7 Essential Winter Biking Gear Tips

It seems that in the last several years, more and more people have become interested in exploring riding their bicycle in the winter, either for commuting or for fun on ice and snow-packed trails. I've been doing this type of riding off and on for the last four years or so now, and I'd like to share a few tips from my own experience with aspiring ice-riders!

1. Carbide Steel-Tipped Tires: These are definitely the essential component to riding your bike on any kind of ice. Normal tires do fine if you are heading straight and perfectly balanced, but when you go down (and you will!) you will go down fast and hard. Save yourself a hospital bill and trashed bike, and invest early in some good tires. I refer my friends to Nokians, as they are very high quality, and have lasted me for years now.
2. Eye Protection: Depending on the temperature and wether I am wearing a standard bike helmet, or a full-face helmet for video-cam and heavy duty riding, I wear sunglasses or ski goggles. If it's around 30 degrees or below, any kind of riding above a few miles per hour is going to make it extremely hard to see if you aren't wearing any. I picked up a cheap pair of ski goggles a few years ago, and they've been great. I would suggest anything with an orange lens, to help you pick out contours on trails covered in snow or ice.
3. Use the Cold: This is something I recently read about, and it makes perfect sense. If you can, keep your bike in the garage or on your porch in the winter to keep it at a temperature that matches the outdoors. A room-temperature bicycle can generate a lot of extra ice buildup on gears and things as snow and slush collects on it.
4. Lube it: Don't neglect maintenance on your bike, especially in the winter. You can really get hurt if your bike breaks while you're riding it, and you don't want to get stranded miles from home if it's freezing outside!
5. Wear Layers: It's winter. You're going to be experiencing the full effects of windchill as you ride, so dress like a veteran Minnesotan with layers! I recommend some kind of thin, wicking thermal layer (long underwear), a slightly thicker mid layer, and a windproof outer layer to absorb the bulk of the cold hitting you. Plan on sweating just as much as you do in the summertime after you get warmed up, make sure your clothes wick the moisture away fromy our body!
6. Illumination: Unless you're riding to work or on a weekend jaunt, you're probably riding in the evening during the winter, which means it's probably pretty dark out. Be smart, get some reflective tape or clothing on you and your ride, and don't skim on some durable lights that have a decent battery life!
7. Hydration: It doesn't matter if it is freezing out or scorching, your body needs water when you're burning energy! If you are going to be riding long enough to build up a good sweat, you need to plan ahead and bring some appropriate hydration gear. Bottles aren't a great plan in winter, as they easily freeze shut and are a pain to use as you ride. Keep your temp up with a hydration pack so you can take sips while you spin!

There's a lot more to share about riding in the winter, but this should be a great start for people needing suggestions and ideas for gear. Post your thoughts or additions in the comments, and we'll keep this list going!