{"id":832,"date":"2019-11-22T19:24:15","date_gmt":"2019-11-22T19:24:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/yow\/?p=832"},"modified":"2019-12-03T14:45:57","modified_gmt":"2019-12-03T14:45:57","slug":"icicles-on-bicycles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/yow\/2019\/11\/22\/icicles-on-bicycles\/","title":{"rendered":"Icicles on bicycles"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.0.5&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||0px|||&#8221; locked=&#8221;off&#8221;][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.0.6&#8243;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.0.6&#8243;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/yow\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/YOW-logo.png&#8221; url=&#8221;https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/yow\/&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.0.6&#8243; height=&#8221;270px&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||0px|||&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_social_media_follow use_icon_font_size=&#8221;on&#8221; icon_font_size=&#8221;13px&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.0.6&#8243; text_orientation=&#8221;right&#8221; min_height=&#8221;18px&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;-85px||-32px|||&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||1px|||&#8221;][et_pb_social_media_follow_network social_network=&#8221;instagram&#8221; url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/yowpublication\/&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.0.6&#8243; background_color=&#8221;#e8377c&#8221; background_enable_color=&#8221;on&#8221; follow_button=&#8221;off&#8221; url_new_window=&#8221;on&#8221;]instagram[\/et_pb_social_media_follow_network][et_pb_social_media_follow_network social_network=&#8221;twitter&#8221; url=&#8221;https:\/\/twitter.com\/Yowpublication&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.0.6&#8243; background_color=&#8221;#5ce1e6&#8243; background_enable_color=&#8221;on&#8221; follow_button=&#8221;off&#8221; url_new_window=&#8221;on&#8221;]twitter[\/et_pb_social_media_follow_network][et_pb_social_media_follow_network social_network=&#8221;youtube&#8221; url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCj4rs1qjq7orfknOqBrnaKw&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.0.6&#8243; background_color=&#8221;#ffb859&#8243; background_enable_color=&#8221;on&#8221; follow_button=&#8221;off&#8221; url_new_window=&#8221;on&#8221;]youtube[\/et_pb_social_media_follow_network][\/et_pb_social_media_follow][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; fullwidth=&#8221;on&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22&#8243; background_color=&#8221;#f7f7f7&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;||1px|||&#8221; locked=&#8221;off&#8221;][et_pb_fullwidth_menu fullwidth_menu=&#8221;off&#8221; dropdown_menu_bg_color=&#8221;#f2f2f2&#8243; dropdown_menu_line_color=&#8221;#5ce1e6&#8243; dropdown_menu_text_color=&#8221;#000000&#8243; logo=&#8221;https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/yow\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Copy-of-About-YOW-3.png&#8221; show_search_icon=&#8221;on&#8221; search_icon_color=&#8221;#5ce1e6&#8243; cart_icon_font_size=&#8221;20px&#8221; search_icon_font_size=&#8221;20px&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.0.6&#8243; menu_font=&#8221;News Cycle|600|||||||&#8221; menu_text_color=&#8221;rgba(0,0,0,0.81)&#8221; menu_font_size=&#8221;18px&#8221; menu_letter_spacing=&#8221;1px&#8221; background_color=&#8221;#f2f2f2&#8243; min_height=&#8221;48px&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;-1px|||||&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||0px|||&#8221; border_width_top=&#8221;1px&#8221; border_width_right=&#8221;0px&#8221; border_width_bottom=&#8221;1px&#8221; border_width_left=&#8221;0px&#8221; menu_line_height__hover_enabled=&#8221;off|desktop&#8221;][\/et_pb_fullwidth_menu][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; fullwidth=&#8221;on&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.0.6&#8243;][et_pb_fullwidth_post_title categories=&#8221;off&#8221; comments=&#8221;off&#8221; featured_image=&#8221;off&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.0.6&#8243; title_font=&#8221;News Cycle|700|||||||&#8221; title_text_color=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221; title_font_size=&#8221;41px&#8221; meta_text_color=&#8221;#ffffff&#8221; background_image=&#8221;https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/yow\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/image_from_ios-1.jpg&#8221; height=&#8221;900px&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;-1px||||false|false&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;770px||||false|false&#8221;][\/et_pb_fullwidth_post_title][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.22&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;4px||0px|||&#8221;][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; background_size=&#8221;initial&#8221; background_position=&#8221;top_left&#8221; background_repeat=&#8221;repeat&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px|||||&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;3.25&#8243; custom_padding=&#8221;|||&#8221; custom_padding__hover=&#8221;|||&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.0.6&#8243; text_font_size=&#8221;13px&#8221; text_line_height=&#8221;1.2em&#8221; min_height=&#8221;23px&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;7px|||||&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||0px|||&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Kent Dougall, owner of Phat Moose Cycles on Hawthorne Avenue, often helps first-time winter cyclists prepare for the colder months. On Nov. 19, 2019, he shows off a fat bike in his shop. Photo by Kate Schellenberg.