Riding in cold weather

Ride Along

Just because we are entering the colder months of our Louisiana seasons, it doesn’t mean we need to put the bike in the garage and wait until warmer days are upon us to ride again. There are products available and an abundance of tips from cycling enthusiasts to help you enjoy life on two wheels all year long.

Wondering why anyone would want to ride his or her bike in such temperatures? Full disclosure: “Some of the most bike-friendly cities in North America are in places known for serious winters. Minneapolis, Minn., Madison, Wis., and Vancouver, B.C., all boast healthy populations of yearround cyclists,” says Matt DeBlass of PeopleForBikes.

I reached out to Service Manager Nick Burton at The Bike Pedaler once again to solicit his advice for the cyclist (no matter the level of experience!) riding in cooler weather.

Number one: Don’t over-dress.

You’ll want to start your ride off on the chilly side.

“Start the ride with a good effort, and once your heart rate gets up, you will be quite comfortable,” says Burton. “If you over-dress, you will start sweating once you get warmed up, and that, mixed with freezing wind, is miserable.”

(Remembering my own personal experience, trust him on this one! Less is more.)

Burton suggests wearing a soft shell jacket – maybe one with zippered vents to allow for more ventilation before unzipping the jacket all together. An inexpensive neck gator will also “keep you pretty cozy,” the cyclist of 10-plus years says.

Number two: “The only place to splurge, in my opinion, would be gloves,” says Burton. “Nice ones will give you plenty of protection without sacrificing dexterity.”

For males, look at the Giro Ambient gloves, and for females, the Giro Candela. Either will run you about $40. The most important feature would be that the gloves are windproof.

Number three: Keep embrocation handy.

“Most brands will have several heat levels,” says Burton. “Start low and work your way up. You can also use Vaseline on areas to cut the wind chill; I use it on my nose, lips and cheeks. On particularly cold days, I will put it on my knees over the embro[cation warming cream].”

For those of you on Instagram and interested in learning more about different cycling products, be sure to check out Burton’s new page that does just that. Search @thepedalerreview – he’ll be reviewing several winter products soon.

“The idea came about when a cycling friend told me I should start doing reviews, because I have used and/or destroyed so many things and have very honest, detailed accounts of them when asked.”

If you aren’t using IG, no worries.

Burton will give you the same honest reviews and cycling help if you visit him in person at the store (located at 8039 Line Ave. in Shreveport).

Whichever products you choose, be sure to enjoy the ride. That’s what it’s all about, after all.

Karen E. Wissing works in Shreveport-Bossier City and loves her community.

E-mail your questions, comments or suggestions to editor@theforumnews.com.