Part 1 of GoPhillyGo’s Tips On Winterizing You + Your Bike

This post is part 1 of GoPhillyGo’s 2 part series on winterizing yourself and your bike. Read part 2 to learn how to winterize your bike. GoPhillyGo is Clean Air Council’s online mapping tool for the Greater Philadelphia Area. Developed with state-of-the-art mapping technology, this site makes it easy for users to plan their routes through multimodal methods — combining biking + walking + public transportation within one trip — to go anywhere within the greater Philadelphia area without the use of a car. 

Commuting by bicycle is absolutely AMAZING. Pumping pedals, rather than gas, is a natural caffeine boost that leaves you feeling exhilarated when you enter the office. However, it’s that time of year when the temperatures drop, clothing is layered, and bikes are often put away. Don’t let the cold deter you from continuing to commute or even starting to commute by bike this winter.

It may seem daunting, but buying the appropriate gear to safely ride in the winter can be done frugally. The key is assessing your commute distance and personal tolerability for winter conditions, and then supplementing your current winter wardrobe. When shopping for pieces of your bike commute ensemble, support your local bicycle shop, look for limited and lifetime warranties, shop end of season sales and check out consignment shops. There are also many local, bicycle-related Facebook groups where fellow cyclists sell their gently-used or new bike apparel.

There are three components you need to tackle when dressing for winter conditions: keeping warm, keeping the wind off your skin, and staying dry (on the outside as well as the inside). But first, there is a lot of jargon when it comes to cycling gear. So, here is a little break down of the key words … read more here.