Tips for safe and comfortable nighttime and cold-weather bicycle commuting

Night riding

The following are required by law for night riding in most states, and are always a good idea anyway:

a bright, white, headlight
a red rear reflector or tail light
reflectors on pedals or reflective leg bands

I use:

A NiteRider 6V rechargeable NiCad battery (mounted in the water bottle cage) that powers
- a headlight with 3 settings: 6, 10, and 15 W (very bright!)
- a blinking red tail-light (also very bright), which I've mounted on the rear rack.
a CatEye Micro halogen front light, as a backup. Runs on 4AA batteries -- I use rechargables, which get about 2 hours/charge.
a "Red Alert" rear blinking LED, powered by a magnet mounted on the spokes -- no batteries, no friction!
pedal reflectors -- incredibly effective, very recognizable to drivers
silver reflective decals on wheel rims, cranks, and helmet
In winter, when I wear a black jacket shell, I wear a reflective vest (available from most bike shops) for extra visibility.

See Bicycle Lighting or Bicycle Lights FAQ for more info.

Cold-weather riding

The trick is to keep the hands, feet, and head warm, while not overheating the torso!

65^o+ F: shorts, short sleeves, cycling (fingerless) gloves
60-65^o F: long sleeves, knee warmers
50-60^o F: 2 layers on top, e.g. windbreaker + zip-neck polypropylene shirt, long pants or tights
40-50^o F: polypro + pile vest + windbreaker; gloves (thin); thin hat under helmet
30-40^o F: thicker gloves w/ GoreTex membrane to release sweat
20-30^o F: even thicker gloves; balaclava under helmet; neoprene shoe covers over shoes; long polypro underpants; polypro + pile jacket + GoreTex ski shell w/high collar, low waist
10-20^o F: ski mittens w/wicking liner, GoreTex membrane, and snug cuffs (I have "Kombi" brand); balaclava + neoprene ski mask over mouth and nose; L.L. Bean "duck shoes" with Thinsulate insulation and very thick wool socks.

Using this system, I've been able to ride my 10-mile (45-minute) commute quite comfortably down to 10^o F.

The balaclava makes a big difference. It's medium-weight, with a fuzzy fleece lining. The neoprene face mask also has a warm fuzzy lining and a pattern of holes through which to breathe easily; it's actually marketed as a ski mask.

Visit the ICEBIKE, Bike Winter, or MassBike winter riding websites for more info.

Wet weather riding

There's nothing like GoreTex. It's expensive, but it works. I have a cycling jacket and a pair of ski pants made by the now-defunct MontBell, but there are several other excellent makes (REI, Cannondale, Pearl Izumi...). If I arrive with damp clothes -- it's sweat, not rain.

I wear neoprene booties (available from Colorado Cyclist) over street shoes.

Also, as most of the world outside the US knows, fenders are essential for comfortable, dry riding in wet weather.

Rain get in your eyes? Try a hat or hood with a visor under your helmet.

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James D. Lowenthal
Five Colleges Astronomy Department
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003
james@astro.umass.edu