Want to extend your bike commuting into the colder months?  Need some help with the transition?

The staff over at Great Lakes Cycling and Fitness prepared some articles last year on winter bike commuting that I thought might come in handy as the cold starts to settle in.

Check them out:

Winter Commuting: Has some practical advice to deal with some important winter commuting issues, such as fear of accidents, and more.

Prepare Your Bike for Winter: Some advice on how to deal with your bike when the weather turns cold.

Great lakes will also be hosting winter commuting clinics on Oct 21, Nov 4, and Nov 18.

Another great place to get advice on Winter Bike Commuting is Commute By Bike.  Here’s a post from a couple of years ago with people discussing commuting by bike during the winter.

You can also check out Icebike, which has some nice winter commuting information.

And since I am a winter commuter, I thought I’d share a couple of my top tips as well.  My commute is about 2 miles one-way, so not that bad.

Nancy’s Top Tips for Winter Commuting:

• Your feet and hands get cold first. Make sure to get a good pair of windproof gloves or mittens to keep your hands warm and some nice insulated boots for your feet.
• Hats and scarves are also great. I find that my chin gets cold as does my head, so a nice fleece scarf and hat with ear flaps does the trick.  And I got both items from Value World.
• Windproof gear rocks. For an outer layer, focus on something windproof.  This will help protect you from cold gusts of wind.
• Yes, I do wear a snow suit. When it gets below 20 degrees, I put on a snow suit (the overall kind) over my clothes.  It works really well to keep out the cold.
• A beater bike can help keep your regular bike clean and nice. I have an older bike that I use when it gets nasty outside.  This helps to protect my nicer bike from salt, debris, and yucky winter weather.
• Lights are essential. When it gets cold, it also gets dark.  So don’t forget your lights!
• Finally, don’t bike if you don’t want to. If it’s too snowy or cold, don’t torture yourself.  I don’t want you complaining to me that you hate winter biking because you went out when you didn’t really feel like dealing with it.  You can always walk or take the bus (which is sometimes what I do when it gets really bad).

I’m sure there will be more thoughts on winter biking soon.  In the meantime, post some of your thoughts below and let us know how you deal with winter bike commuting in Ann Arbor.