Gear & Comparisons
Bike commute winter kit
What to wear on the bike from 45°F down to the low 20s: gloves, layers, lights and the tires.
The ride
Five Points to the office downtown on bike lanes and a stretch of greenway, about 3 miles each way, the ride home in the dark from November to February.
By temperature
Above 45°F: a light shell and full-finger gloves. 32 to 45°F: merino base layer, wind-blocking jacket, thin cap under the helmet, lobster gloves. Below 32°F: add wool socks with toe covers and a second base layer. Ice on the road, which happens a few mornings a winter here: take the bus.
Lights
A 900-lumen front light on a steady beam for the unlit greenway, plus a flashing helmet light. Two rear lights, one steady and one flashing. Charge them every Sunday.
Tires and the bike
The 38 mm tires at slightly lower pressure on wet weeks. Rinse the chain after a wet ride and oil it every couple of weeks, or it will be orange by March.