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.0.6&#8243; min_height=&#8221;312px&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;-19px||1px|||&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;0px||1px|||&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p><!-- divi:paragraph {\"fontSize\":\"small\"} --><\/p>\n<p>Winter biking never used to be popular in the city.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --> <!-- divi:paragraph -->According to winter biking advocate Don Fugler, in the \u201870s it was rare to see any cyclists at all in the winter months.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --> <!-- divi:paragraph -->\u201cWhen I first started in Ottawa, if I ever met another cyclist in winter, we&#8217;d stop and chat,\u201d said Fugler, 68, who has been winter cycling in Canada for 45 years.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --> <!-- divi:paragraph -->\u201cBut now sometimes, I&#8217;ve been to an intersection and there&#8217;s a cyclist at all four stop signs.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --> <!-- divi:paragraph -->As more people choose to cycle year-round, cycling advocates in Ottawa say there are lots of things to consider. Freezing cold, icy road conditions, poor visibility and bike wear and tear are just some of the headaches associated with winter biking. However, with the right preparation, it doesn\u2019t have to be a winter woe.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --> <!-- divi:paragraph -->According to data from Ottawa\u2019s <a href=\"http:\/\/ottawa-laurier.visio-tools.com\/\">bike counter<\/a>, winter cycling numbers have been increasing in the past few years.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=&#8221;4.0.6&#8243; custom_margin=&#8221;||3px|||&#8221;]<iframe src='https:\/\/public.flourish.studio\/visualisation\/964220\/embed' frameborder='0' scrolling='no' style='width:500%;height:600px;'><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div style='width:100%!;margin-top:4px!important;text-align:right!important;'><a class='flourish-credit' href='https:\/\/public.flourish.studio\/visualisation\/964220\/?utm_source=embed&#038;utm_campaign=visualisation\/964220' target='_top' style='text-decoration:none!important' rel='noopener noreferrer'><img alt='Made with Flourish' src='https:\/\/public.flourish.studio\/resources\/made_with_flourish.svg' style='width:105px!important;height:16px!important;border:none!important;margin:0!important;'> <\/a><\/div>\n<p>[\/et_pb_code][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.0.6&#8243; text_font_size=&#8221;13px&#8221; text_line_height=&#8221;1.2em&#8221; min_height=&#8221;28px&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;0px||1px|||&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;||0px|||&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span>The average number of roundtrips made by cyclists in winter months, measured by a counter at the intersection of Laurier and Metcalfe. Data from the eco-counter. Graphic illustration by Kate Schellenberg<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.0.6&#8243; custom_margin=&#8221;2px||1px|||&#8221; custom_padding=&#8221;9px||1px|||&#8221; inline_fonts=&#8221;News Cycle&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 18px;\">Coun. Catherine McKenney, a year-round cyclist, has also noticed an uptick in winter bikers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><!-- \/divi:paragraph --><span style=\"font-size: 18px;\">\u201cIn warmer months, there are over 4,000 people a day that takes over the bike lanes, and that&#8217;s increasing in the winter,\u201d they said. \u201cEvery winter we see more and more people on board.\u201d<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 18px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-family: 'News Cycle';\"><strong>Bundling up<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 18px;\">Getting the right gear for cycling is important, according to Kent Dougall, owner of Ottawa\u2019s Phat Moose Cycles.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 18px;\">\u201cMake yourself comfortable,\u201d said Dougall. \u201cIf you&#8217;re not going to be comfortable, if you\u2019re not wearing the right stuff, you&#8217;re going to be soaked. It&#8217;s going to suck and you&#8217;re not going to do it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 18px;\">Wearing the right stuff doesn\u2019t have to cost a lot.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 18px;\">\u201cPeople ask me all the time, what should I wear on my feet? Should I get these really fancy $450 dollar boots to commute in? I say no you shouldn&#8217;t because you&#8217;re just gonna put them in gnarly, awful salt,\u201d said Dougall.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 18px;\">Fugler echoed this sentiment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 18px;\">\u201cI know there&#8217;s a lot of people that want cycling shoes that clip on or they have shoe covers and all that stuff,\u201d he said. \u201cThat&#8217;s good for them. For me, it&#8217;s rubber boots.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 18px;\">The most important item of clothing? Waterproof gear.