“Keep calm and pedal through it”
This is a session re-cap from Grease Rag’s 6th Annual Winter Skill Share (2014).
Kat has this way of describing winter biking, something that those from fairer climates would consider a feat for the insane, as the most normal and approachable activity one could try. For handling, Kat recommends that beginners try practicing in a parking lot. For more maneuvering through drifts and icy patches, Kat suggests taking it easy and to keep going straight and steady through it before taking a (WIDE) turn or (gently) braking. This also implies (and was recommended) that riders look further ahead to allow for more reaction time/space.
To really cover your bases on a winter ride, Kat recommends packing an I.C.E. pack, “In Case of Emergency”. This is a small collection of emergency items to get you through a stalled bike situation. Say… the roads are just too slick for you to feel safe riding… or you have a flat and no tools… maybe all those extra layers means that you’ve burnt too many calories and are now “crashing”. This pack has just enough supplies to keep you warm and get you to safety. My ice pack is a salted nut roll, $20 cash, and hand warmers. I have used my I.C.E. pack twice this winter!
Read Kat’s notes about Safety, Handling, and Routing.
So what routes are best to take?
There was considerable discussion from the audience about this topic! Bike routes in Minneapolis, it turns out, are typically plowed BEFORE streets. If there’s a problematic spot, riders suggest calling 311 (Minneapolis’ non-emergency reporting line). Route updates on Grease Rag FB site are awesome!
What to do about snow plows?
Despite what I was bracing for… NO… ONE… shared a story about a cyclist getting run over by a plow. And just like the rest of her presentation, Kat calmly explained what to do if you see one on the road: simply dismount and move far out of its path. (This is implying, of course, that you have taken the advice to be attentive and aware of your surroundings 😉
About Kat: Kat has been involved in Grease Rag since 2009 – first as a participant, and now as a facilitator at Sunrise Cyclery. She rides bikes for work, for fun, and for sport. Encouraging more WTFs to bike year-round is a goal that is easy to be excited about!