The things about winter riding are that 1) it's hard and 2) there's always someone who thinks they have it harder than you do. Even cyclists in Boston, Chicago, and Minneapolis have people who tell them that they don’t know what cold is.
Those people are from Fargo.
Yes, like in the movie. But Fargo, North Dakota in real life isn’t much like the Coen brothers’ rendition. It’s one of the fastest growing small cities in America with a strong cycling community and a bike share that sees more rides per bike than New York City or Paris. But those Siberia-like scenes on the plains? Those are not an exaggeration.
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While some of the Northeast and Midwest got a mild taste of North Dakota winter weather this year when temperatures dropped into the single digits, Fargoans were operating as usual at 20 below (and no, that doesn’t include wind chill, which usually brings the “feels-like” temperature down another 15 degrees).
So what’s a cyclist to do when half the year is below freezing? In Fargo, you ride it out. Here are a few lessons from from cyclists who know what it's like to ride with icicles in their hair.
The right gear is everything
Anyone who has ridden in temperatures below 50 degrees knows how important a good pair of mittens is. Gear becomes more and more important the colder it gets. If you think that cycling below zero is impossible, you probably haven’t considered that ski goggles can stop your eyelashes from freezing. Steven Hausmann of Fargo’s Great Northern Bicycle Company has everything he needs to take on the winter.
“I will wear a ski helmet, goggles, ski jacket, very warm mittens, jeans, and warm boots when I’m commuting around town,” Hausmann says. “This year I am riding a Specialized Awol with non-studded tires. Last year I rode an old Specialized Crossroads with studded tires. I prefer studs but have found that it’s possible without them with a little extra care.”
Dialing in that gear can takes strategy
Sometimes you think you’ve got all the right gear, but your fingers still end up going numb (or even overheating). It can be frustrating, but don’t be discouraged. Perfecting your winter-cycling wardrobe can take some trial and error. Fargoan Terry Steen has come up with a system to turn his past trials into future successes.
“I keep a small moleskine journal where I log that day’s temperature and windchill, which bike I was riding, and all of the gear I wore during the ride,” Steen says. “Then I take notes on when my hands or feet got cold, so I know whether to add more layers next time. Since I started logging my clothes, I am never at a loss for what I should wear in any situation. And when we get that first 0-degree day in early winter, I’m ready.”
Here’s how to layer properly for winter riding:
Sometimes you need to DIY
You can have all the heavy-duty, high-tech winter gear in the world, but sometimes it takes creativity to make it all work. Steen has learned that a couple of unexpected everyday items can help keep his extremities toasty.
“Hands and feet have been the hardest for me to keep warm, but this year I have finally found a way to keep both warm,” he says. “I wear surgical gloves under my leather chopper mittens to protect my hands from the wind, and I’ll even throw a hand warmer in there if it’s below 10 degrees. For my feet, I added a ‘vapor barrier’ between two layers of wool socks. The vapor barrier is actually a plastic bag from the grocery store.”
Studded tires reign supreme
Fat bikes are little more than a quirky niche in much of the cycling world, but these babies are designed for the snow, so they are ideal for winter commuting in Fargo. Steve Wenzel keeps an arsenal of rides, so he’s always prepared.
“I’ve been winter cycling in Fargo for over 25 years, and I take pride in the fact that, even though Fargo is one of the coldest places in contiguous United States, I am still able to swing my leg over my bike every day and thoroughly enjoy the experience,” he says. ”A huge part of that is having the right bike, so I actually have three winter bikes. One is a cross bike with studded tires. The second is a fat bike with regular tires, and the third is a beastly fat bike with studded tires and fenders for when it gets really nasty.”
Crazy loves company
There’s no reason to ride alone up north. Snow-loving riders in Fargo get together for plenty of group rides (and the annual B-B-BRRR race that runs over the frozen Red River.) Great Northern Bicycle Company hosts a weekly winter off-road ride every Wednesday. According to ride leader Jaci Woinarowicz, there’s plenty of fun to go around no matter the temperature.
“The camaraderie of the winter ride is definitely what gets a lot of us out here,” Woinarowicz says. “It’s such an amazing group. I know that under the face masks, neck gaiters, goggles, and whatever other layer that might be wrapped around our heads, there is always a smile underneath. On the warmer days [days above 0 degrees] you get to see everyones’ faces, but more often than not we’re bundled up, and you recognize the riders by their bikes. Sometimes we take a group photo and joke that someone ‘blinked’. We have a lot of fun together.”
You can’t live your life waiting for warmer weather
No matter where you live, there’s always a better time to go for a bike ride. You can wait for summer, wait for it to stop raining, or even wait for a new trail to be built. But Hausmann knows that it’s better to just get out there today.
“I have lived in North Dakota my whole life, and the way I deal with winter is that I treat it as a battle between the cold and my willpower,” Hausmann says. “I hate giving in to freezing temperatures or snow and letting those factors affect my day. Sure, I won’t do as much outside as I do in the summer, but I’ll still ride my bike to work and go on the occasional fat bike ride. Counting down the days until spring arrives only seems to draw winter out longer. We might as well embrace it.”
So with the right gear and the right attitude, can you ride through the winter? You betcha.
