Cycling outside in winter requires unique risk management. Use these expert tips to stay safe, even in tricky conditions.
Bicycling | February 2022
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Come wintertime, the roads, paved bike paths, and groomed routes can get slick, uneven, and variable for cyclists. That goes for hybrid commuters, roadies, and fat bikers alike. Beyond the ground cover, the season’s shifting conditions can be challenging to manage for a myriad of reasons.
Here, bike experts break down the most common causes of winter bike crashes and how cyclists can avoid them. Let these tips help you prioritize safety and more confidently pedal all year long.
Be Aware of Ice
Ice is an obvious winter riding risk, but sometimes it can sneak up on you, causing you to slide, slip, and crash. “Riding on pure or refrozen ice is dangerous based on your traction. Any redirection, acceleration, or deceleration will be very difficult to manage,” says Chris Carr, a flight paramedic at Eagle County Paramedic Services and first responder to cycling accidents. For better traction, run a lower tire pressure (60-80 PSI) with a beefy 25mm or 28mm wide tire that’s in good condition, says Carr.
“Be aware of the changing road conditions—like in a twisty canyon road, a mountain ride, or trees blocking the sun,” Carr says, as that’s where ice can hide. “Ice melts slower in shadowy areas than in sunny areas. So, there can be four seasons of different conditions within 100 feet.”
North-facing slopes are more shaded in winter in the northern hemisphere while south facing slopes receive more sun. In addition to influencing sun exposure on roads, this also affects the melt rate of snowy or icy hillsides.
“Freeze-thaw cycles can create black ice that can definitely be challenging to ride on,” adds Beth Shaner, the nursing supervisor at Gunnison Valley Health Mountain Clinic outside of Crested Butte, Colorado. Shaner is a certified emergency nurse and nationally registered paramedic.
Black ice forms during a refreeze cycle, when the temperature drops below freezing while the ground is still wet or if there is dew or fog, reports The Weather Channel. The condition is commonly found on bridges, overpasses, and shaded spots near trees.
For better ground control, Shaner rides with 5-inch-wide tires when she’s on mostly snowy terrain. She preserves a pair of studded tires for races with icy conditions, like segments on frozen rivers. Note, if you do fat bike on frozen water, be sure the ice is thick enough: Shaner has treated a clavicle fracture from an over-the-handlebars toss when a rider’s tire broke through lake ice.
“For riders that deal with more ice than snow and icy roads, I recommend studded tires,” she says.
Dave Hunger, owner of Teton Mountain Bike Tours, is also a big proponent of studded tires. “I recommend getting at least one studded tire on the front if you’re riding a gravel, road, mountain, or fat bike and commuting on the bike path or roads in winter. They’re expensive and cost as much as my truck tires at nearly $250 per tire but it’s cheap health insurance,” says Hunger.
He adds, for slick conditions, “feather or do not use the front brake. If you’re on a road, be really defensive even more so than in summer, because cars can’t stop if it’s iced over.”
Anticipate Sand, Rock Salt, and Liquid Compounds
“Pay attention to the products your state uses for vehicle traction control on the roads, which can be slick for cyclists. For the next few days after the application, be aware of its presence,” says Carr.
To manage ice, slush, snow, and black ice each state uses a variety of products to treat roadways countrywide. Each technique is tailored to the conditions such as the temperatures and type of precipitation. De-icers include rock salt—sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, or calcium chloride—or a mix of rock salt and sand to increase traction for vehicles. Sand is finer than gravel, which can migrate into the road from hillsides or pullouts due to rain or snowmelt.
“Ice is easier to predict than sand, which can come out of nowhere: Sand on concrete is like marbles on glass—it’s extremely slippery, and I’ve crashed a handful of times on it,” Carr says. “Sand also distributes unevenly depending on how many cars have gone over it. Usually, it’s applied on steeper sections of roads and curves where cars could slide.”
If you want to do a ride with elevation gain and loss, whether for fun or for a workout, choose an out-and-back route that you can climb up first—and therefore ride at a slower pace—versus a route that you blast down before ascending back, Carr suggests. Riding at a slower pace uphill will give you more time to scope out the road for any lingering products that have been applied for winter maintenance before your descent.
Here’s an example: Crested Butte town is at a lower elevation than the town of Mt. Crested Butte and the Gunnison Valley Health Mountain Clinic, where Shaner works. Rather than starting a ride with a descent, ideally cyclists would start at the lower elevation and climb up first on an out-and-back (or a one-way ride). For an out-and-back, that could mean catching a bus ride, driving with your bike to a trailhead, or snagging a ride with a friend to the start point.
For road management some states also use liquid forms of salt compounds: anti-icers are applied at the onset of a winter storm to prevent ice formation, and de-icers break down existing ice and snow formation, both of which are best to avoiding riding on. Those liquid compounds “are wet when they’re first put down, when it’s snowing, and for days after the application when snow melts on the banks across the road. Any lingering compound is like grease and makes the road look wet but is way more like ice,” says Carr.
Check with your state’s department of transportation to learn what products are used on the state highways and interstates. Individual municipalities manage their own local roads, so reach out to your city’s Public Works Department to learn about the snow removal schedule and the products used on the streets.
