stuff&things

The Cold and Winding Road

This past week was the coldest and snowiest of my bike commuting so far. Honestly, it was refreshing and my bike handled the cold and the treachery of some of the snowy roads on Thursday and Friday very well.

What the week taught me was what gear I currently have that works well in the cold. There were: one of the pairs of gloves I have, a North Face winter jacket I bought over a decade ago, and, to my delighted surprise, my North Face boots – I had concerns the running boards would interfere with the bulk of the boots during pedaling. They did not. I definitely need to upgrade my balaclava for the cold days because it’s a one-size-fits-all with a face mask that can leave gaps. Also, a pair of goggles is a must to complete full face protection.

My thermals under work pants seemed to hold up well and I can keep them on for the full day without any major discomfort. Our office building does not have changing rooms and while I could change in my office, my staff has a knack for entering without knocking if the doors are closed, which they are not normally.

All in all, I’d say it was a successful run and gives me hope that I can continue commuting year-round. The next hurdles will be heavier snowfall and, eventually, Spring rains. I will definitely need to purchase more waterproof gear (pants, shoes, etc.) before then.