Fall riding advice for a new commuter

I just started bike commuting this year (North Chicago to Northwestern U mostly along the Northshore Channel Trail (NCT) or a folding bike on Metra. As the weather gets colder, could anyone recommend gear or advice that'll keep me riding as long as possible into and even through winter?

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Permalink Reply by Bill Savage on September 18, 2012 at 6:21am

Join REI down in Lincoln Park (Halsted a bit south of North/Clybourne).  Get thermal undershirts/underpants.  Good glove liners and either gloves or mittens.  A balaclava for the face, headband for ears.  This keeps me riding from Rogers Park to NU all winter long (except when the streets are icy, then I chicken out and take PT).  An alternate route to the NCT depends on precisely where you are starting, but the NCT doesn't get plowed, so if there's lots of snow, you'll need a street route.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on September 18, 2012 at 6:34am

Kevin C posted several useful links to previous posts about cold weather riding:

 

http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/winter-biking-and-cold-feet

Permalink Reply by Jamais716 on September 18, 2012 at 6:49am

If you're planning on riding through rainy weather, Costco has a rain suit with pit zips for I think $50.  I picked it up a few weeks ago and it's very effective.  It would've been even more effective if I'd had it with me last night :-)

Permalink Reply by millenial removing Bernie tattoo on September 18, 2012 at 7:50am

Does Evanston/Chicago maintain the NCT during the winter?  You might have to find a new route.

Permalink Reply by dan brown on September 18, 2012 at 9:04am
Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on September 18, 2012 at 9:13am

Watch out for wet leaves. Seriously.

Permalink Reply by Richard on September 18, 2012 at 9:46am

I also do the Damen / Bryn Marr / Gleenwood / Greenview / Rogers / ELT. I generally find the North Neighborhoods to Evanston a delightfully bike-able. I haven't yet considered what my winter route would be. I've also acquired a folding bike for Metra's UPN (Davis to campus) to try to extend the cold (but dry) weeks.

envane x said:

Does Evanston/Chicago maintain the NCT during the winter?  You might have to find a new route.

Permalink Reply by Gene Tenner on September 18, 2012 at 10:15am

Whatever touches your skin should wick away perspiration and your outer wear should breathe, like Gore-Tex. Everything else is just layering.

Permalink Reply by David Barish on September 18, 2012 at 10:44am

The trail is not reliable when there is snow/slush etc. If its been dry for a while the trail is likely ok.  California is generally a good biking street.  It becomes Dodge which is also a good biking street.  Asbury is also good for biking but once it becomes Western its not advised. If you take the NCT your best optioons for getting out of the city are California or Kedzie depending on your cross street. If you have been getting to NU from the NCT you will know how to get there from Dodge. If you are taking Kedzie it may be best to jog east to California on one of the side streets just south of Howard. Howard is ok as well. Clark Street is busy and urban but just fine for an experienced cyclist. It runs into Chicago Ave. in Evanston which is similar- a bit busy but certainly a bikable way.  In the Winter streets are best- they get plowed. Trails are less likely to get plowed. Also, in Winter, you have to go counterintuitive- bigger streets are better as they are the first ones plowed. Smaller streets are not the first ones plowed and can be dicey. Ridge is not good for riding in Evanston (and not great between Devon and Pratt in Chicago) but you can safely negotiate a few blocks on the sidewalk if need be.

Permalink Reply by Nick Butterfield on September 18, 2012 at 11:34am

i get it! that was a joke. i get jokes.

h' said:

If there'e one piece of advice I'd give regarding fall riding, it's this:

You never know when you might land just the wrong way and fracture a bone or tear a tendon, and dealing with the health care system sucks pretty much across the board these days-- so definitely do your best to stay upright on the bike rather than fall riding.

Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on September 18, 2012 at 12:39pm

I like riding the North Shore Channel Trail, but be aware that after dark it's totally unlighted and can be kind of tricky. I have a cheap underpowered front headlight and I find that I keep running myself off the trail into the grass on the dark turns. A good multi-hundred dollar headlight isn't in the cards right now for me financially.

Don't even think of riding the street on Ridge from Howard north to Emerson in Evanston. It's against the law, prohibited, just the way riding a bike on Lake Shore Drive is prohibited in Chicago. But the sidewalk riding rules in Evanston are very different from Chicago's: adults can ride the sidewalk anywhere in town except for some sidewalks in the downtown area, those zoned D1, D2 or D3 to be exact. If you need to ride up Ridge in the south half of Evanston, the sidewalk or a parallel street is the way to go.

Congrats on scoring the Dahon Mariner, Richard, if that's what you're riding now!

Permalink Reply by Ash L. on September 18, 2012 at 1:34pm

I can't recommend this thing enough. You can cover your whole head with it if you want. Cut eye holes though. 

http://www.rei.com/product/789718/buff-wool-buff

The merino wool is super thin, fits easily underneath a helmet if wearing one is your thing, it wicks away sweat and snot and rarely if ever smells (as opposed to unnatural fibers like polyester). Mine gets washed every April whether it needs it or not.

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