EVERYDAY WINTER BIKING

Adapting your technique

Technique is as important as equipment and clothing when it comes to staying comfortable out on slippery roads. Once the snow piles up and turns to icepack, there are subtle changes you’ll need to make to your riding so you stay “rubber side down.”

First of all, it’s hard to explain riding technique in a blog post. So I recommend taking the time to familiarize yourself with slipping and sliding in a safe environment such as a snowy parking lot or field – free of any obstacles or traffic. Call it "bike sledding." Next snowfall, go out with some friends, bundle up, and slide around. You’ll get a sense of what it means to have a shifting center of gravity and to lose traction on turns and when accelerating. For mountain bikers, this may be a familiar sensation, but most road bikers aren’t used to losing control while maintaining balance. Practice is always the best way to learn.

However, I can offer a few tips. You’ll likely want to lower your seat a centimeter or two so your feet are lower to the ground. This will make it easier to catch yourself when you slide in a turn, and hopefully keep you from sliding out. Be sure to take extra care when turning, and be sure to turn by steering – instead of leaning into the turn (which may be your habit if you are a road biker). Slow down on the turns and prepare your center of gravity in the event that you fish-tail and your rear wheel slides. But don’t worry, it’s OK to slip a bit, it’s almost inevitable in the snowy streets regardless of your mode of transportation – be it bike, car, or by foot.

Out in the streets, be sure to have plenty of space in case you do slip, and don’t pass too close to obstructions or cars. Ride in the travel lane, sometimes right in the middle of the lane, not squeezed to the right by the curb, and stay in-line with the rest of traffic. If the conditions are slick, you want to have as much space as possible to maneuver, so be comfortable riding in the center of the lane and over communicate to drivers using hand signals and eye-contact.

The best way to make everyone around you safer is to be predictable as possible, limiting any sudden movements, and signaling all turns and deviations from your straight line. You can practice by holding the handle bars straight and steady, especially when riding over slippery patches and ice where you must be careful not to turn or brake suddenly. 

And when braking, be sure to give yourself space to slow down and stop. If your bike has rim brakes, you may need to apply the brakes and allow a full rotation of the wheel before the brake pads clean the rim and begin their grip. A good rule is you will need at least one full bike-length to clear the brakes before they achieve stopping power.