Just because old man winter has come around, you don’t have to retire your mountain bike to the garage. Snow biking and ski biking are both exciting and exhilarating ways to enjoy the outdoors in the wintertime. They provide plenty of exercise, and there is nothing quite like biking through the quiet of a snow covered field, forest, or mountain.
There are a few tips you should keep in mind when you snow bike and ski bike, however. If you love mountain biking, then you shouldn’t have to give that up just because the ground is covered with snow. You do, however, need to take some precautions and use some common sense.
Because it will be cold, you need to dress accordingly, keeping in mind that your body temperature will heat up as you exert yourself riding in the snow. Because you will start out feeling cold, but warm up as you ride, you need to dress in layers. Make sure your first layer of clothing will pull the moisture of your body heat away from you. You don’t want to risk getting hypothermia in the extreme temperatures because your body gets wet.
Your next layer needs to be made of insulated material to keep the warmth of your body from escaping. The outside layer of your clothing needs to be able to repel water.
Don’t forget to protect your extremities. Wear waterproof, insulated gloves on your hands. You can find biking gloves that are made especially for riding in inclement weather, or you can just purchase insulated gloves. Be sure and purchase insulated socks and some type of insulated boots. Your feet will definitely thank you. If you are having trouble keeping your boots on the pedals, use toe clips.
The biggest percentage of body heat escapes through the head, so it makes sense to keep that area of your body as warm as possible. Purchase a good toboggan or ski mask, making sure it will fit well under your helmet. (Always wear a helmet when you are riding to protect against head injuries.) You will also need to buy ski goggles to protect your eyes.
Even though you are riding in cold weather, your body can still become dehydrated. Make sure you drink plenty of water. Because your water can freeze fairly quickly, you will probably want to buy an insulated water bottle. Taking care of your body is the most important thing you can do to ensure an enjoyable and carefree ride.
One of the best precautions you can take is to ride with a buddy. If you were to have an accident, your buddy can make the decision to try and get you back home or to go for help. If you do decide to travel alone, be sure and let someone else know the exact route you are going and the time you are leaving, so that if anything happens and you don’t show back up at the end of the day, search and rescue crews know where to look for you.
When you are riding, you can use caution and still have fun. Pay attention to the type of snow that you will be riding in. If it is too wet or too deep, it will probably be too difficult to maneuver in. Watch out for snow covered branches, roots, and rocks. If you are an inexperienced rider, you will need to take it especially slow until you have become more adept at handling your bike. A pleasant bike ride can easily and quickly turn into a bike that is spinning out of control. Start off slow and steady, and be sure to take turns at a steady, even pace.
If you do start to spin, don’t try to over adjust your tires. Instead, concentrate on slowly straightening your bike. Your tires can play a big part in how well your bike handles in the snow and ice. Regular mountain bike tires can work, but you will need to deflate them a little for better traction. You can buy studded tires, which is the best but more expensive choice, or you can make your own studded tires by adding sheet metal screws to old tires. Don’t forget to carry a deicer to use on your gears and bike chain.
You will want to maintain your balance as much as possible. This is easier if you stay seated rather than standing on your pedals so that there is more weight in the back of your bike. You also need to apply your brakes carefully when going downhill. If you are too heavy handed with the brakes, you could send your bike into an uncontrollable spin. It is better to approach a downhill ride slowly and cautiously.
If you approach snow and ski biking with common sense and good equipment, you can enjoy bike riding the whole year long.
