Slip, sliding away
Winter riding is sketchy but with a few tips, can be fun (no, really)

From what I remember of last winter, it didn’t start snowing – I mean, really snowing – until New Year's Eve. Then it didn’t stop snowing for two weeks after that; and, or, until April. 

During that two-week time period in early winter, I was also very sick. I’d gotten the flu, or COVID, or some combination of the two that kept me in bed and not shoveling the area around my vehicle. The result was a very stuck truck. Any time I thought about driving somewhere because it was cold, I’d kick at the icebergs clutching at my wheels and I’d say to my stubbed toe, “She ain’t goin’ nowhere.”  

Which was fine, because as we all know, I usually don’t drive anyway. So I just put on one more layer of clothing, both for warmth and for padding just in case I slid on ice and fell on the ground, and rode my bike to work. And, for that matter, everywhere else the rest of the winter.

I rode through the slipperiest, spiciest areas around Durango. My daily commute took me through the notorious Antarcticas – the sidewalk next to Backcountry Experience that’s never seen a shovel; the Rotary Park Bridge that plunges you into icebergs; and a totally nondescript intersection on W. Second Avenue that pools into an ice rink. It was the latter that I slipped and fell on the most. Neighbors were likely watching, probably cackling, as I’d usually make some weird “wwhooaaa ooohheeeyy” grunting noise, throw my foot down and catch myself and my bike before mayhem ensued. I’d giggle a bunch, and then be on my merry way. Only once did I fall so drastically that I ended up fully on the ground, groceries strewn about, oranges rolling everywhere, my chain flopping off the cassette, and me having to wave well-meaning brethren off as they asked me if I was OK and if they could help.

Yes, riding in the winter can be tricky and slippery and sometimes a little cold. But if done right, it can be more fun and less stressful than spinning 360 degrees in a Ford 150 on Camino del Rio. Or unburying a car from snow, or scraping off a windshield when you’re already running your normal 15 minutes late. If done right, riding in the winter can be really fun. 

First, I’d suggest picking a good bike, more so, a good set of tires. I manage to get through many winters on an old hardtail mountain bike, but last year, I often rode my heavy steel frame cargo bike. It was mostly a wild ride, and I was finally beaten down enough last year that I put on studded tires and bought a fat bike for the really bad days. But, trust that any larger tire (at a slightly lower tire pressure) with tread should do just fine. 

The second most important thing, I’d say, is how you ride. Number one: if you’re going through a big ice patch or slush patch or whatever, pick your line and stick with it. Look ahead and go as an arrow. Don’t try to surf the slushy ice waves unless you’re willing and able to get knocked around. If you have to move over or turn, go slow, go wide, keep your weight back and turn with your hips. Try to hit the slush bumps straight on, and get ready for some splashing. If you are a mountain biker, you will have an advantage because it’s sort of like mountain biking, but slippery. If you need to get off your bike and walk, there is no shame in that. I’ve walked my bike a few times in front of impatient cars on Third Avenue in the deep chasms of slush where they forgot to plow. We all survived and moved on with our days.  

Then, of course, there is braking. Braking on ice on a bike is the same as braking on ice in a vehicle: gentle, feathered, predicted and predictable. Start braking before you need to, and try not to slam on your brakes, unless that’s what you want to do. 

If you want to slide around all willy-nilly on your bike, caution to the wind, “yeeee hawww get in maw, it’s gonna’ get rowdy,” throw out all this advice and just go for it, because different from a vehicle, you probably won’t kill anyone if you slide around haphazardly having a hoot’n hollr’n good time.  

Besides all of that, I’d say wear warm clothes, bonus if they are waterproof, maybe try out some eye-pro to keep your eyes shielded from cold wind and snow (I’ve seen ski goggles. I just wear my reading glasses. You do you) and remember your bike lights for the ride home. Of course, a helmet is not a bad idea, although a winter hat sometimes makes that difficult.

In all, riding in the winter, especially in the snow, is fun. You don’t have to deal with getting your car stuck in a snowbank, scraping your windshield or spinning out of control like an amusement park ride gone haywire. Many will argue with me, but I think it’s a lot less dangerous than putting a 5,000-pound vehicle on the ice-rink streets and seeing what happens. You might have to be thoughtful with what you wear, but you also don’t actually get as cold as you think you will because you are moving and working your heart and muscles.

So as the winter sets in, the snow approaches and you’re getting bummed about not being able to ride your bike, I challenge you to try riding your bike anyway. It’s fun, it’s a little spicy and you show up everywhere warm, albeit, a little wet, but mostly happy. ?