tips

 January is here and that means that it is going to get colder and colder for the next few months.  At least that's the way it's supposed to work, but we'll see.  Their are a lot of fun things about commuting all winter through the cold.  Well "a lot" may be an exaggeration, but their are definitely some perks.  But if you are freezing your ass of it can just be a whole new world of pain and cold and frustration.  So here are a few basic things you can do to keep warm.  1. Tape up those vents. Helmet vents are meant to keep your head nice and cool, that is the opposite of what you want.  My winter helmet is pretty haggard already so adding a little duck tape to the front vent o keep the wind at bay just adds to it's charm.  I'm sure some people will say this is all for naught, but I am super strong proponent of doing this, it sure as shooting cant hurt.

 While we're on the topic of headgear this is my other absolute winter essential. I would argue that cycling caps make even more sense in the winter than in the summer. My Walz Wool cap keeps my ears and neck warm, keeps the sun out of my eyes, and keeps that wind off your forehead and face as well which is a god send.  And we are ordering a bunch of EC Velo Wool WInter caps just like this from Walz, they are hella nice, and that is coming from someone who doesn't just throw around his "hella"s. Trust me.

Last but not least is get yourself liner gloves.  These deals cost a few bucks for a few pairs and layering gloves works wonders for keeping your mitts warm.  This mornings zero degree commute was done with just a couple pairs of these and the mittens below.   

 So yeah, pretty basic stuff.  Keep out of the wind and wear layers in the winter.  Not rocket science, but the little things go a long way to keeping you toasty and riding all winter.