I’ve done more cold-weather riding this winter than usual. That’s ’cause we’ve had lots of people going out. But, yes, it is cold. My feet used to be my biggest issue. I seem to have solved that with booties and wool socks, but I don’t go out when it dips below freezing for long. Fingers are another issue. Some of these tips do help, like starting with warm hands.–corrie
I’ve tried every trick imaginable to keep my feet warm during cold-weather rides — larger shoes with 2 pairs of socks, battery-powered socks, spray antiperspirant to reduce sweating, plastic bags to cut wind. But no luck. My frozen feet are always the limiting factor in winter riding. Any tips? — Judy D.
Marilyn showed up for a Saturday ride with these ungainly looking bar mits on her handlebars. My hands got cold; for Marilyn, it was her feet. Decide for yourself.–corrie
Bar Mitts a Great Alternative to Thick Gloves
When temperatures drop below freezing, it can take a mighty thick pair of gloves or mittens to keep your hands warm. Thick hand coverings make it difficult to shift and almost impossible to reach and grasp objects in jersey pockets or your gear bag.
As a guy who went down and lost a few minutes of memory, you don’t have to sell me on the necessity of a helmet. But there are helmets out there that are old or have never been certified. Does that matter?–Corrie
The non-certified helmet being tested is an extremely popular helmet amongst the skatepark and BMX set. Heck, many of my close friends, riding buddies, and loved ones choose to wear the non-certified Bucky Lasek Classic ProTec helmet shown in the video. Many of my other riding buddies also wear non-certified but retro cool helmets and the bottom line is they aren’t safe.
You don’t have to be a bike mechanic to need a repair stand. The stand makes regular maintenance, cleaning the chain, changing a tire, washing your bike, easier. If you are handy, you can likely make a serviceable repair stand. For the rest of us a couple of hundred bucks is not too much to spend.–Corrie
Repair stands are a common search term on Bike Hacks and we have seen our fair share of sweet DIY submissions. Ideas include bike stands that are:
At better than 15inches, we are nearlly 4 inches over our annual rainfall for the LC Valley. I’ve been caught in more wet weather the last two years than in the previous 10–is the drought over?–Corrie
Here in the Pacific Northwest, winter means lots of rain. As a native-born Portlander who has been biking seriously since 1999, I think of myself as a bit of a rain expert. Today I’d like to share my field-tested tips on becoming a happy winter cyclist.
I’m accustomed to buying books from Amazon. Recently, I’ve been going to Amazon as my first source for just about anything. Hadn’t given bicycling gear any thought though.–corrie
Got a cyclist on your Christmas list or perhaps you need some ideas for those with your name on a Christmas list? Here you go–Corrie
PS. Be sure to check out the other links with this story.–CCR
The holidays are here, and that means you are looking for that perfect present for a bike lover. Here are some great gift items all under $25 that will certainly make them merry and bright.
A bright idea for visibility and it looks like a pretty good jacket, too. I like the pockets.
You’ve all probably seen those safety vetsts with flashing LED lights embedded in them, right? The vests I’ve seen previously have very weak, small lights that are essentially useless.
Okay, I never soap up my bike like this. Nothing wrong with doing so. I just don’t. More important that the production bike-wash is the frequent wash with lots of attention paid not only to the rims (braking surfaces) but also the chain and the cogs of the rear derailleur.
Go ahead and soap it up now and then. Even use a little furniture polish on that frame. It’ll shine–Corrie
Corrie maintains the 
