Chicago Bike Blog

Getting to know your bicycle

By guest writer Angela Chan

I remember the first time I learned how to fix a flat, about 5 years ago.  I used to see bicycles as mysterious machines, believing I had no place trying to fix anything on it.  I knew the very, very basics--how to fill my tires with air, and remove the wheels and seat.  I’m not sure I even knew there was a tube inside the tire. 

I didn’t know there was such thing as chain lube, so when I figured out the squeaky noise was coming from my dry and rusty chain, I used vegetable oil to get the squeak out (which I don’t recommend at all now!).  After repairing my first flat, I felt great.  My hands hadn’t been so dirty since art school and they kinda hurt from getting a tough tire back on the rim but I didn’t care.  I didn’t have to go out of my way to a bike shop, I saved some money, and it was rewarding and fun. 

Bicycle maintenance classes are now underway at Rapid Transit Cycleshop.  And I think I speak for myself and my co-workers, when I say that we’re pretty excited to share our knowledge with those wanting to learn. So far, we’ve done classes on basic repair, complete tune-up, wheels and brakes.  We’ve had great students who are willing to learn and ask lots of questions.  

But truthfully, we would love to see more students.  If you love your bike, I do think it’s beneficial to learn how to assess its condition  I still use the assessment techniques I learned from a class years ago, and they have been invaluable.  Recognizing that there’s something wrong early on prevent a more costly repairs down the road, and, most importantly, might prevent you from getting into an accident. 

I know not everyone wants to get their hands dirty, or maybe some of you don’t have the time or inclination,  and prefer to let a professional does the work.  That’s fine too.  Even if you ultimately decide not to work on your own bike after a class or two, you will surely have  gained a better understanding of how your bike works, and more appreciation for the work your bike mechanic does to keep it running smoothly. You’ll be supporting your friendly local bike shop, just like I support the sewing machine or vacuum repair shops.

If you’re new to bikes and want to learn but don’t know where to begin, the Free Roadside Class is a good start.  We’ll demonstrate some basic repairs, assessment techniques and offer up some tips about winter riding.  And did I mention it’s free? 

If you’re a little bit more experienced or ambitious, and are willing to shell out a little moola, the focus classes and tune-up classes will allow you to work on your own bike more intensely.  Winter is great time to learn how to work on your bike, whether or not you ride through the cold season.  If you don’t, you’ve got several months of working on your skills and tinkering to get your bike in tip top shape for the Spring.  If you do cycle through the cold and snow, your bike will need the most attention in the Winter. The salt, moisture and the potholes that pop up throughout the winter take quite a toll on bicycles.  

For me, fixing that first flat was a revelation. 

It was a similar feeling that I had when I first biked (after not cycling for 6 years) with my boyfriend from his place in Lincoln Square to Working Bikes—about an 8 mile trip.  I had realized that there was really no place in the city I couldn’t get to by bicycle.  And with my first flat fix, it occurred to me that, potentially, there was no part of my bike I couldn’t work on.  I was looking forward to getting to know my bicycle.  I’m not a mechanic, but 5 years later, I’m proud to say that I’ve worked on every part on my bicycle, including building the wheels.  I can’t believe the amount of appreciation and respect I’ve gained for this humble machine since my first flat fix. 

We invite you, too, to get to know your bicycle. The complete class listing and schedule is posted on the shop's website, at www.rapidtransitcycles.com. 

Angela Chan is a Sales Person at Rapid Transit Cycleshop.

FREE Roadside Maintenance Class at Rapid Transit

Rapid Transit Cycleshop will be kicking off the new maintenance class series with a FREE class this month!

What: Roadside Maintenance Class
When: Rapid Transit Cycleshop, 1900 W. North Avenue in Chicago
When: Sunday, October 25 at 5pm
How: Call 773-227-2288 to register and for other class details.

As the chill takes hold of Chicago once again, we will be helping the intrepid cyclists to gear up for the winter riding by offering a range of maintenance classes. So keep checking our website for the newest details.

It's time again for the Winter Tune-Up

This year, we have revamped our Winter Tune-Up a bit. The new Winterbike 2010 is a complete, season-long maintenance program for your bike. When you join for a one-time fee of $155, you will receive:

Our Deluxe Tune-Up

• Full adjustment of braking system,
• Full adjustment of shifting system.
• External adjustment of both hubs.
• External adjustment of headset.
• External adjustment of bottom bracket.
• Complete wheel dishing  & truing.
• Complete drivetrain cleaning or replacement (as needed).
• Chain lubrication.
• Inner tube replacement (if needed.)
• Tires inflated to correct pressure.
• Full check of parts and accessories to ensure safety.
• Free installation on additional accessories purchased from us.

