Chicago Bike Blog

Ghost Riders in the Snow

A lone bike rider came a'pedalin'
Down my snowy street
A flashing light upon his head
Reflectors at his feet
    His tires cut a jagged trail through ice and salty grime
    He eased his grip, and held a steady line

        Yippee-yai-ya, yippee-yai-yo
        See them come -- ghost riders in the snow

I saw him once again
As he approached the traffic light
He stood up on his pedals
As he surged with all his might
    His teeth were clenched, his nostrils flared expelling clouds of smoke
    He made the light, and then relaxed his stroke

        Yippee-yai-ya, yippee-yai-yo
        See them come -- ghost riders in the snow

When he got to Milwaukee Ave
He heaved a grateful sigh
He joined a crowd of other riders
Bravely cycling by
    Their silent column rode downtown against the wailing wind
    As light of day arose, their headlight beams grew dim

        Yippee-yai-ya, yippee-yai-yo
        See them come -- ghost riders in the snow

(Just a little something I came up with as I watched a lone soul make his way down my block at six a.m.)

Staff Bikes: Elise R. (aka "Miss July")

Not what you thought bike shop employees look like?

We didn't either. Especially since we see Elise every day hunched over the receiving desk, or waving mislabeled warranty parts in front of our noses. But here she is, gracing the July page of the TyK Pinup Calendar* featuring Chicago's women cyclists in their Technicolor brightest.

But I bet you really want to know about Elise's bike.

Elise's bike, the "Rossome", is a veritable scrapbook of Rapid Transit employees, past and present. Elise built it herself from scratch with the help of (mechanic) Kevin H. when she first got the job at the shop. The frame is a Ross Signature, which she got from Working Bikes. Ross is a department store brand, with the exception of their Signature line that ran one color per year from the late 70's through the 80's. Elise's believes her bike, which is maroon, dates from '84.

At first she built it up cheap with some old mountain cranks from our (salesman) Brent O., Surly wheels  and a saddle contributed by (colleague) Deb. But she has since replaced a lot of the parts with top quality ones. Cotton tape, Japanese brass Crane bell, vintage matching maroon fender w/ racing stripes, Brooks B17 women's saddle in honey, vintage 70's Japanese reflector with custom fabricated mounting bracket that (mechanic) Jimbo made for her, Sugino cranks, MKS track pedals & Shaggy top tube protector. The wheels were hand-built for her by (mechanic) Chris S. with Suzy hubs on super tough DT Swiss RR 1.1 rims, that have never needed to be trued in the 3 years she's ridden them everyday.

"I love my bike!!" says Elise.

How could she not?
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* The TyK (Thought you Knew) Pinup Calendar is scheduled for release in time for Valentine's Day, with a limited print run to be sold at the 2009 Bike Winter Art Show. In classic 1950s pinup style, emphasizing the art of the tease and the allure of suggestion, each month features one lady with her bike, rendered into a world of Technicolor fantasy. Accompanying each pinup image are a series of black and white photos of that same woman as the world sees her every day. Proceeds from all sales of the TyK Pinup Calendars go to The Chicago Women's Health Center.

Anniversary & Anticipation

Today, of all days, is the 30th anniversary of my arrival in the United States.

On this occasion, I would like to rerun a post I wrote just about a year ago on my other blog. Those few of you who read both may feel a bit shortchanged, but I think it bears repeating, if only to see if it rings differently today:

(A sign spotted on the back of a freight truck in Kentucky.)

