This Tread's for You: Winter Cycling in Northern Minnesota
Maintenance and tire tips for winter riding from a place where they know what they're doing…Northern Minnesota.
BEMIDJI, MN – Do you have a personal goal to ride your bike this winter? Maybe you’d like to ride your bike to work once a week, when the pavement is dry, or if the temperature is above 20 degrees. These are some goals Zachary Olson, bike mechanic for The Bike Guy Ski and Bicycle Shop in Bemidji, Minn., might recommend for winter cyclists. Whatever you decide, Zach encourages you to “commit to a goal and know that it doesn’t matter what other people are doing, you’re making a small meaningful change in your life.” Zach is a four-season cyclist, with experience riding in Bemidji winters.
Perhaps winter riding makes you think: “I’m going to wreck my bike!” or “Snow will cause me to fall!” I asked Zach about this and he was quick to suggest some tips. He says keeping your bike in good repair and conducting some easy basic maintenance can prevent your bike from being ruined by winter riding, not the snow itself. He adds, “In a few inches of wet snow, you get good traction, because it’s sticky.”
Here are a few of Zach’s maintenance tips for winter cycling:
- Wash your bike
- Use an oil-based lube
- Wipe the drive train down every time you ride
In addition, appropriate bike tires are important for good traction on Bemidji winter terrain, where riders are challenged by snow and ice. To navigate through snow, Zach recommends that the winter cyclist first go slow, wear warm clothes, and gear up by investing in either a mountain bike with wide tires and studs or a bike with a coaster break and homemade traction made by attaching zip ties to the tires.
Zach hinted that the Bemidji community might persuade him to lead a winter cycling clinic to answer questions and teach some basics, if there was an interest. Contact Zach at The Bike Guy to learn more, 218-333-8891.
Zach also encourages people to experiment and try new things. If your bike has good mountain bike tires, it might perform just fine here in Bemidji if the pavement is clear. Last year we had a season of very light snowfall, which provided winter cyclists with clean pavement for about 30 to 40 percent of the winter. But it’s hard to say what the snowfall might be this season!
While we were talking, Zach was winterizing his bike—putting fenders and a rack on his bike, which he completed during our interview. Impressive!
If you’re out and about on your bike this winter, be sure to look for Zachary Olson, who has indicated there’s a new trend in winter cycling traction—tire chains with rim brakes. He hasn’t used these, but might just take his own advice and try something new this winter!
Featured in the photo: Zachary Olson and Cyndi Fenske at the 3rd Annual Brrrrmidji New Years Bike Ride.
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