INCLUDED ongoing maintenance through March 31, 2010

• Full bike wash and lube, as often as you wish
• Adjustments and tuning whenever needed
• Free labor on fixing flats
• Free labor installation of parts and accessories purchased at Rapid Transit.

Since we and our staff need to eat, all rubber, parts & accessories are extra, however, this year, as a Winterbike 2010 member, you will also receive a 10% discount on any merchandise purchased through March 31, 2010.

If you are planning to ride this winter, you really can't afford not to get this service. It is the best thing going in Chicago for winter bikers. And, the earlier you sign up for the program, the longer you get to enjoy its fabulous benefits.

Biking for wimps

My morning began with a slap in the face.
In my previous post, I had imprudently revealed myself as eagerly awaiting the arrival of spring, and being tired of the trudge of winter. A reader took advantage of this weak moment, and accused me of having a "delicate constitution".
Humph.
I jumped up from the computer and took a few indignant paces across the living room. I must defend myself. I must protest and set the record straight. After all, not only do I have years of all weather commuting under my belt, I also have a proven track record of turning other people into...
But then the coffee kicked in and my brain started working again.
Where is it written that cycling is something that can only be practiced by people with strong constitutions?
Like it or not, the majority of people in this country still view cycling as a fair-weather activity whose purpose is primarily recreation, rather than transportation. There are many reasons for this, chief among them perhaps the long tradition of cheap, accessible and abundant fossil fuels, resulting in extravagant urban sprawl. Because of deeply ingrained habits and social conditioning, changing people's views to accept the bicycle as a viable form of transportation has been a bit of an uphill battle.
This battle has been fought on several different fronts, through advocacy, street happenings such as Critical Mass, even fashion. It has also been fought day in and day out in forward thinking urban bike shops, such as my own Rapid Transit in Chicago.
For the past fifteen years, we have been engaged in the battle for the hearts and minds of cyclists young and old, would-be and practicing, new and experienced, timid and die-hard, fair-weather and all-weather. And we have come to the conclusion that you can't win that battle with shock and awe. Chances are you will not entice a new cyclist by painting visions of snot icicles, foggy goggles, blue fingertips and admonitions about the importance of layers. You will not smooth the way for him by describing the joys of your 40-mile daily commute. I do not mean to deny that there is a contingent of folks who do find this appealing and fun. But if the point is to create more cyclists, than this is not a winning strategy.
The truth is that few people are warriors, and even fewer are warriors every day.
Most of us (including myself, my earlier indignation notwithstanding) are wimps. Different things is our lives make us wimps: habits, children, distance, weather, aches and pains, fear, sometimes age, sometimes youth, winter colds, whims, moods, barometric pressure, stress. And frankly, while the heroic feats of others may sometimes inspire us, they probably won't motivate us on a daily basis. If the bar is set too high, we won't even make an attempt to reach it.
So I make allowances. Bike a little. Bike when the weather is nice. Bike when you feel like it. I would rather have a million wimps rejoicing in biking one mile, than feeling guilty about not biking at all.

Related posts:
Biking goals
Some of us are wimps. Others - ninja warriors.
Bike if you want to
How to get more people on bikes
50 ways to leave your car
Riding motivation

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Art credit:

Hybernating cyclist wakes, seeks hidden nuts

Yaaaawn!...

I figured it would take me about 20 minutes to ride from my house to Montrose & California. But just to be on the safe side, I started getting ready forty minutes before my appointment. After all, I haven't been on my bike for weeks, and it might take a while to gather up everything I would need.

Fortunately, clothing was not much of an issue. The weather on Thursday was still relatively mild, and ordinary street attire would do just fine. But I needed my lock, helmet, and at least one grocery pannier. And yeah, since I took the locking skewers off last fall when I had to carry the bike on a roof rack, I should probably bring a cable to secure the wheels.

Walking into the garage, I practically tripped over the grocery pannier, and in it, miraculously, was my lock and bike keys. One down.

A cable was a little trickier. There were several cables on the floor and in various containers around the garage, but they either required keys which I did not have, or combinations which I didn't know. At last, I spotted one I could use with my u-lock inside a trailer.