My USA

Offers comfort and shelter to those who can't find these in their native land
Opens opportunities to those whose lives would otherwise be without hope
Weaves its multicultural heritage into a quilt of many colors
Speaks in many voices and languages
Listens to its people
Fiercely protects the inalienable rights of the individual
Guards individual freedom
Understands that there can be no freedom if the soul is not free
Values freedom above selfish gain
Supports each person in pursuit of his or her own happiness
Gives liberty and justice to all
Upholds the self-evident truths upon which its foundation was built
Trusts its citizens to make independent and informed decisions
Is for the people and by the people
Practices what it preaches
Holds other nations to its own standard, but guards and preserves their sovereignty
Is bountiful, generous and kind
Cherishes its land and natural resources
Provides for its poor
Is compassionate
Is not vengeful
Distinguishes between a threat to our freedom, and a threat to our profits
Does not send its children into harm's way
Values humanity before all other values
Does not destroy lives
Does not replace god
Offers its hand in peace
Stamps out poverty, cruelty and injustice around the world
Is my land, and it is your land

Our USA, where art thou?

Today is the day my faith in this country is restored. Let's Polka!

Some of us are wimps. Others -- ninja warrior mutants.

So I am not the only one among Rapid Transit personnel staying off my bike in this weather. However, many others are cycling. Here are some of their reflections:

Being that it's a little over 8 miles, when there is frozen snow and ice in the bike lanes, or the temperature is below 15* degrees, I do not ride. This is mostly for safety. And a little laziness. If only the distance was under 3 miles I probably would ride in snow. I'm getting too old and the CTA train stops less than 500 ft from my front door. Today is cold and snowy: "Hello CTA!" -- Ronnie

Here's something. If anyone wonders why their lips are salty, it's because of all the salt in the air from the city salting the streets. Also, Some people scoffed about riding fixed in the winter, but it gives you much better control over your bike in the nastiness. Whichever style you choose to ride, the best winter bike is the one with full fenders on it, hands down. And, be a nerd and wear mittens. Us nerds have warm hands when it's 9 degrees outside. -- Danielle

I haven't been riding this year, but in previous years I've found that the less you try to fight your bike to keep it upright, the more likely it is you'll actually stay upright.  BikeWinter.org puts on snow rides when there is an accumulation of two or more inches.  There are experienced snow riders who will help you learn how to best ride in the snow.  According to their site, all ages/abilities are welcome. -- Sam

 I live so close to the work and the stores I frequent that I haven't had to do much winter riding. I started seeing someone who lives in Humboldt Park recently, so I have been riding between there and home frequently. Being blatantly visible is critical when the weather is treacherous, as I often need to take the car lane to avoid wiping out in the crusty icy slushiness that is the bike lane (and sliding under a bus). I have multiple lights front and rear, as well as a rear helmet light and reflective tape strategically plastered on my fenders and helmet.  This past Friday morning, the streets were horrible, visibility was poor, and I was very tempted to hop on a bus, rather than ride. My ego wouldn't let fear get the best of me. I can't very well try to be a model of cycling savvy if I stop riding the moment it gets challenging. I have all sorts of great winter apparel, which is always a must when the weather is bad. After ensuring I would be warm and dry from head to toe, I took  2 minutes before leaving to focus on breathing and relaxing, which I never do under normal cycling circumstances. Mindset can be as important as equipment / gear when it comes to getting through snowy rush hour traffic in one piece. Tho it was daylight, I turned all my lights on. I rode at a much more moderate pace than usual, pedaling at all times and not coasting, which seemed to provide more stability and control when I was going over slippery stuff or just plowing through slush on top of packed and icy snow. I also chanted a mantra in my head "hold the bars lightly,"  because every time I started clenching the handlebars, my bike started getting skittish and squirrely. I was very very glad of my rearview mirror too... when evaluating the road conditions ahead, I could see if anyone was approaching me from behind quickly and figure out a safe bail out strategy if needed. I made it without incident. And I felt fantastic. The thing that made the ride hardest was not the weather but my own fear and tension. When I focused on breathing and staying loose rather than on "gawds, visibility sucks" or "sh*t, I am slipping on a giant sheet of slush covered ice," things went well for me and my bike. The minute I tensed up, the bike would feel uncooperative. -- Deborah

