Looking to get out for a ride? Trails are mostly clear and ready. Conditions are favorable to those with winter bicycles, winter clothes, and a winter cycling state of mind…
We went for a family walk this morning. Unfortunately, not a family bicycle ride. In my family winter bicycling currently only works for one of us – that wouldn’t be a) the dog and b) me.
That leaves my husband, who is actually just headed out for a ride.
He exercises outside all winter long on his bicycle until the temps hit around 15 degrees (“and that’s got to be a pretty nice 15″).
For both of us bicycling keeps us fit, keeps down the weight, and most importantly ~ keeps us happy. It is amazing what a little time on a bicycle can do for you. Now if only I could extend my riding season outdoors a bit more…
Though I absolutely love riding a bicycle, currently when the first sand and salt hits the pavement, it’s indoors for me. Partly because I do not like to be cold, partly because I couldn’t wrap my brain around being outside for any extended length of time in the winter after moving here from California 5 years ago, and partly because I do not have a ‘B’ bicycle.
In my family winter bicycles are called ‘B’ bikes. Our ‘A’ bikes (aka – a bicycle you don’t want full of sand, salt, ice, etc.) spend the winter with us inside. Literally. I do not have a ‘B’ bicycle, but after going to the Freewheel Winter Bike Expo yesterday, and being out on the trail today, I have to say I wish I did. Minneapolis embraces a lot of things, that’s what makes living here so great ~ and winter bicycling is getting a bigger and bigger hug lately thanks to clear trails provided by the City of Minneapolis and an ever growing contingent of dedicated cyclists. It’s starting to feel infectious. Or could it possibly be that since we have only had two days of ‘winter’ this year, it seems tolerable? I am not sure, but living with someone who gets out there all winter long, and in a city with so many active winter cyclists, it certainly starts to rub off. Winter bicycling dates…now how fun would that be?!
Sometimes wrapping your brain around something takes awhile, perhaps it is time to start saving for that ‘B’ bike…Maybe when the funds are available, the brain will have caught up as well.
Did you get out and ride today? What are the conditions like where you rode? What prevents you from riding during the winter? Why do you ride during the winter? What would help you get out and ride more during the winter?
For more tips on Winter Bicycling, please reference Alex’s great Winter Bicycling Post’s to get yourself in the groove: Getting Ready for Winter! (Part I), Getting Ready for Winter! (Part II), Light up the Night!
