My Five Winter Cycling Hacks

Intro

Comfortable cycling has less to do with spending money and more to do with working your gear just right. Below are my five favorite ways to make the cold and wet of a Portland winter ride manageable, and only one of them involves a specific product (I'm not receiving any benefit from any recommendation).

Got a favorite hack? Contact me through the About page and I’ll share them all in a future post!

Shorts in the Winter

Cyclists always prefer their legs to be as uncovered as possible, that's why you never see experienced riders using rain pants on long rides; they're too warm and bulky. But if you get caught in a real shower, you can get cold super fast, and the rest of the ride can be ruined. My solution was to grab an old pair of rain pants that I used to commute to work and have them hemmed into shorts. The go on and off quickly for that unexpected downpour, and roll up tightly to fit in a jersey pocket very well. My core stays warm and I'm on my way.

NOT Toe Warmers

Many cyclists use toe warmers in their shoes during the winter. These are the small, adhesive-backed heaters that every outdoor store sells, and they can help a lot. Hand warmers don't work for cycling because you're supposed to be wrapping your fingers around the handlbars, not the warmer. But toe warmers, slipped inside the back of your glove, can provide extra warmth, too. Get a pair of thin glove liners and tape the toe warmers onto them, on the back of your hand, just behind your big knuckles. The ones in the photo are sold by Yaktrax but brand doesn't really matter here. Pull your riding gloves over the liners and the toe warmers and enjoy a couple hours of warm hands. If you want to increase the effect, snip a square of tin foil and put it on top of the toe warmers under your gloves. Foil not only reflects the heat back onto your hands, it is also windproof and waterproof. Enjoy!

Always Time for a Hot Drink

Just about any way you can get warmth into your body on a cold day is worth a try. I bought a slender thermos (not glass lined) and wrapped some handlebar tape on the outside so that it was secure in my water bottle cage and to make grabbing it easier. I fill it with boiling water while my tea steeps, then replace the water with tea just before I leave on a ride. For the next two hours I have a warm beverage I can sip along the way, and that liquid feels great going down a cold throat. It's hard to drink it fast because of the heat and the shape of the opening, so if your going for a hard ride be sure to carry a water bottle so you can hydrate quickly if you need to.

Bag it Up

On those warmer days when heavy rain showers are broken up by dry periods, it's uncomfortable to keep your rain gear on for the whole ride. But if you use your jersey pockets to carry the rain gear you don't have room for energy bars. My solution was to get a little hydration pack - the one liter size is perfect - and carry all my gear in that. The brand I have is Camelbak but that doesn't matter. I can roll up my rain jacket and shorts, shoe booties, toe warmers and a spare pair of gloves in it, so they're ready for me if I need them. The pack rides up between my shoulder blades so that I can access my pockets easily while riding. Because you're leaning over the bars, I found that the straps tended to slip off my shoulders, so I added a small blue connecting strip between the straps. Works great!

The Best Wool Jersey I’ve Ever Owned

A good, functional wool jersey can be hard to find. I want to tell you about Cima Coppi (again, I'm receiving no benefit for this suggestion). Originally from Vancouver, B.C., they're now located in Oviedo, Spain. I ran across their site accidentally and took a flyer on one of their jerseys. Boy am I glad I did. This is the finest wool jersey I've every owned: great fit and construction, the wool is very comfortable on your skin, it has grippers on the hem, all the bells and whistles. If you're in the market for a wool jersey, I urge you to consider them. I'm definitely buying more. https://cimacoppi.cc/en/

There you have it! My best tips for making a day of winter riding more enjoyable.

Got a favorite hack? Contact me through the About page and I’ll share them all in a future post! Happy graveling!