After commuting on salted roads, whether the application is granular or liquid, thoroughly rinse your bike to ensure all the mechanics remain sound and safe. “That stuff wreaks havoc on anything metal and electronics,” adds Carr.
Manage Challenging Visibility
Be prepared for shorter days, more night-cloaked miles, and cloudier or flat light conditions throughout winter. “When it’s snowing and the sun angle is lower in the sky, the conditions are hard for drivers to see bicyclists. Also, if you’re riding within a few days of a storm, bike lanes can get snow plowed into them, so you might be riding closer to traffic in some areas,” Carr says. (On that note, avoid cycling when they’re actively plowing the streets, says Shaner.)
To stay safe, wear high-contrast apparel and consider adding a reflective traffic vest on top. Secure a red rear-facing light to the seatpost and white forward-facing light to the handlebars so cars can see you from afar.
“If you’re riding in muddy or wet conditions, the rear light can get obstructed with spray that comes off the road. Stop, check, and wipe it off so you remain visible. In low or no light conditions, adding a helmet light to follow where you look is important. You can leave your reflectors on the wheels—anything you can do to be more seen by traffic, the better,” Carr adds.
During miles at night, dusk, or dawn, wear sunglasses that wrap well with a clear lens “to protect the eyes from cold wind or cars kicking up road spray, rocks, or debris,” says Carr.
For winter days, which have lower light contrast compared to other seasons, Carr prefers a medium tint lens and polarized lens to cut down glare, which is exacerbated by the low sun angle on wet streets. Yellower and lighter tint lenses are also suitable for low visibility. “Photochromatic lenses are more expensive but it’s a single pair that you can use across various applications and helps manage light contrast in variable conditions. Also, the bigger lens, the better for warmth,” explains Carr.
Snow goggles are a solid upgrade if it’s snowy or windy, as they offer more protection and warmth with less risk of frostbite, notes Carr. But goggles also limit peripheral vision, notes Shaner, so be extra careful if you’re riding a route with a lot of other bike traffic, obstacles, or vegetation, and consider avoiding riding on roadways if the conditions are poor enough to require googles, given drivers might not have the best visibility. She adds, “If you pull on a helmet-compatible hood for more head warmth, that will reduce your peripheral visibility, too.”
Be Mindful of Soft Trails
Tire pressure with fat biking is counterintuitive. “If you ride with too high tire pressure on soft groomed trails, the front wheel can wash out and potentially lead to a crash,” explains Shaner, who carries a hand pump to manage the issue.
If your tire starts to leave ruts in a soft section of trail or is washing out, lower the tire pressure as low as 3 PSI. When you reach a firmer section of trail or the road, pump the tire back to 5 or 6 PSI. If you’re strictly riding on a really firm surface, you can pump the tire even higher, she says, “You’ll have a much better riding experience.”
Stay Warm to Ride Smart
With proper body warmth, riders can better maintain their focus, agility, and bike handling skills, which help them avoid crashing while they pedal on tricky terrain.
Physiologically, cold conditions can hinder dexterity, lowering performance and safety, according to the TWO Human Factors Research Institute. Furthermore, some aspects of cognitive function such as reaction time are reduced during acute cold exposure, which likewise hinders safety and performance, reports Kent State University researchers. The far end of the spectrum is hypothermia, when the body loses too much heat during a prolonged exposure to very cold temperatures.
“How riders are dressed is a safety concern,” says Hunger. Wearing the correct layers for the weather conditions, time of day, sweat management (riders can sweat too much if they overdress), adequate fuel and hydration, and maintaining movement all contribute to the prevention of hypothermia.
Teeth chattering is usually the first sign of a body temperature drop according to Carr, followed by getting stiff and losing fine motor control skills or uncontrollably shivering. “Stop at a gas station, get out of elements, and warm up before continuing on. Don’t plan your six-hour ride in the middle of nowhere where there won’t be shelter. Stay close to town where you have bail out options,” he advises.
Also, “putting on too many socks can cut the circulation off. Dead air space keeps you warm,” says Hunger. Fat bikers and winter commuters can wear waterproof hiking boots or winter cycling footwear like 45NRTH. “I recommend wearing a mitten with hand warmers, so your digits are together and warmer,” he says.
Even in Winter Conditions, Don’t Forget Head Protection
A helmet might not prevent you from crashing, but it’ll protect your head if you do. And while there are no federal laws requiring bike helmets and state laws vary, experts agree you should still wear head protection, even if you’re fat biking in what seems like powdery soft conditions. “In Wyoming, helmets are optional. I encourage our guests to wear one when they rent winter fat bikes or sign up for a guided winter fat bike tour with us, and we provide the helmets free of charge,” says Hunger.
Shaner sees fewer bicyclists wearing helmets in the winter compared to summer. “Some people assume that because they’re fat biking on soft snow, or because nordic skiers don’t wear helmets on groomed trails, that they don’t need one,” she says. “You can get up speed on a fat bike. If you go down, it’s not forgiving, especially on roads.” That’s why she always recommends wearing a helmet.
You might need a cold-weather specific helmet setup. “If you’re wearing a hat beneath your helmet, make sure the helmet fits correctly over that or get a size larger. I have a winter helmet that’s bigger, cheaper, and heavier, so I can put a hat on underneath,” Carr says. “If it’s super cold and snowy, a ski helmet is a great option for the same amount of protection.”