Encouraged by such quick progress, I looked up at the hooks to grab my bike, but it was not there. It must be in the bike garage (what we affectionately call our front porch), I thought. And my helmet is probably hanging on the handlebars. I headed to the front of the house. I located my helmet buried on a hook under several layers of canvas grocery bags. But there was no sign of my bike.

I walked back to the garage. I probably just missed it. There are quire a few bikes in there. Our kids' two bikes, our family tandem, Chris' Slingshot, his street bike, his folding bike, somebody's Kona, a couple of trailers... but where the bleeping heck is my bike?!

No sign of a break-in, and even if somebody did try, there surely are more tempting choices here than my twenty-year-old beater!

Could it be at the shop? I asked my kids. Was daddy trying to surprise me by getting it tuned up for spring? My son suggested I try the basement. Dejectedly, I headed downstairs. Historically, the basement is reserved for bikes that have been outgrown, or stripped of parts, or... only used infrequently for highly specialized uses... like, ahem, winter riding...

There, hanging sadly between the furnace and the water heater, was my bike. I guess Chris thought I was done using it for the season.

I'll have to show him!...

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.)

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

Winter TLC for your bike

After you come indoors from a brisk winter ride, I know the last thing you want is to fuss with your bike. You want to warm you hands, have a nice  meal and perhaps a warming beverage. But at some point, perhaps after feeling returns to your fingertips, you'll have to attend to your bike. Snow and icy slush, especially  combined with salt and street grime, make a corrosive mixture that will eat through your bike and all its delicate systems.

To start off, use fenders. Not the kind that go on the seatpost. Real ones, front and back, that attach with struts and stay on. Like these:

They cost about $45 plus installation, but they will keep you and your bike drier and cleaner.

There is a some controversy about whether a bike should be stored indoors or out during winter. Without taking sides, I think it's safe to say that in Chicago you're usually better off storing your bike indoors to avoid theft. If you have the luxury of a porch, garage or basement, that's probably ideal. Otherwise, spread some absorbent matting in your  living room or hallway where your bike can drip dry. Storing your bike in a vertical position may help in draining any water stuck inside the cable housing.

If your ride has been particularly messy, brush off as much accumulated slush as you can before bringing the bike in, and rag off excess water. Lubricate the chain with an oil formulated for use on bicycle chains (not WD40).  Drip a little oil on each chainlink, and wipe off excess by running the chain through a rag with one hand while you slowly spin the pedals backwards with your free hand. Drip a little oil on the pivot points of both derailleurs (any hinge points at which the derailleurs flex), and a little more inside the jockey wheels on the rear derailleur. Do this at least weekly, and each time you ride through real slop. Following this ritual will protect your drivetrain from corrosion, excessive wear through the winter, and sudden breakage.

In winter, you should also regularly clean your bike, focusing especially on the drivetrain (the chain and everything it touches) and the wheels. This is also a good time to check your brakes. Pads can wear out a lot faster when exposed to salt and debris. If the pads get worn down to the metal, they will damage your rims (and fail to stop your bike). Keep the rims clean too, because this process can go both ways. Gritty stuff accumulated on the rims can speed up the wearing of the brake pads. Don't wash your bike at a carwash with pressurized water. That can knock grease out of bearings, and allow water to enter places it doesn't belong, like the rear freewheel or cassette, where it can later freeze causing all sorts of problems. Instead, use a bucket of hot soapy water, a rag and a stiff nylon bristled brush. Brush off the chain, all cogs and the rims of your bike. Dry everything thoroughly and re-lubricate as described above. (Find more winter bike maintenance tips at Chicago Bike Winter).

Rapid Transit Cycleshop does offer a winter tune-up package, where, for one set fee, we will take care of cleaning and maintaining your bike throughout the season. If you don't have the time, the space, the inclination, the patience or the ability to do it yourself, it just might be a great deal for you.

Thrift and the urban biker

Yes, I did. I rode down to the local thrift shop the other day to take advantage of their 50% off sale. Half off on second hand stuff that's already so cheap , it doesn't need to be on sale. But, hey, I love a bargain as much as the next person.

My bike, packed to the gills with thrift store finds.

