Robbie, I really like the idea!
Another idea that could be in addition to a die-hard idea-swapping fashion show (love it, Robbie!) is to do this as a repeatable event at various local bike shops. The shops provide a space and some nibbles (can they provide free beer??), shop sound system, etc. and in exchange we bring potential WINTER BIKING and WINTER BIKE ACCESSORY/GEAR customers into their shops for a fun event. We could have a simple "runway" set up, maybe someone with a bright bike light lighting the "model", and some cool background music. It's funny. Ali and I have put on several winter biking clinics over the years. We try to cast a wide net as far as announcements. And then every year I have folks ask me why we don't hold these types of events. How do we reach the interested parties who don't seek out bike-related event notices or tend to be so overwhelmed with event postings that they miss the ones they'd be interested in? That was sort of a rhetorical question.... but I'm still hopeful that we might try to figure out a solution. I think it's the lynch pin for moving toward the goal of 20by2020. -India On 09/27/10, Robbie Webber <[email protected]> wrote: > I'd like to suggest that we have a winter bike gear "fashion show." We all > have our techniques, favorite pieces of clothing, tricks, and tips. Every > year this topic comes up, and we all write in with our ideas. > > > > In order to keep the biking energy going in the less-than-ideal biking > season, it would be fun to trade tips in person. Just pick a night/place and > grab a section of the restaurant/bar. Earlier in the week and earlier in the > evening might make it easier to find a chunk of unoccupied space at a bar. > > > > When I have held classes on how to bike in winter, I always get the ringers > anyway: those that already bike in winter, and come to show off their gear. > > > Since the weather isn't that cold yet, we have time to plan this and try to > lure in the folks that tend to store the bikes when the first flakes fly, the > AM temps are below freezing, or the daylight is gone after work. > > > > Maybe we can shoot for the week before Daylight Savings Time ends - the first > week of November. > > > Thoughts? > > > > > Robbie Webber > Bike Walk Madison Steering Committee > > www.bikewalkmadison.org(http://www.bikewalkmadison.org) > Join our group on Facebook! > > > > > > > On Mon, Sep 27, 2010 at 12:17 PM, India Rose Viola <[email protected] > <[email protected]>> wrote: > > > > > Diane, > > > > > > > > Great questions. Here are my thoughts/opinions: > > > > > > > > It's important to have a wind proof barrier for hands and feet. It's also > > important to be able to maintain circulation- which means making sure your > > mittens/gloves and shoes/socks are not too tight. you may need to make a > > conscious effort to wriggle your toes, bend and flex your ankles, wiggle > > your fingers and change hand position on the handlebars every minute or so > > in order to keep the warm blood flowing to your extremities. Also, if your > > core isn't warm, your body won't bother trying to keep your hands and feet > > warm- it has its priorities. So make sure you are warm from head to neck, > > from neck to waist, from shoulder to wrist... you get the point. One less > > obvious gear choice for keeping your hands warm is studded tires. With > > studded tires, you are able to ride on packed snow and ice without the fear > > of slipping and falling and you will be able to hold the handlebars more > > loosely- leading to warmer hands. > > > > > > > > > > In the winter I wear water proof hiking boots (admittedly quite expensive) > > that are large enough for me to comfortably wear medium-thick wool socks > > underneath. My feet stay warm... but my commute is much shorter than yours > > (5 miles each way). That said, sometimes I have a bit of a cold start and > > usually get warmer as I pass the 2 mile mark. > > > > > > > > > > I do recommend the "lobster"-style gloves for your hands. For the coldest > > of cold days, they need to be made for cycling and not other outdoor > > activities (running, x-country skiing) that have increased hand movement > > and less exposure to driving wind. The same glove that will keep your > > hands warm on a -30 degree day on a windy bike ride will be too warm for > > anything much warmer than that. I usually bring at least 2 pairs of gloves > > on my commute with me- sometimes 3- light, medium, and heavy weight- > > because my hands sometimes get warmer/colder during my ride, and the day > > often starts out one temperature and finishes at another. Make sure you > > have a good place to dry out all of your gear once you are at work (or > > other destination). Turning gloves inside out can help. Bringing a change > > of socks is a must. If I start to get overly sweaty during a ride I try to > > take the time at a red light to shed extra layers. Wet clothes, no matter > > what they are made of, are at best uncomfortable, at worst aiding and > > abetting heat loss. My favorite technical fabric is Merino (or other soft) > > wool. Hands down (I know, some folks can't wear wool- and others just > > prefer synthetics). > > > > > > > > > > If you have more specific questions, I'd be happy to send you specs of the > > gear that I use. Unfortunately a lot of it is several seasons old and may > > not exist as the current brand/model. > > > > If you tell me what you currently wear on your hands and feet during the > > coldest weather I may be able to send you some more ideas. > > > > > > > > Bear in mind that different people have different experiences of the cold. > > I tend to run "warm", so I usually try to add extra layers to my > > recommendations to other people. Although advice from other experienced > > cyclists can be extremely helpful, this is an issue that has a unique > > solution for each individual- i.e. each person needs to experiment and find > > out what works best for them. > > > > > > > > > > Good luck in staying warm on your bike all winter! > > > > > > > > -India > > > > > > > > > > > > On 09/27/10, Diane <[email protected] <[email protected]>> wrote: > > > > > > > > > Hi India, > > > > > > > > > > I have yet to make one of these rides and meet you. I saw this topic out > > > awhile ago and wanted to attend, but I have to ride back to Waunakee and > > > didn't plan well enough today to make it. > > > > > > > > > > So, maybe you can help me out with my problem from last winter?? - I bike > > > 12.5 miles to work. I bought some awesome PI pants last January, but I > > > just can't seem to solve my foot dilemma. A friend suggested I cut the > > > sleeves off a down coat and make "booties" out of those and use those > > > under my duck boots - I haven't tried that yet. Wool hiking socks work > > > well to about 20 degrees, but lose effect afterabout 30 minutes.. > > > > > > > > > > > > Fingertips are also a problem - I am thinking about buying some of those > > > split gortex gloves. > > > > > > > > > > Thanks, > > > > > > > > > > Diane > > > > > > > > > > ---- India Rose Viola <[email protected] <[email protected]>> wrote: > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > > Bikies mailing list > > > > > [email protected] <[email protected]> > > > > > http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org > > > > -- > > > > India Viola > > > > Stretton Lab > > > > 115 Zoology Research > > > > 1117 W. Johnson St. > > > > Madison, WI 53706 > > > > 608.262.3336 > > > > > > > > "How can we learn from our mistakes if we don't first acknowledge them?" > > -Anonymous > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > Bikies mailing list > > > > [email protected] <[email protected]> > > > > http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org > > > > > > -- India Viola Stretton Lab 115 Zoology Research 1117 W. Johnson St. Madison, WI 53706 608.262.3336 "How can we learn from our mistakes if we don't first acknowledge them?" -Anonymous _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org
