The idea of taking out your bicycle for a ride when it is snowing heavily might sound counter-intuitive. You imagine that it would be really hard, with every chance of you falling off and sliding down the snow-laden path. In reality, however, cycling in snow is not only easy, but could be a whole of fun.
Tyre tricks
All that is required to make your cycling experience in snow enjoyable is a little bit of awareness and following some tips that are sure to come in handy. For starters, it is important to have more grip on the road and it is easier to have that when the tyres are thicker and have more tread. So instead of picking those with slick wheels, it would be easier to ride the mountain-bike type of bicycles.
While we are talking about the tyres, it might be a good idea to let out some of the air that they hold. If they are saggier, then they are bound to offer more grip on the slippery snowy surface. There are specialized spiked versions of wheels on offer, but you will have to think about that only if it is literally snowing all the time where you live.
Centre of gravity
Lowering the saddle in your bicycle is an effective way of reducing the wobbling involved when pedaling on slippery surfaces. Ringing your centre of gravity lower is a small change that allows you to easily navigate even icy patches. What’s more, bringing your saddle down also gives you the added advantage of quickly getting your feet on the ground in case you do lose balance.
Steering with the hips, as opposed to hands, also utilizes the centre of gravity. This is because your whole mass is involved in directional changes when steering with hips, as opposed to sharp inputs using only handlebars.
These tips along with a clean, well-maintained bicycle and a keen eye for new patches of snow and ice are bound to make your ride enjoyable. Ensure you have proper gloves to avoid frost bites. Also, it is important to feel confident about the whole exercise, without being overconfident.
Picture Credit : Google