So there I was, rummaging through the overstuffed racks, when it occurred to me that over the years, I've used a lot of stuff from thrift shops as my cycling gear. 
I don't mean the specialty gear stuff. Those things never get donated. It's so pricey, that, if it doesn't work, you return it to the place of purchase right away, so you can get your money back. And if it does work, boy, you hold on to it, cherish it, and get every last red cent of use out of it, and when it starts to fall apart, you see if you can get one more season out of it, and then build it a funeral pyre.
I certainly have some stuff that will be going on the funeral pyre at some, hopefully very distant, point in the future:

• Thin tights, made, oh, probably ten years ago by Hind. They are synthetic, but feel a little like wool. They are fantastic by themselves on mild days, but also work great as an underlayer when it's really cold.
• Any pair of Smartwool socks I have ever owned.
• Smartwool winter gloves. Amazing.
• Smartwool next-to-skin women's v-neck. Ditto.
• Powerstretch windfront tights made by Traverse Bay back in the days when they sold to bike shops (now they deal with the likes of Cabela and LLBean). The best tights for winter cycling. I'm pretty sure there is nothing like it on the market.
• Thin nylon over pants made by DeSoto, a triathalon company. They go over tights or ordinary pants to keep away the cold.
• Microfleece headband (fits under helmet).
• Swrve Milwaukee Hoodie. I just got it, but I think it will be on my funeral pile list for many years to come.
• Ecco Gore-Tex boots. Forget cycling shoes. I loosen the toe straps all the way, push my panniers back on the rack as far as they will go, and I wear those boots.

I hope you will forgive the digression. I realize the point of this post was to talk about all the great things for cycling you can find at a thrift store, not to brag about all the fantastic stuff I have. I just wanted to emphasize that some great stuff is worth the money, and you're wasting your time trying to find it used.
So, back to the racks. Can I find equivalents, or at least adequate substitutes for any of the items above? Let's give it a try:

• No luck on the thin tights. The only ones I found were cotton. Stay away from those.
• I'm funny about socks at thrift stores. But there were a bunch of Wigwam wool blend socks (50 cents on half-off day!) They were actually in decent shape, so I guess I would just wash them and give it a go.
• Gloves? Nothing here that even remotely compares to mine. But, there were a couple of pairs of very warm looking ski mittens (for two bucks, they are certainly worth the risk), and in the past, I have found a terrific pair of fully winterized leather motorcycle gloves. But you gotta look.
• Surprisingly, thrift stores have oodles of fine-gauge merino wool crewnecks and turtlenecks, both in the women's and men's department. They are great, low bulk, warm cycling layers. Check the label. The best ones are pure merino wool, but sometimes a blend is OK. Go for the thin ones. And for layering, head over to the vest department, and see if you can find a boiled wool or another tightly knit wool vest to layer over your torso. Keeping your torso warm helps to warm the extremities.
• Nothing like the windfront tights here. Any tights they have are pretty worn and gross. But there are some good, stretchy fleece pants. Go for them, if they're not too bulky, and you can turn them into a windfront garment by pairing them with the next item.
• A veritable treasure trove of thin nylon over pants. Take your pick. None seem to be more than $3, although there are some pretty arresting colors. That might be a good thing when you're on a bike. For the best emergency garment, choose ones that are super-light-weight and unlined.
• Headbands. Eh... Not too great. Most of them are too bulky for helmets. Buy one at the bike shop. They're not too expensive, anyway.
• Technical jackets? Forget it. You may find a light-weight windproof top similar to the pants for under five bucks. But if you want a warm, water resistant layer, go for the real thing.
• Yes, you can get decent boots here. It's just a matter of finding ones in your size. And you may need to shop before real cold weather hits.

And one other thing that I found: a backpack to schlep some of my stuff home in. I spent less than $40, and completely overstuffed my two grocery panniers, so I needed extra capacity. You can get a very decent urban backpack here. I got one with a mesh section and two temperature-controlled compartments for like a buck fifty. It will be perfect for my grocery hikes.
Anyway, that's what I found on my recent thrift shopping expedition. I'm curious if anyone has found anything in second hand stores that works really great for winter cycling. Let us know.
That's it for my bargain tips. Tomorrow, I may tell you how to spend money at Rapid Transit.

Winter cycling challenge? Changing conditions.

Today was a perfect day for winter cycling. The morning was relatively warm, dry, with hazy sunshine, and, a little after rush hour, traffic was sparse on the stretches of Bryn Mawr, Central Park and Elston I traveled, thinking about how different the riding was just two days ago.

