Concordia Journal Home > Archives > November 22, 2007 issue >

How to stay warm and dry on two wheels 

By Karen Herland

The bike path along De Maisonneuve is finally ready for two-wheeled traffic, just in time for winter.

While most cyclists will file that information away for next spring, the De Maisonneuve path will be plowed throughout the winter, except for the section running through Westmount.

Allégo Concordia is hosting workshops to provide tips and tricks to keep your wheels rolling all winter long. The workshop, given by Tomoe Yoshihara, is not for the faint of heart.

“It is slippery. In winter, you will fall off your bike. It’s an inevitability,” is one of the first messages Yoshihara had for the dozen or so people who attended on Nov. 8.

After all, besides snow and ice and slush on the road, drifts tend to eat into the outer edges of roads, preferred cyclist territory. So cyclists have a slicker surface to contend with, and less room to maneuver.

Yoshihara had lots of practical advice on staying warm and dry and ensuring that your bicycle’s mechanism keeps functioning.

Withstanding the weather was the first order of business. As Yoshihara pointed out, Montreal crews spread a lot of salt throughout the winter. So roads are slushy, and that slush will spray everywhere. Yoshihara swears by Goretex, which is both water and wind-tight, and breathable, even if it is “shockingly expensive.”

For durability, he recommends tri-laminate varieties and nylon instead of polyester facing. Jackets and pants are available to wear over an increasing number of layers as the temperature plummets. As for the underlayers, the basic rules for winter sports dressing apply. Natural fibres will retain moisture, synthetics wick it away.

Winter cycling wannabes were taught the 10-degree rule: Dress for biking as you would for walking in weather 10 degrees warmer. Yoshihara said that you might be cold the first five minutes or so but that ultimately you would stay comfortable through your ride. That doesn’t apply to extremities. Hands and feet should be kept extra warm.

As for the bike itself, make sure that slush can’t get inside the frame. Holes in the frame can be sealed with bathtub caulk. Any rust spots should be carefully sanded back and sealed with clear nail polish.

The headset can be made watertight with a bit of ingenuity, elbow grease and an old inner tube. For details go to: cutv.concordia.ca/viewShow.jsp?id=22

Finally, narrower tires are more likely to slice through snow than wide tires, which will ski over it.

The workshop offers lots more information on keeping your head warm and maintaining your bicycle. Workshops will be offered at noon on Nov. 22 and Nov. 29 in room BE-364. They will continue twice a month when school starts again in January. Go to sustainable.concordia.ca/ourinitiatives/allego/ for dates.