Winter Bike Commuting

Winter snows have hit Ann Arbor early this year. We went from 70 degrees on Halloween night to regular snowfalls in the latter half of November and early December. There hasn't been much melting, as the temperature has stayed in the mid-20s or below.

My goal for the winter is to bike to work every day the bike lanes are clear of snow and ice, regardless of the temperature, assuming I am not traveling for work. (I've signed up for the Winter Bike Challenge, so we'll see how I do.) So far that's worked out to just a half-dozen rides since mid-November, and winter hasn't officially started yet. (I missed a good week while on travel for work or I would be doing better.)

Today was fairly typical ... when I woke up our side street was fully covered with a packed 1/2 inch of snow. While the main arterials were largely clear where the cars were driving, the bike lands were not totally clear. The forecast suggested snow late in the day, so I didn't risk it. However, looking at the roads on the way in and looking out my window at lunchtime, I think it probably would have been fine.


I'm still trying to figure out how to do better at guessing whether to ride or not. A coworker told me about a fellow who works downstairs from me whose bike slipped on some ice. Apparently he broke his hip and he will be out of commission for six months. That put a major damper on my enthusiasm to risk it. One option is to get winter tires for my bike, but I'm not sure whether that would be a good investment or not. Would they really make me feel comfortable enough to ride in any conditions? Comments from other winter bike commuters would be very helpful.

Complicating things is that I try to avoid having my kids walk to and from school when it's sub-20 degrees, as they are so thin and get cold so easily. If I'm going to drive them to school, I usually just drive on to work.

As a result, I'm increasingly convinced that going "car-lite" or even "car-free" and relying on one's bike for most intra-city mobility in Ann Arbor requires a supplementary mass transit option to handle the winter commute, at least for the majority of potential commuters. In my case, that would mean having the option to shift to walking and mass transit when I didn't feel comfortable riding my bike due to weather or conditions on the road. Normally there would be about 3 months out of 12 where I might consider an alternate mode each day (although this year it's looking like 4 months out of 12).

So what would those alternate modes of transportation look like? More about transportation alternatives in another post.

Commuting to Work

I began commuting to work in July 2008 during the peak gas prices. My commute is 3.2 miles each way. My commute is pretty flat (sidewinding along the railroad tracks from the Old West Side to South State), with the exception of the hill up South State at the end on the way into work.

My motivation to finally start commuting by bike was less financial (I calculated I would save $8.00 a week if I rode every day) than health and wellness. I've always loved riding my bike, and I'm increasingly inspired by people who live far greener lives than I do. Moreover, with young kids and a demanding job (albeit one that has me sitting most of the day), I never seem to fine time to exercise. Riding my bike to work allows me to get a little exercise in each day, as well as be out and about in Ann Arbor, a city I really enjoy living in.

Here's my current ride:



It's a 15-year-old Bridgestone MB6 mountain bike. I replaced the seat and wheels last summer at Great Lakes Cycling and Fitness. I added front and rear lights from them in the fall. I bought new fenders in the fall from REI. Next I intend to add a rack and panniers.