Don't let the chilly weather deter you from bike riding! With a little planning and a positive attitude, a cool fall season presents an ideal time to take your two wheels out for a ride. In fact, there are several advantages to riding a bike during the fall and winter seasons:
- No Sweating! Dressing for cooler temperatures helps you remain comfortable, and most importantly dry, throughout the ride.
- The Best Views. You don't have to travel far to experience awe-inspiring fall foliage. Riding a nearby trail on a clear day provides the perfect natural beauty backdrop.
- Healthy Holidays. Between hearty meals and cross-country travel, biking during the holiday season can help burn calories and energize you for the rest of your day.
Even though there are many benefits to biking in the fall, it is important to check the weather forecast before you ride. From morning frost to evening showers, Mother Nature can quickly change her mind.
Make your fall and winter cycling safer and more comfortable with these three bike setup modifications:
- Lights: Since days are short and riding in the dark becomes more common, be sure to check your bike lights. A white light up front facing forwards, either on the handlebar or the helmet, and a red rear flasher on the rear of the bike facing backwards is the minimum requirement to see and be seen.
- Fenders: Fenders make a huge difference on wet days and do a great job of keeping you dry. The Capital Bikeshare system takes this modification even further providing a full enclosed skirt guard and chain cover on all of their rentable bikes.
- Tires: Wider tires with some tread add stability, traction, and control on seasonal surfaces that can sometimes be wet or even icy. Mountain bike tires work great for 26-inch wheel sizes and cyclocross tires are a good fall/winter option for bikes with 700cc wheels.
