What do you look forward to about winter biking?

There's just a touch of chill in the air, but the days are much shorter and fall and winter are on their way. What do you most look forward to about cold-weather biking?

Me, it's the amazing feeling of hot coffee on a cold ride. I have a coffee-cup-holder mounted on my handlebars, and for my 5 mile ride to work, I have hot Alterra coffee ready to go. Stopping at lights and having a swig of it makes my day. And drivers and other cyclists often comment to admire this cup-holder, which my girlfriend got me at K-Mart two or three years ago.

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Permalink Reply by Juan 2-3 or more mi. on September 15, 2012 at 5:56pm

Getting out of a blazingly hot yoga class to face the brutal cold only to find it refreshing.

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Permalink Reply by 1s20gdv3auw5h on September 16, 2012 at 3:20am

I would like to try cold weather riding. Once the snow falls, do you still ride? If so, how do you ride with the slush in the way?

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Permalink Reply by pat 5.5mi on September 16, 2012 at 3:48am

easier to park

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Permalink Reply by Adam Kitzmann on September 16, 2012 at 5:32am

No crowds. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad more and more people are on bikes, but it's nice to be able to open it up once in a while on a chilly fall/winter day with no one else in sight.

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Permalink Reply by Melissa on September 16, 2012 at 6:48am

I look forward to victory over the otherwise inevitable Chicago winter blues. I think that biking through the winter is the best prevention. You don't feel cooped up as long as you can still move about town freely.

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Permalink Reply by Juan 2-3 or more mi. on September 16, 2012 at 6:59am

I did see this one lady riding down Madison on one of these and it was still July! It looked like she had her city tires on, Surely she will be prepared for winter.

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Permalink Reply by Gene Tenner on September 16, 2012 at 7:27am

The end of winter.

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Permalink Reply by David Barish on September 16, 2012 at 10:16am

Well said Melissa. I always feel that Winter biking is the best prophylaxis for Seasonal Affective Disorder. The victory over the elements is what gets me through. I see everybody else with hunched shoulders and scarves wrapped around their faces and think to myself, "Hell yeah!" as I ride by.

Melissa said:

I look forward to victory over the otherwise inevitable Chicago winter blues. I think that biking through the winter is the best prevention. You don't feel cooped up as long as you can still move about town freely.