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 18px;\">\u201cYou don&#8217;t have to dress really warmly but you need rain pants and a jacket that is not only waterproof but visible,\u201d said Fugler.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 18px;\">Dougall didn\u2019t recommend any specific clothes. Instead, he said, \u201cyou want to be warm and dry. Who cares? It can be big and ugly and clunky. Just get it done.\u00a0 Function over form.\u201d<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 18px;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><\/em><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/yow\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/cycle-gear_42666249-1.jpg&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.0.6&#8243; custom_margin=&#8221;||-1px|||&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.0.6&#8243; text_font_size=&#8221;13px&#8221; text_line_height=&#8221;1.2em&#8221; min_height=&#8221;28px&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;-3px||1px|||&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span>Winter cycling tips from Kent Dougall. Graphic illustration by Kate Schellenberg.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.0.6&#8243; custom_margin=&#8221;27px|||||&#8221; inline_fonts=&#8221;News Cycle&#8221;]<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-family: 'News Cycle'; font-weight: normal;\"><strong>Getting your bike ready<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 18px;\">Gear for your bike can get a bit more expensive, though.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><!-- divi:paragraph -->Dougall recommends budgeting at least $300 dollars a year for maintaining your bike. He sees clients hoping to repurpose their old shabby bike for winter cycling, in the hopes of doing it on the cheap.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYour parts are going to corrode and you&#8217;re going to have to replace them. Winter studded tires are really expensive,\u201d said Dougall.<\/p>\n<p><!-- divi:paragraph -->Studded tires cost, on average, $150 per tire at Phat Moose Cycles.<\/p>\n<p><!-- divi:paragraph -->On top of a bike and studded tires, winter-cyclists need fenders, lights for the front and back of their bike and a warm helmet. At Phat Moose Cycles, this could run you upwards of $200 dollars.<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-family: 'News Cycle'; font-weight: normal;\"><strong>Chilly cycling<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In Ottawa, temperatures can get down to -30 C during the colder months, a fact that cyclists need to take into account.<\/p>\n<p><!-- divi:paragraph -->\u201cI cycled home last night in -20 C. And I was actually quite cozy,\u201d said cycling advocate Hans Moor.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 18px;\">Originally from the Netherlands, Moor is well known in Ottawa and writes about all things outdoors on his blog <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/hansonthebike.com\/\" style=\"font-size: 18px;\">Hans on the Bike<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 18px;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><!-- divi:paragraph -->\u201cIf you\u2019re dressed for it, it&#8217;s like skiing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Another issue in Ottawa is the fluctuating weather.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn Finland, [cyclists] just kind of flatten the snow,\u201d said Moor. \u201cYou can cycle uncomplicatedly on it. Here it freezes, it thaws, it freezes, it thaws. Every city has its own issues.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-family: 'News Cycle'; font-weight: normal;\"><strong>Have a spill kit<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Winter cyclists must heed more than just factors like cold and the cost.<\/p>\n<p><!-- divi:paragraph -->\u201cWill you fall? Yes. So hopefully you&#8217;ve taken precautions,\u201d warns Dougall.<\/p>\n<p><!-- divi:paragraph -->Most cyclists have at least one story per winter about falling. For Fugler, he\u2019s improved over time, only taking one or two spills each year. He names ice as the No. 1 reason.<\/p>\n<p><!-- divi:paragraph -->\u201cThere are times where I&#8217;ve gone through a deep puddle in winter and then realized there&#8217;s ice on the bottom \u2026 and you fall in the puddle,\u201d said Fugler.<\/p>\n<p><!-- divi:paragraph -->Since falling is almost guaranteed, Dougall gets cyclists to think about where they bike.<\/p>\n<p><!-- divi:paragraph -->\u201cLook at your route, assess your route. Can you take your summer route and change it? Is it safe? Are you just on pathways? Okay, great, then let&#8217;s look at those, or can you take side streets,\u201d suggested Dougall.<\/p>\n<p><!-- divi:paragraph -->The weather is cold, the roads are slippery, so why bike instead of taking a car? It may all be worth it for the special moments that come along every so often.<\/p>\n<p><!-- divi:paragraph -->When heavy rain falls on top of snow, freezing into a hard crust, this can seem to many like a dangerous disaster. But for Fugler, these are ideal conditions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt means everywhere is the road. So you just ride across fields, you can ride across the street, the front yard,\u201d he said. \u201cIt happens very, very rarely but when it does happen you should take advantage of it, because the whole world is rideable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><!