Cold-weather biking

Cold-weather biking is also called "winter cycling", "winter biking", "snow biking", "fatbiking" (the name is a reference to the oversized, wide tires) or "ice biking." "Ice biking" often refers to biking that takes place on ice-covered lakes and rivers. ==Choice of bike==

Winter cyclists may use a cheaper bike for winter biking, because "[s]now, slush, salt, and sand" causes rust and damage to metal bike components. An Ottawa biking website states that some winter cyclists use a "mountain style bike"  ... [because] ... the frame geometry, wheels and components are design for less than ideal riding conditions such as mud and dirt", which means that the bike is better able to handle snowy and slushy conditions.). To avoid chain problems, some winter bikers use a belt-driven bicycle, which uses a rubber belt similar to those used as timing belts in automobile engines. Steel components in bikes can be rust-damaged, including steel frames and metal brake cables and shifter cables; for this reason, some winter bikers use bikes made of non-steel materials, such as aluminium. Offroad cyclists may use fatbikes, a specialized bike type with extra wide rims and tires. These bikes are described in the section below. ==Approach to riding==

"'' with snow-covered road surface markings. Tom Babin, a writer from Calgary who penned Frostbike: The Joy, Pain and Numbness of Winter Cycling states that "[a]bout 30 to 40 per cent of cyclists bike year-round". Babin states that people who have not tried cold-weather cycling tend to be afraid of it, but once cyclists try winter biking, they find "it's a lot easier than they thought it would be." He also states that winter cycling has enabled him "to rediscover the joy of winter" because it can offer riders "beautiful moments" of quiet in the snow and a way to get outdoor exercise. According to the OBLP, some winter cyclists avoid major roads and use "low/slow traffic streets and winter maintained pathways." While purposeful fat-tire bikes and studded tires are more common for snowy terrain, riding on bare ice introduces additional hazards including reduced lateral grip and increased risk of single-bicycle crashes. A recent case-study found that nearly half of all hospital-admitted biking accidents in snowy/ice conditions were attributed to surface slip events. ==Maintenance==

When winter biking, some cyclists regularly lubricate the chain with a wet lubricant. An Ottawa winter biking website states that lubricant "may have to be reapplied daily in slush conditions", due to the presence of water and road salt on streets. A Torontoist article states that winter cyclists "[w]ipe down [their] bike [after riding], paying special attention to the brakes, which can corrode easily. And then clean and lubricate [the] chain" with a wet, oil-based lubricant. The OBLP states that some winter cyclists wash off their bike, to get grime and salt off the components. Some car washes and indoor parking garages have high-pressure hoses that can be used. An Ottawa winter biking website states that bringing a bike used outside in winter weather into a heated indoor area "...will cause condensation to form on everything, and it will immediately freeze if brought back outside." ==Accessories==

Gaining traction on snow and ice-covered roads can be difficult. In mild winter weather, cyclists "use low-pressure knobby tires on both the front and rear wheels". During "severe conditions, winter tires with hardened steel spikes" can be used to increase traction and provide "better control". The OBLP states that some cyclists use front and rear fenders for winter biking. For winter biking, fenders that are fitted with some space between the wheel and the fender are used by some cyclists. According to the Mountain Equipment Co-op, close-fitted fenders can clog up with snow. According to the OBLP, while fenders with space "don’t accumulate snow buildup, ... [some] prefer tight fitting fenders." The OBLP states that some winter cyclists use Schwalbe studded winter Marathon tires. To avoid frozen brake and derailleur cables, an Ottawa website states that some riders use "‘slick’ or Teflon type cables" or "regular cables" lubed with a "dry [wax] lube like White Ligh[tn]ing". ==Visibility==

During the winter, it is harder for drivers to see cyclists, due to the shorter daylight hours and the potential for ice and snow to be obscuring part of the car windows, so some cyclists use flashing LED lights on the front and rear of the bike and "[b]right coloured garments" to increase their visibility on the road. The City of Toronto states that reflective tape, reflective leg bands and reflective safety vests are used by winter cyclists to increase motorists' ability to see them in the dark. ==Clothing and protective gear==

and helmet cover. s in cold weather. Wearing several winter clothing layers make it easier to regulate body temperature when cycling in the winter. Hats, gloves, socks, arm warmers, leg warmers, scarves, neck gaiters and lightweight packable jackets, can be adjusted, added, or removed to help regulate your body temperature and personal comfort. In below freezing temperatures extra clothing items can be added to help keep you warm these include thermal pants, winter shoe covers, and longer coats. A CTV article states that winter cyclists may dress in layers, and they may cover the "ears, face, and hands" using "neck warmers, balaclavas, and even ski goggles." Water-resistant clothing is used on some days; an Ottawa winter biking website states that "...roads will be covered with melting snow/slush at the edges, making any cycling a ‘wet’ experience." To prevent negative effects of windchill on the face, the same website states that cyclists protect the face with balaclavas and eye coverings (e.g., ski goggles). An Ottawa bike website states that to keep the head warm while wearing a standard bike helmet, that contains numerous vents, some cyclists wear helmet covers or use DIY solutions like covering up the vents with duct tape. While some winter cyclists prefer using traditional gloves or mittens (or hybrids such as the lobster claw mitts) that are worn directly on the hands, pogies are another option to protect the hands from cold and wet weather. These hand coverings are directly mounted to the handlebars and encompass the grips, shifters and brake levers, allowing the cyclist to insert their hands into the pogies and have full control over their bike cockpit without wearing heavier, more cumbersome gloves. Pogies are especially useful for bicycle messengers working in cold weather, as using light gloves or even none at all within the pogies allows for normal hand dexterity for operating radios, cell phones, pens and other small motor skill tasks without needing to continuously remove and put heavy gloves back on again. ==Off-road use==

There have been a number of Antarctic cycling expeditions in which adventurers have used specialized wide-tired bikes called fatbikes. In December 2013, Maria Leijerstam completed the first successful pedal-powered ride across Antarctica to the South Pole on a customized recumbent trike. Fatbikes A fatbike is a bicycle with wide, oversized tires, typically or larger and rims or wider, designed for low inflation to allow riding on soft unstable terrain such as snow. The name is a reference to the fatness of the tires used on the cycles. The wide tires can be used with inflation pressures as low as 5 psi (340 hPa) to allow for a smooth ride. Surly Bikes released the Pugsley frame, in 2005, and began producing Large Marge 65 mm rims and Endomorph 3.8-inch tires in 2006. The Pugsley frame, rim and tire offerings made fatbikes commercially available in local bike shops worldwide. Other early versions of the fatbike were normal mountain bikes equipped with SnowCat rims, created by Simon Rakower of All-Weather Sports in Fairbanks, Alaska in the early 1990s; or with multiple tires seated on two or three standard rims that had been welded or pinned together. Fatbiking is both a recreational activity and a competitive activity. An example of recreational fatbiking is the announcement in 2015 by Gatineau Park in Canada's national capital region that snow biking and winter mountain biking will be permitted on selected snowshoe trails. The park only permits cyclists with "winter bikes equipped with tires at least 9.4 cm (3.7-in.) wide" to use the trails. As the popularity of fatbikes has expanded, fatbike-specific events (races, race series, tours, and festivals) have emerged. Examples include the Snow Bike Festival, the annual Global Fatbike Summit (since 2012), the Fatbike Birkie race which is part of the Great Lakes Fatbike Series (2014-2015 season: 8 races held across 3 states), the US Open Fatbike Beach Championships (inaugural, 2015), the USA Cycling Fat Bike National Championship (inaugural, 2015), and the 45Nrth Fatbike Triple Crown race series. == See also ==