Winter Biking in Chicago

I wanted to offer some winter biking advice for those of you who are perhaps on the fence of whether to put the bike away or travel Chicago's icy, cold streets, so I consulted my brave friend Jonathan (in his winter bike gear above).

1. do you bike all year long in chicago? Yes

2. even when it's snowing? Yes

3. what about ice? aren't you afraid of falling? Yes, I ride during icy conditions. Main thoroughfares typically remain ice free all the time; heavy traffic and ice/sand keep them clear enough to ride. I have fallen(as recently as last week!), but it was my fault. I took a side street as a short cut, which is a no-no when the snow has been packed down into ice by the cars.

4. what sort of bike gear do you recommend for winter cycling?/5. what sort of clothing do you recommend to stay warm and visible?(I combined the questions to answer it as a whole). I always use LED flashers, front and back, even in the daylight if the conditions are snowy/rainy or darker due to stormy conditions. This really eliminates the need for reflective or bright clothing. Nylon, nylon, nylon. The key is to find the balance between under-dressing and over-dressing. To ride comfortably, I would recommend more towards under-dressing. When you use nylon, it retains heat as the body warms up into the ride, allowing for lighter layered dressing. I have a thin Polar-tec thermal nylon shirt that I always use as a base layer. Over that I use a Stearns double layer Nylon wind breaker with Polyurethane coating. It's lightweight, water resistant, wind-proof and insulating. For the hands, I use nylon glove liners. If it's single digit outside, you can slide on Neoprene gloves(Which are useful in wet conditions as well.) It's important to point out the importance of having a second bike, one for winter biking that you can beat up more.--I only recently did this myself. The salt and water on the road can really do a number on a bicycle. It's helpful to rinse or wash your bicycle periodically during the winter to prevent corrosion and wear. When choosing a bicycle, it's helpful to make sure most or all of the components are stainless steel. On the feet I wear neoprene booties that slip over the shoes, insulating and waterproofing the feet in almost any condition. I can't emphasize enough how important these have become for me. I can use them year round anytime there are wet or cold conditions. I found a pair off-season in the summer at Performance Bike for 75% off. For the face I wear a polyester Moonshadow balaclava.

6. is chicago pretty good about clearing the trail along lake shore drive? I haven't winter biked on the lake-shore path. I would recommend the Active Transportation Alliance(http://www.biketraffic.org/) or The Chainlink(http://www.thechainlink.org/), a Chicago bicycling online community for more information. This year the side streets will be much worse during the winter because Mayor Daley cut funding: "When there are light or moderate snowfalls, side-streets and alleys will take longer to plow. This will help control overtime costs."--Mayor Daley Proposes 2009 Balanced Budget.

7. for those of us not brave enough to bike in chicago all winter long, do you have any transportation alternatives that you can recommend? Well, I really think the strap on cleats called Yaktrax are neet for Bus/Train commuters.

8. for those of us not brave enough to bike in chicago all winter long, what month, day, time of year would you say that non-icy biking conditions return? Late March-October are usually ice/snow free.

Merci Jonathan!

Bruce Mau

Yesterday, while gathering my detergent and hamper to take to the laundry mat, I also grabbed my CS (Chicago Style) magazine to have something to look at while washing. I expected it to be the usual shots of local socialites, cool "green" things to consume, and restaurant reviews,
- and that it was. But this time there was even more. There was Bruce Mau. I didn't even know that this graphic/urban designer existed, let alone was based out of Chicago. His most famous work, Massive Change, is a book as well as a former exhibit at Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art. Massive Change is a collaboration with Jennifer Leonard that looks at design all over the world, trends, and new ideas towards sustainability. Why I think he's so great is because he's not afraid to put radical ideas out there. He and his firm, Bruce Mau Design, have proposed urban farms at el stops among other creative ideas to give commuters something to do besides wait for the train. I encourage everyone to check out his site for inspiration.
http://www.brucemaudesign.com/index.html

Snow in Chicago

Unfortunately, I had to put my bike away for the season. Two acquaintances already shattered a bone or two from falling on the ice. So, I'm thinking that since I'm not dedicated specifically to bikes, but rather to alternative transportation and to combining sport with commuting, that I need to brainstorm other options for the icy, cold winter ahead. I wonder why people in Chicago don't cross-country ski along the lake trail to work. I can't afford cross-country skis now, but that would be SUCH an amazing way to commute. What about snow shoes? I bet the snow isn't thick enough. For now, I will continue to ride the el and the bus around the windy city. Hopefully the CTA will create a bus lane on Lake Shore Drive. It's ridiculous that a busload of people has to sit in rush hour gridlock with all the schmucks in their cars. Well, I just started volunteering with the Chicago Active Transportation Alliance (formerly the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation), so hopefully I'll have some news about that and other bike-related stuff soon. :-)