-- divi:paragraph --><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_video src=&#8221;https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=zECd8cIX9ZI&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.0.6&#8243; custom_margin=&#8221;||5px|||&#8221;][\/et_pb_video][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.0.6&#8243; text_line_height=&#8221;1.2em&#8221; min_height=&#8221;29px&#8221; custom_margin=&#8221;6px||1px|||&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Biking up and down Laurier Avenue in downtown Ottawa on Nov. 19, 2019. Video by Kate Schellenberg.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=&#8221;4.0.6&#8243;][\/et_pb_code][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.0.6&#8243;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.0.6&#8243;][et_pb_blog fullwidth=&#8221;off&#8221; posts_number=&#8221;3&#8243; include_categories=&#8221;83&#8243; show_categories=&#8221;off&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.0.6&#8243; header_font=&#8221;News Cycle|700|||||||&#8221; body_font=&#8221;Source Sans Pro||||||||&#8221; hover_enabled=&#8221;0&#8243;][\/et_pb_blog][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How to avoid Ottawa\u2019s winter biking woes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":840,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"<!-- wp:paragraph {\"fontSize\":\"small\"} -->\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">Kent Dougall, owner of Phat Moose Cycles on Hawthorne Avenue, often helps first-time winter cyclists prepare for the colder months. On Nov. 19, 2019, he shows off a fat bike in his shop. Photo by Kate Schellenberg <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Winter biking never used to be popular in the city.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>According to winter biking advocate Don Fugler, in the \u201870s it was rare to see any cyclists at all in the winter months.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cWhen I first started in Ottawa, if I ever met another cyclist in winter, we'd stop and chat,\u201d said Fugler, 68, who has been winter cycling in Canada for 45 years.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cBut now sometimes, I've been to an intersection and there's a cyclist at all four stop signs.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>As more people choose to cycle year-round, cycling advocates in Ottawa say there are lots of things to consider. Freezing cold, icy road conditions, poor visibility and bike wear and tear are just some of the headaches associated with winter biking. However, with the right preparation, it doesn\u2019t have to be a winter woe.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>According to data from Ottawa\u2019s <a href=\"http:\/\/ottawa-laurier.visio-tools.com\/\">bike counter<\/a>, winter cycling numbers have been increasing in the past few years.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><em>Insert bike bar chart.<\/em><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><em>The average number of roundtrips made by cyclists in winter months, measured by a counter at the intersection of Laurier and Metcalfe. Data from the eco-counter. Graphic illustration by Kate Schellenberg<\/em><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Coun. Catherine McKenney, a year-round cyclist, has also noticed an uptick in winter bikers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cIn warmer months, there are over 4,000 people a day that takes over the bike lanes, and that's increasing in the winter,\u201d they said. \u201cEvery winter we see more and more people on board.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2><strong>Bundling up<\/strong><\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Getting the right gear for cycling is important, according to Kent Dougall, owner of Ottawa\u2019s Phat Moose Cycles.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cMake yourself comfortable,\u201d said Dougall. \u201cIf you're not going to be comfortable, if you\u2019re not wearing the right stuff, you're going to be soaked. It's going to suck and you're not going to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Wearing the right stuff doesn\u2019t have to cost a lot.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cPeople ask me all the time, what should I wear on my feet? Should I get these really fancy $450 dollar boots to commute in? I say no you shouldn't because you're just gonna put them in gnarly, awful salt,\u201d said Dougall.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Fugler echoed this sentiment.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cI know there's a lot of people that want cycling shoes that clip on or they have shoe covers and all that stuff,\u201d he said. \u201cThat's good for them. For me, it's rubber boots.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>The most important item of clothing? Waterproof gear.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cYou don't have to dress really warmly but you need rain pants and a jacket that is not only waterproof but visible,\u201d said Fugler.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Dougall didn\u2019t recommend any specific clothes. Instead, he said, \u201cyou want to be warm and dry. Who cares? It can be big and ugly and clunky. Just get it done.&nbsp; Function over form.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><em>insert winter gear graphic<\/em><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><em>Tips from Kent Dougall. Graphic illustration by Kate Schellenberg.<\/em><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2><strong>Getting your bike ready<\/strong><\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Gear for your bike can get a bit more expensive, though.