“If I barely knew how to drive, flew to Los Angeles, rented a Chrysler Sebring, and tried to follow Internet directions to Sunset Boulevard, I’d probably crash the thing within a couple miles of LAX. Even an experienced driver would be in trouble if he attempted to follow Internet driving directions to the letter. “Hey, it didn’t say I had to stop and pay the toll.” Even in 2010, sometimes you’ve still got to think.”

They have a lot of work to do. Sure. But it’s there, and that’s a good start.

and local advocacy?
mmmmmmmm… albany bicycle coalition?
ny bicycle coalition?
troy bicycle rescue?
each needs willing individuals…..

I’m glad to hear you’ve had good luck.

Wind:
Nothing you can do about it making the ride harder. Headwinds are the bane of my existence.

As far as wind chill, it’s all about having windproof everything. I have rain shell pants than are coincidentally also windproof, which helps a lot, especially with UnderArmor cold weather pants under my regular pants. I wear a leather jacket with a Thinsulate liner and I sprayed it with leather waterproofing spray. With just a T-shirt on under it, it keeps me warm enough in the worst winds without making me horribly sweaty.

With those, windproof gloves, a balaclava, and ski goggles, my attitude towards the wind chill has mostly been “what’s that?” Waterproof boots insulated for weather down to -20F help as well.

Traction:
Studded tires are amazing, but they’re not perfect. I’ve got ‘em on my commuter and they give great traction going straight on ice, hard pack, thin (viscosity, not depth) slush, and powder. If you try to turn at speed, you’ll probably slip. Ruts, as well as snow and slush that slides around while you’re on it, those will still be dangerously treacherous. Avoid those when you can, and go slow and careful when you can’t.

Maybe tires wider than my 700×40’s handle those problems better.

All in all, my first winter commuting by bike has been going well. It’s been a learning experience, certainly, but no falls, crashes, or other mishaps of note yet. *knocks on wood* It has been somewhat mild, thankfully, though not “all we’ve got is rain” mild.

http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10052&storeId=10053&productId=175533&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=201521&top_category=10000

I want to get these too. Don’t see any bikes set up with them in the US with the exception of REI’s Navaro Safari which is too stretched out for me. http://www.rei.com/product/775749

No, you’d get taxpayer-funded health care.

Plus, I’m pretty sure I could outbike anyone on foot…at least that’s what I tell myself…

Statistically how many cyclists are assaulted vs. hit by cars? I’m going to bet that the assault numbers are tiny by comparison.

I don’t know the vampire/chupacabra attack statistics. I think the government does not release those.

I also think the baddies are ‘fair weather folk’. I always feel safer riding nighttime in the dark when it’s also crappy weather, less safe when conditions are warm and pleasant.

I rode the river and the canal last night in a cool rain. Hardly a soul to be seen, plenty of wet leaves, darting wildlife and autumn smells. Nice.

I love being mean to ‘gas hogs’ or bike snobs.

Keep on rolling!

No matter what they say, I think they are great and fit what you need really well. This coming from the great Central Plains of salt and sludge.

Keep up the useful hacks and you’ll get that Mad Max look yet.

Maybe a little copper tape on the frame just for an extra shot of color. Recycle to your hearts content.

This is an example of misguided people with good intentions at the local level trying to put rules in place that the State government has NOT granted them the authority to enact.

School officials finally had to admit they didn’t have the authority to ban students from riding to school, and that their initial rule had no more legal status than a simple advisory. They backed off a little bit but they are still trying to get people to pretend they make the law when they actually don’t.

A good outcome here would be an official notice from the State governor’s office reminding the School district what the limits to its legal authority are, and what decisions are solely for the State legislature to make. The School District obviously has no clue how the law works.

Plus, our buses never arrive quite on time. :) The up-side is that they’ll generally wait for you if you run after them, or stop for you if you flag them down at a non-stop.

As for snow, showing up on-time, ready to work, in snowstorms where 4WD SUV-toting co-workers were late (or no-shows) “due to the weather”, cured them all of that.

A couple of doses of that, and they quit.

I get the same thing where I work — folks think they’re doing me a favor, but mostly they just piss me off.

Sometimes I feel like the ‘people who care’ are talking to me like I’m driving drunk or something. “Are you sure you should be driving? I think you’ve had a few too many.”

I don’t really know much about cyclo-cross beyond the fact that I just googled it. :) It looks cool.

That’s what I ended up using toward the end of my 30-years’ Rochester winter commutes of 1 or 2 miles each way.

Fine to -5, with liner plus heavy hiking wool socks.

I haven’t tried their new “waterproof” ones, but those they said weren’t waterproof worked fine in snow.
–

A couple of other lessons-learned:

For rain, I use Nokian rubber boots.

For real comfort in rain and snow, try a plastic face shield on a full-face motorcycle helmet. (Also protects your brain and keeps your ears and head warm.)

Studs. And don’t bike the first few snowy days each year, when drivers are relearning how not to slide.

Try to find two of the old Dick Burns lights and use them every day and night so drivers can really see you. I think it’s too dangerous to bike without lights at least that good.

(After Roch — DC, Columbus — I really miss biking in snow…..)

i have been refraining from saying something like “it’s only dangerous because people in cars drive like selfish idiots.” i know they’re only saying “be careful out there” because they care.

awesome. glad I’m not the only one,
but I bet they don’t call you ‘Lance’ at work.
New idea, I’ll start calling everyone Dale (ernhardt) – but they won’t get it. sigh.

See:

http://notionscapital.wordpress.com/2009/09/21/dc-car-free-day-22-september-2009/

The most important factors are:
1. Circulation- don’t try to pack in more socks into your regular shoes! Circulation is more key to warmth than insulation. Your shoes must be fitting to slightly loose or you will get frostbite!
2. Energy expenditure- I’ve gone winter mountain biking wearing wool socks, normal mtb shoes, and just the neoprene toe-booties. Perfectly comfortable for over 2 hours in 25deg. weather. But I was hammering most of the time. I’d never try that at higher speed commuting, with higher wind chill and less effort to heat me up.

I’ve traveled the Greenway, at different times, on all the sections between Portageville, which is the south end of Letchworth SP, to the U of Rochester.

My favorite trips have been between the Yard of Ale in Piffard and Scottsville during the very early morning hours in the summer. The illuminated canopy and bucolic river valley scenes that consistently reveal themselves as you go along is just magical. I can’t recommend it enough.

Unfortunately, it is hard for me to get back to Rochester during autumn, which I’m sure is a truly dramatic time to be on the Greenway. To anyone who reads this, please count your blessings and try to enjoy it a little extra for me during that especially beautiful time of year:-)