?
  • If your pants are rubbing you the wrong way, it’s going to be hard to find a comfy saddle.
• Do you ride more upright or leaned over?
  • This can dicatate the shape of your saddle. More weight over the saddle can mean wider.
• What is the intent (distance, speed, cargo, etc.) of your ride?
  • This can dictate the padding for your saddle. If you’re wearing padded shorts you might not need so much padding on your saddle.
• Where does your soft tissue contact the saddle?
  • You might want to try a saddle with a cutout or keep it in mind when you test ride different shapes.

Stuff still hurts and I don’t have a lot of money/time…

When you buy a bike at a bike shop, they should help you with basic bike fit to get you in the ballpark, and then you can tweak and adjust from there. But a lot of us aren’t buying from bike shops, so what can we do?

Often, when we say we feel pain while biking, we are told to engage the expensive medical healthcare establishment, or to “spend money on a professional fit,” and then spend more money and time on parts. This is not accessible to a lot of us. So what can we do?

Some guidelines from Leah at Gladys Bikes in Portland, OR.

Ways to work on your bike fit that are free/cheap and not too hard

• Read over this recap of a Grease Rag bike fit skill share with Tina Cho
• Come to a Grease Rag Open Shop
• Ask Grease Rag
• Ask if people have extra stems/saddles that you might be able to try out instead of buying new
• Buy used parts to try out- you can always upgrade once you get your fit right
• Try to address non-bike things as well as bike things when fitting (see list above)
• See if your health insurance (if you have it) covers physical therapy which can include bike fitting
• Most shops have a “test saddle” or 20 so you can try before you buy
• Share what you know with us!

How to speak “bike fit”

Finally, here is a list of some non-bicycle words to know. Bike shops can assume you know these terms, and it can be really confusing if you’ve never heard them before! This isn’t exhaustive, and I’d love to know what you would like added to this list.

Casey (Grease Rag organizer, faciltator, mechanic, and Hub employee!) made this amazing glossary with even more high tech words!

• Aggressive v Relaxed– “Aggressive” means leaned over riding position (like on a road bike) and relaxed means more upright position (like on every other bike). These terms are rooted in toxic masculinity and imply that aggressive is more a serious and legit way to bike, and that relaxed is somehow lesser. I will never use these terms, but they are in this glossary because they are common
• Bike fit– How your bike fits your beautiful, unique body
• Chamois (pronounced shammy)- this is the padding in your padded bike shorts. You don’t wear underwear with them, and chamois cream is optional
• Contact points– Where your body “contacts” the bike- hands, butt, feet
• Dialed in– This means you got perfect-for-you bike fit. If your fit is “dialed in” it means you feel like a boss while riding and you don’t need to make any adjustments. This is a fantasy because your body is always changing but people like to pretend perfection is achievable so there’s a word for it
• Female v Male– Gender is over, but the bike industry knows that it can sell more product by shrinking and pinking, so we get gendered product lines. Fuck that. Try stuff to see what works for you, and walk out of any shop that tries to tell you you’re looking at the wrong part of the store. (They are wrong.)
• Hot spot– This happens where your body meets your bike and causes a literal “hot” spot where your nerves are being compressed. Typically this refers to your foot/pedalMeasurements– Always ask people how they are measuring things because the standards for how people measure bikes and bike stuff are a little squishy. Some measurements will change over time. Measurements are typically in cm or mm. And sometimes inches. Because squishy
• Neutral position– the “middle” position. If something can be adjusted and you don’t know where to start, you can start in the middle, or neutral position and go from there
• Responsive– When your front wheel is “twitchy” or “responsive” it means that little handlebar movements make quick/big changes to your direction and is generally what you look for on a mountain bike
• Setback– on a seat post, this means the seat post has an angle in it to allow you to get your saddle even further back. Not all seat posts have set back and not everyone benefits from setback
• Sit bones– stand up and press your hand into the meaty part of your butt. Feel the pointy bone in there? Those are your sit bones!
• Sit bone measurement– You can measure the distance between your sit bones to estimate whether you have narrow/wide sit bones, but this measurement is just a guideline and second to your experience sitting on things like bike saddles
• Slammed– This means putting something all the way in its lowest position. Slamming a stem means the stem is really close to the headtube, there isn’t a lot of steerer tube
• Soft tissue– Your junk. It’s a polite word for your junk. It’s not specific to whether you carry your “soft tissue” in between your legs or facing forward above the pubis (or both/neither!). It is certainly better than gendering/assuming anatomy but it is limited
• Stability– The sibling to “responsive,” “stability” means that small handlebar movements don’t make quick/big changes, and is generally what you’d find on a road/touring/cargo/cruiser type bike
• Standover– When you straddle the bike, with one leg on each side, does the tube in the middle hit your crotch? You want a few inches of “standover” gap between your body and the bike