Sweetpea Bicycles

It has been wicked cold in Portland these last couple of weeks. So considering the fact that Natalie spent a couple of years in Vancouver, Canada and I come from the great state of Minnesota; we thought we were perfectly suited to come up with The Winter Riding Checklist:

1) Bike
2) Helmet
3) Lights
Those kind of go without saying.

4) Hat
5) Gloves
6) Torsowear
7) Booties

Recently Natalie came across a little bit of unverified lore: If your kidneys are warm, you are warm. I have no idea where she picked it up, but it does bring us to the most important part of winter riding - think about the core, keep the core warm. Keeping a hat on your heat will help you retain heat, but keeping your core warm keeps you comfortable.

The most important part about this is layering. The way I like to do it is by wearing something really close to the skin that wicks, then insulation (repeat if needed), then the shell. For you P Town riders, that shell should probably double as a raincoat.

What’s another word for pirate treasures? Booties. Surviving the cold is one thing, staying comfortable is another. Good booties keep the footies toasty. (I have a feeling that I am going to lose my blogging privileges.) Also, make sure that the gloves are both insulated and windproof. If you happen to knit your own, might I suggest the lobster glove? Requires felting.

8) Eyewear
9) Facemask
10) Wool German Army Knickers
11) Avalanche Beacon

O.K., these are for the most extreme winter riding. And yes, number 10 is optional. (But they are just sooo cool)

12) Exit Strategy

The exit strategy may be the most fun and important part of winter riding. For example, imagine the following:

You are three hours into a winter ride. You stop, and hear the crunch of snow when your foot hits the ground. You can see your breath, and you can smell how cold it is. You look around and see nothing but ice and snow. You think you see a polar bear in the distance.

“Want to go get some hot chocolate?”

Exit strategy. Very important.