Icy caution

January 11, 2012

When it comes to bicycles and winter, the opinions are as varied as the shapes of the snowballs thrown at your sister's head. Whatever your stance there are few who would disagree that a few extra precautions might behoove/bewheel the intrepid/idiotic bicyclist who refuses to be deterred by poor weather and treacherous conditions.

This afternoon I gradually became aware that a dusting of snow had covered the occasional slick spot caused by an earlier spell of sleet.

A coworker began to rib me:
So you got chains for those tires?
That wind's gonna blow that back tire right out from under you!

Firstly, my trusty steed (aka the Old Bastard) weighs approximately 31.5 lbs (14.3 kg) (panniers and rack thrown in for good measure). Since I weigh in at a stately 175 (79.5 kg) or so, that makes our mass roughly equal to 2.5 Alberto Contadors & Pinerelli (AC & P units). What this means, in practice, is that it ain't so easy to blow this man down.

So who's laughing now, eh?  (He still seemed amused, while I was pondering the extreme weight of the BS-mobile).

Secondly, winter bicycling allows the awakening of senses that other non-winter bicyclists may not be aware of. For example, the sense that that wind is making me feel dizzy. Or the sense that my back tire is spinning on the ice, so I'd better get my weight back over the wheel. Or the sense that I might wanna keep one foot unclipped while slowly turning this corner in case I have to get an ice-skate-like cleated shoe onto terra firma.
Thirdly, the icy tire tracks created by cars on the roads may become very slick quickly. Luckily, the multi-use paths and sidewalks are oftentimes not quite as bad. Check this out.

Many of us partake in some borderline neurotic/compulsive behaviors. Some must finish books that they start, even if they don't like them. Others have to count the number of words in each sentence they are about to speak/type before they speak/type (do slashed words count as one or two?). Hand washing. I, on the other hand, feel uneasy if I am unable to complete a loop-type bicycle route. Driving to the start of a bicycling activity isn't quite as satisfying. To this end, I prefer to begin bicycling from my home. On the other end, I generally feel compelled to bicycle home from my work/other event unless I am in no condition, or the conditions are in no way acceptable, for my return trip.

Caution of ice. Brains like slush (mmmmm, brain slushies). We may be out there compulsively bicycling/bisliding. So off into the windy streets we roll/slide. Look out! I mean that seriously, please look out!