If my husband's face registered surprise, when I agreed to ride over to  West Rogers Park for a party, I didn't notice. I'm thinking he must have been surprised, because, while cold temperatures don't generally stop me from riding, precipitation of any kind usually does. You know, snow  accumulation, falling snow, snow mixed with rain, sleet, ice, ice covered by snow, black ice, slush frozen into a bumpy ridge right in the bicycle lane, etc, etc... all those things I personally consider to be serious obstacles to winter riding.
But the day had seemed so cold and dry, and there had been relatively little light, fluffy, drifty snow in the days past, that surely, any trace of it would be gone by now. The streets would be bone dry, and, as long as we were properly dressed, we'd be invincible.

There may be places in this country where it never snows, and then there are undoubtedly places where snow is on the ground most of winter. Chicago is neither of those. Our winters are marked by sporadic, often abundant, precipitation of every conceivable type, fierce winds that blow the stuff all over the place, and temperatures fluctuating from mild, spring-like ones to positively arctic. This is coupled with somewhat unpredictable snow management strategy on the part of our city officials, who sometimes plow and salt without restraint, and other times not at all, and, in any case, focus most of their attention on major arteries, while neighborhood streets suffer from neglect, and develop treacherous patches of nearly invisible ice at every stop sign.

My first sense that things were not as I expected came as soon as I pulled out onto our own street. There were a good couple of inches of packed snow on the ground. But traction was OK, and I assumed that the city simply forgot about us again, what, with the Cook County woods facing our street, they probably lost track of who had jurisdiction. Surely, other streets would be OK. And they were, for a while. We deliberated for a few minutes at the corner of Cicero and Peterson, deciding what route to take. At my request, we decided to stick to the side streets, and avoid Devon at any cost. After all, there would be less traffic, and if we just went slowly, it wouldn't be too bad.

Well, where our street was packed snow, these side streets were covered by loose snow concealing patches of compacted stuff that had turned to ice. Well-heeled residents in their SUV's were making their way out of their homes to holiday parties, with little regard for intrepid cyclists. Chris began to note that his new windfront tights were not keeping him as warm as he had hoped. I was glad he talked me into windproof over-pants before we left the house. On the other hand, his knobby Conti Vertical tires were digging admirably through the snow, while my Double-Fighters were pushing through and gripping the snow, but they were no match for the ice underneath. After about two blocks of this, I got off and headed for the sidewalk. You know Streets and Sanitation has some work to do when residential sidewalks are better than the street.
"I don't feel safe riding." I proclaimed.
"OK, suit yourself. Let's go and get the car," agreed Chris "but we still have to bike home."
"Don't tell me what I already know." I responded huffily, and got back on my bike to pedal home.

But we had not gotten to the end of the block, when the going suddenly got easier again. The snow was deeper, more crunchy, and there was no sign of ice.
"I think it'll be OK if we just make a straight shot down Devon." I said, completely contradicting what we had just decided, and also my usual instinct about that street.

Devon turned out to be more or less of a nightmare. Although it appeared to have been plowed, patches of suspicious slush lurked around the edges. We decided to take the right lane, but just as we were making some headway, we came to a section where the streetlights were completely out. My blinkers were no help in searching out potential hazards in the road, and Chris' more powerful light had to do the work for both of us. East of Lincoln, the streetlights resumed, but traffic got worse, with cars pulling in and out of parking lots, and depositing ridges of black snow as they went. Further east still, where the Indian neighborhood begins, snow remained on the ground, and the safest place to ride was in the tracks left by cars. We got off Devon with relief, and traveled the remaining few blocks on side streets of the type I already described.

Interestingly, the trip back, with bellies full of food and warming drinks, was a breeze. Chris borrowed some lightweight track pants from our host to pull over his tights. We made a conscious decision to stay on medium-sized streets, California and Bryn Mawr, which were mostly cleared and relatively free of traffic. We were home in less than half the time it took us to get there.

Lessons learned:

• Plan your route. On warmer days, it is easy to wing it and improvise your route based on traffic conditions and your mood. In winter, it pays to carefully evaluate where you're going and what is the best way to get there.
• Carry lights capable of illuminating the road, not just blinkers. Don't rely on streetlights. Again, in winter it is not as easy to get off a poorly lit road and choose a different one.
• Dress in windproof layers that will trap warm air and help insulate you if you have to travel slower than your accustomed speed.
• Avoid trying out new items for the first time on a lengthy winter ride. Test them before you head out.
• Realize that the effects of winter weather in Chicago are very unpredictable, and even with well designed equipment and planning, you may not be fully prepared for what you encounter. If that happens, chalk that up as a lesson learned for next time.