Roads
For the most part, winter cycling is on dry smooth road surfaces. Bike paths are obviously inaccessible, but roads are usually in excellent shape 88% of the time. The other 12% of the time the roads will be covered in snow, and 2% of the time the roads will be covered in ice/hard packed snow where cycling is difficult.
Nothing need be said about your cycling abilities for 88% of winter riding, its the last 12% that
suggestions are needed.
It should be noted that riding in any condition in which the road surface is covered has problems concerning the quality of the surface under the snow or ice. Hopefully, you will have had experience in travelling the route prior to having to travel on it while its snow covered.
Cycling in fresh falling snow is actually a nice experience. The snow actually smoothes out all the roughness of a road, and makes riding quite unique. Riding in fresh fallen powder snow of up to 10 cm is not a problem at all.
Riding in wet snow can be accomplished up to about 5 cm in depth without much difficulty, deeper powder or wet snow will start to slow you down and require more work to pedal through.
Riding in snow that has been traveled on, after a few hours or the day after a heavy snow fall, can be difficult. Car, truck and bus tracks tend to pack down the snow quite hard into ruts, making it hard to get out of if you happen into one. As the time after a snow fall lengthens, the effects of salt and traffic will turn the snow into slush, then water.
Cycling in ‘dry’ fallen snow is much easier, more comfortable and better for the bike than riding in wet snow or slush. Fortunately, for the most of our winter, Jan and Feb., the temperatures tend to remain on the cool side. Fallen snow quickly gets plowed off the roads, and the transition from slush/water to a dry road can occur in a few hours. Cycling in March is my least favourite because of the warming temperatures and the almost continual slush and watery road conditions.
Be wary of riding on roads where there is a slush build up along the sides and in the center lanes. Typically, cars will give you some room as they pass you – but their right side tires are usually then travelling in the slush in the centre, meaning, you are going to get splashed frequently with cold, wet, icy slush. Riding on less traveled roads, even if it means snow covered, is usually more comfortable.
In cases of poor snow removal, usually when these is only a few cm of snow and there is no snow removal, packed snow quickly turns to an icy surface. The particularly evident at corners, stop signs and traffic lights.
Be aware of potential packed snow conditions and check out the first few intersections when you start your ride. The best way to negotiate an icy road is to not be on it. Travelling at the extreme right edge of the road, or in the centre of the vehicle tire tracks, in the unpacked snow is the best way through the obstacles.
There are usually 2-3 days per winter that freezing rain falls, coating the snow and roads with ice. This is a very bad thing to have to try and ride on. In fact, you will not be able to ride on it unless you have
metal studded tires.
It can happen that the freezing rain falls after a small snow fall, meaning there is a slight layer of snow which your bicycle can break into under the ice. This is probably the only icy road condition you could travel in.
Bicycling perk is not having to scrape ice off your vehicle, or does it!
作者写这篇文章的时候是2013,所以Bike paths are obviously inaccessible,
2013年以后,一部分Bike paths开始Winter-maintained,变得accessible了。