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Dougall recommends budgeting at least $300 dollars a year for maintaining your bike. He sees clients hoping to repurpose their old shabby bike for winter cycling, in the hopes of doing it on the cheap.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cYour parts are going to corrode and you're going to have to replace them. Winter studded tires are really expensive,\u201d said Dougall.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Studded tires cost, on average, $150 per tire at Phat Moose Cycles.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>On top of a bike and studded tires, winter-cyclists need fenders, lights for the front and back of their bike and a warm helmet. At Phat Moose Cycles, this could run you upwards of $200 dollars.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2><strong>Chilly cycling<\/strong><\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>In Ottawa, temperatures can get down to -30 C during the colder months, a fact that cyclists need to take into account.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cI cycled home last night in -20 C. And I was actually quite cozy,\u201d said cycling advocate Hans Moor.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Originally from the Netherlands, Moor is well known in Ottawa and writes about all things outdoors on his blog <a href=\"https:\/\/hansonthebike.com\/\">Hans on the Bike<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cIf you\u2019re dressed for it, it's like skiing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Another issue in Ottawa is the fluctuating weather.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cIn Finland, [cyclists] just kind of flatten the snow,\u201d said Moor. \u201cYou can cycle uncomplicatedly on it. Here it freezes, it thaws, it freezes, it thaws. Every city has its own issues.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2><strong>Have a spill kit<\/strong><\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Winter cyclists must heed more than just factors like cold and the cost.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cWill you fall? Yes. So hopefully you've taken precautions,\u201d warns Dougall.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Most cyclists have at least one story per winter about falling. For Fugler, he\u2019s improved over time, only taking one or two spills each year. He names ice as the No. 1 reason.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cThere are times where I've gone through a deep puddle in winter and then realized there's ice on the bottom \u2026 and you fall in the puddle,\u201d said Fulger.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Since falling is almost guaranteed, Dougall gets cyclists to think about where they bike.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cLook at your route, assess your route. Can you take your summer route and change it? Is it safe? Are you just on pathways? Okay, great, then let's look at those, or can you take side streets,\u201d suggested Dougall.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>The weather is cold, the roads are slippery, so why bike instead of taking a car? It may all be worth it for the special moments that come along every so often.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>When heavy rain falls on top of snow, freezing into a hard crust, this can seem to many like a dangerous disaster. But for Fulger, these are ideal conditions.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u201cIt means everywhere is the road. So you just ride across fields, you can ride across the street, the front yard,\u201d he said. \u201cIt happens very, very rarely but when it does happen you should take advantage of it, because the whole world is rideable.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><em>Insert video<\/em><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><em>Biking up and down Laurier ave. on Nov. 19, 2019. Video by Kate Schellenberg.<\/em><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2,7,83],"tags":[45,47,46],"class_list":["post-832","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features","category-second","category-transpo","tag-biking","tag-ottawa-sports","tag-winter-biking"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/yow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/832","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/yow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/yow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/yow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/yow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=832"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/yow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/832\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1542,"href":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/yow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/832\/revisions\/1542"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/yow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/840"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/yow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=832"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/yow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=832"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cusjc.ca\/yow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=832"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}