My basic ski goggles really help when the temperature is around zero.  Keeping warm starts with the head.  The ski goggles and my extra thick balaclava do the trick. I leave my nose and mouth exposed most of the time, except when wind chill is really a factor. I would rather have a cold nose and lips than a face mask full of moisture that interferes with breathing. Forget about under dressing.  In some weather extremes in can be difficult to maintain body temperature.  Dressing too light can lead to physical distress.  I know what everyone says about dressing light and then warming up as you ride.  Sometimes that does not work.  If you dress in layers you can always remove a layer if you do warm up. I like my light.  It is one of those fancy LED style lights from light in motion.  I feel safer using it.  This is the type of light that helps you to see as opposed to a basic safety flasher.  And seeing the road helps me keep my bike upright as I can anticipate ice and snow patches. True to my contrarian nature (and also due to laziness) my winter bike is currently equipped with completely bald, treadless tires.  I won't recommend this set up, but, surprisingly, the bike handles well enough.  One benefit is that slick tires don't pick up and throw as much snow or become weighed down with snow. With slick tires riding technique is especially important.  I like to keep my weight centered towards the rear wheel.  I pedal with a smooth cadence and look for patches on the ground that allow accelerating, stopping and turning.  If I feel myself sliding I remain calm and try and stop doing whatever caused me to slide.  With my weight back, I allow the front wheel to wander a bit as it finds a ruts or some traction.  Keeping a death grip on your handle bars or trying to over-control the bike will only hasten a fall. -- Chris

Winter cycling is a magical experience in Chicago. I transform into ninja warlord mutant from the future and laugh maniacally as I fly past the befuddled cursing stewards of SUVs with tires furiously spinning hopelessly stuck in snow drifts of their obsolescence. Viva la bicicletta! -- Aaron J. Maier

Who am I to tell you about winter biking?

I feel like a fraud.

With eight inches of snow on the ground in Chicago, my behind hasn't made contact with a bicycle seat since we returned from the balmy beaches of western Florida last week. The cold doesn't bother me so much, but whenever there is a coating of snow on the ground, my preferred mode of transportation in this:

There is a certain level of mistrust in me toward a piece of machinery, gas or human powered, between me and slippery layers of accumulated snow. In such conditions, I like to keep my feet firmly planted.

And you?

Rats!

We abandoned the ship. Not exactly a sinking ship, but one frozen under layers of snow, ice and poor economic forecasts.

We went to Florida.

Yep, intrepid winter bikers. We cheated. While you trudged through the poorly plowed and pothole-ridden streets of Chicago, vying for shoulder space with aggressive and oblivious drivers, we wallowed in Florida sunshine, pedaling for many miles on impeccably groomed off-street trails, and were greeted kindly and given the right of way by smiling, unhurried drivers, wherever the trails happened to intersect a roadway.

On a very, very cold December day, I believe the radio said it was -6 degrees, Chris packed up our van. I was going to do it myself, since I generally don't approve of the way he packs the car any more than I approve of the way he loads the dishwasher (OK, fair enough, that's another story), but I was unwilling to brave the elements that day, and he was. Here he is: Gore-Tex, goggles, layers, nary an inch of skin showing, thick clouds of steam emitting from his mouth. Let him pack!

We drove for many miles through spectacularly beautiful midwestern countryside, shrink-wrapped in ice after a recent storm, which gradually gave way to dry, barren woods of southern Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee, and started to green up someplace south of Atlanta. We stripped off our layers, and on the second day of our trip, we enjoyed a cold lunch at a rest area wearing short-sleeved t-shirts.

We had two recumbent bikes strapped on the roof of the van. We find that we feel less guilty about taking these vacations when we can justify them as a way of doing some important research for the shop. In this case, the research involved exploring the handling characteristics of different recumbent bikes, comparing levels of rider fatigue on upright vs. recumbent bikes, evaluating the relative merits of on and off-street biking facilities, and assessing the impact of dedicated biking facilities on local economic growth.

I will endeavor to bring you the results of our rigorous research in the next few days, as soon as I recover from being back in the snow-shrouded Chicago.

Rats!