Chicago's third snowiest blizzard in recorded history didn't stop Erick (Iggi) Ignaczak, who swapped his car for a hand-built commuter bike over the summer and has committed to living car-free for a year.

Iggi, an avid cyclist, is used to riding his bike year-round and braving temperatures as low as minus-16 degrees Fahrenheit. 

And though Tuesday was his first significant blizzard, he made it home to the West Loop from his office in Wood Dale partially using his bike, unlike the thousands of commuters stuck in their cars on Lake Shore Drive.

Iggi's work commute consists of six miles of bike riding each day, plus a 35-minute train ride. This morning, with temperatures around 2 degrees Fahrenheit, Iggi wore a t-shirt, fleece shirt, fleece jacket, water/wind proof outershell, base layer pants, fleece pants, cargo pants, ski pants, wool socks, waterproof boots, liner gloves, lobster gloves, balaclava, neck gaiter, two hats, ski goggles, and a helmet.

He was sweaty by the time he got to Union Station and arrived at work on time. Then he waited half an hour for his co-workers get there. 

"I'm definitely still riding. I'm committed to doing so," said Iggi, who recorded 254 miles on the bike for the month of January.

On Tuesday, after incessantly checking his weather app, Iggi left work a little early. He had no problem getting to the train but when he got off, the snow was falling horizontally.

"The wind was not my friend and it felt like I was leaning to the side the whole time," he said.

Still, he made it home, stopping at a Polish deli for some food. And though he did a test ride around the block at night to possibly meet up with the 'snow ride' that meets up at the Corner Bar in Bucktown after any new 2-inch snowfall, "it just wasn't happening," he said. "I had to push the bike home."

The car-for-bike swap is hosted by New Belgium Brewing's Tour de Fat, a traveling bicycle carnival, which works to get more cars off the road by giving volunteers around the country handmade commuter bikes if they agree to give up their car.

The money for Iggi's car went to West Town Bikes, New Belgium Brewing’s nonprofit partner, which promotes bicycling in the city, educates youth with a focus on under-served populations, and fosters and serves Chicago’s growing bicycling community. Overall, the Tour de Fat event, held over the summer, raised $14,000 to help fund West Town Bikes.

(Photo courtesy of Erick Ignaczak)