Cycling in Winter? of Course!

In summer, many people use bicycles as a practical and environmentally friendly means of transport: for shopping, for the ride to work or for the weekend outing. But with the first frost, the bike is put away for the winter. There is another way! Use the positive and health-promoting characteristics of the bicycle driving also in the Winder! Properly equipped and moved with sense, your bike does not have to spend half a year in hibernation, according to the German Road Safety Council (DVR).

The DVR gives the following tips in this regard.

  • Dress according to the “onion principle”: several thin layers instead of one thick one. This way you can always adjust to the current condition and avoid sickening freezing and sweating. In addition, warming air cushions are formed between the individual layers.
  • Protect your hands best with mittens; a headband or a cap worn under the helmet keeps the ears warm.
  • According to traffic experts, the lighting system of the bike is important: conventional side-running dynamos often do not manage to reliably produce energy in slush and snow. Better are the hub dynamos often found on new bikes. If you want to retrofit your bike, you can also go for a spoke dynamo. Two-wire wiring also improves the reliability of the lighting system. Front and rear lights should be equipped with an automatic parking light, so that you are still illuminated when standing and thus visible to other road users. You can also wear additional clothing with reflective stripes.
  • Prescribed and especially important in winter are yellow pedal reflectors and spoke reflectors or reflective stripes on the tires.
  • In winter operation, frequent cleaning of the wheel is useful to remove dirt and salt residues. At the same time, the chain and the brake and shift cables should be lubricated.

Dosed steering and braking

On wet and slippery roads, prudent driving is vital. If you put the saddle a little lower, you can use your legs to stabilize the wheel on slippery roads. Steering and braking should only be done in good doses when the roads are slippery, which requires an appropriately adjusted speed. Regularly check your brakes for proper functioning – especially important when the road is wet. Then nothing stands in the way of two-wheeled fun even in winter.