A bicycle that can cover soft snowy ground in any cold weather conditions has allowed me to have some of the best bicycle days I’ve ever had. Gliding over harsh terrain such as snow, sand, packed trail, and soft trail seems to be too easy on a fat-tire bicycle. It feels like you are cheating or doing something wrong as if your bike is sticking out its tongue at other bikes riding on the path as it takes you into the middle of a frozen lake on a calm winter day surrounded by hundreds of hidden obstacles disguised in a white coat of powdery cold stuff.
The best way to describe biking in the winter is that is a little bit terrifying. I know that if i had the opportunity to I would ride to work in the winter as long as my commute wasn’t too long. Going back to the terrifying thing. Riding in the winter is like mountain biking, where there is no time to reflect on how beautiful the trees are or how perfect the temperature is or how perfect that last jump was. Your time is instead taken up my trying not to be killed by an oncoming car as you decipher between bike lane and road whilst riding over ice, snow, black ice (?), and other strange terrain.
Don’t let this prevent you from riding though, because oh man is it fun. When you first start riding you are cold and your brakes and shifting don’t really work, but after a few min, once you’re warm it’s great. You think to yourself, ” hey i’m not inside, i’m actually having fun in below freezing temperature”.
Love to Cycle 