We're fortunate in northern California that we have very temperate winters and that we can ride our bikes year round, but one of the real challenges of winter cycling is the lack of daylight. Don't despair. With a little creativity, you can incorporate training into your daily routine even in the winter!
Commuting is a great way to increase your time on the bike. Current research on health and fitness indicates that participating in two shorter exercise sessions daily (20-30 minutes) may be as good or better than one longer session. For one thing, each time you exercise at a moderate to high intensity, you increase your resting metabolic rate (the number of calories you burn each minute) for a period of up to 90 minutes after you've finished exercising (depending on the duration and intensity of your ride). Exercise once a day, you increase your resting metabolic rate for up to 90 minutes - twice a day up to 180 minutes - you can't go wrong!
Depending on your typical commute, you might be able to plan different routes on different types of terrain so you can vary your training intensity. For example, one day you might take the short, flat, fast route, and another you might opt for the slower, hilly option. But even if you have only one route option, you can still vary your training. Try incorporating some yellow light drills (short sprints to make it through a changing traffic light), high cadence pedaling, heart-rate intervals, or even one-legged pedal intervals (be prepared for stares from passing motorists and pedestrians). With a little creativity, you can derive great training benefits during what might otherwise just be time spent in the car, on the train, or on the bus.
Never tried commuting by bike? The concept may seem a little daunting at first, but with a little planning, you'll find it's much easier than you might think.
First you'll want to plan for transporting anything you'll need at the office (files, phone, PDA, clothes, etc). I commuted to San Francisco for a couple of years (21 miles each way) and found a system that really worked for me. I left all of my dress shoes at the office, so no matter what clothes I was wearing, I always had the appropriate shoes to wear. I kept a complete set of toiletries at the office too (including a blow dryer, wash cloth, and towels) so that I didn't have to carry anything with me each day. Instead of taking files home to work, I would email copies of them to my personal email address (make sure this is within your company's policy). Then all I had to transport was a set of clothes and my PDA. I used an over-sized lumbar pack for this, but there are lots of great options, including ergonomic backpacks and panniers you can mount directly on your bike.
You'll also want to determine where you can clean up and change clothes after your ride. Depending on the length and intensity of your commute, you may want to shower. Check with your company to see if there's a shower available. If not, check with a nearby health club or hotel to see if you could use their facilities. If you don't need to shower, the process is a little simpler - you simply need a washroom to freshen up and change clothes.
Check with your company about where you can park your bike. You may be able to leave your bike in your office or cubicle. Or your company may provide indoor or outdoor secure bike parking. If you're concerned with possible theft or damage to your bike, buy a beater bike that you can use for commuting purposes. The other benefit of riding a less efficient bike is that you have to work harder to ride, making you stronger and faster when you return to your primary bike.
If you don't typically ride in traffic, make sure you know the traffic laws that apply to bicycles and abide by them. Ride with confidence and always choose the appropriate lane (especially important with dedicated left or right turn lanes). Ride defensively and always communicate your intentions to cars and pedestrians (using hand or verbal signals). One advantage to early-morning commuting is that there aren't as many cars on the road at this time of day.
One of the concerns many folks have about commuting is the fact that you'll probably be riding during early morning and late afternoon hours when it might not be completely light out. With the right clothing and equipment, you can be visible and ride with confidence.
- Wear bright colored clothing - pink, red, yellow, and orange are very visible - blue, green, black, and grey aren't great choices.
- Put reflectors on your bike, helmet, clothes, packs, shoes, and anything else you can think of. Many bike shops and running stores sell reflective stickers just for this purpose. Reflective bands on your ankles are great because the movement of your legs will attract the attention of drivers.
- Make sure you have good lights on your bike. Many states have laws about this. The standard is white on the front and blinking red on the back. You can even use more than one light on the back. You can also find white lights and blinkies that mount on your helmet and even your stems! Lights serve two purposes - to help you see and to help you be seen. If you're commuting in a rural area (where there might not be bright streetlights), make sure your front light provides enough power so you can see any hazards in the road. If you're using a battery-operated light, make sure to bring extra batteries or a back-up light just in case your batteries die during your ride.
- Get a set of yellow and clear lenses for your glasses. Glasses are eye protection, so you never want to go without them, but the standard dark UV lenses are too dark to use at dusk or in the dark. Yellow is great in low light because it helps everything pop out. But you may find that yellow lenses don't work in the dark, so get a pair of clear lenses as well.
- Depending on the weather in your area, wear layers that you can easily put on or take off (arm warmers, leg warmers, vest, windbreaker, etc). You may also want to invest in some warmer winter clothing (tights, shoe covers, long fingered gloves or liners, ear warmers) and quality rain gear (it's fun to ride in the rain - like being a little kid jumping in the puddles again!).
- You may want to consider changing the type of tires on your bike. If you plan to commute on a road bike, you may find using cyclocross or winter tires will help prevent flats caused by glass and other city debris. If you ride a hybrid or mountain bike, you may want to consider changing to slicks for greater efficiency on road surfaces.
If you'd like to try commuting but aren't ready to commit to doing it full-time, think about combinations of riding and public transportation. Perhaps you can take the train into the office in the morning and ride home in the evening. Or ride part of the way and take the bus for the remainder of the trip. Or consider driving on Monday and Friday and riding on the remaining days. This is actually a great plan, because you can bring all your clothes & stuff for the week to the office on Monday when you drive, have it available all week, and then take it home again on Friday.
Sounds simple, right? With a little planning, commuting is a great way to keep riding in the winter. I find it to be calming (especially given the alternative of driving in San Francisco traffic) and my time on the bike is very important time for me to think and clear my head. And just think of the money you can save on gas, parking, and public transportation! After commuting by bike to various bay area locations for about three years (including 6 months of 50 mile round trips), I finally took the leap and sold my car 13 months ago. One of the best decisions of my life, besides my decision to start cycling in the first place!
Be safe, stay alert, and enjoy the ride!
