3 ms·

The problem with bicycles in Northern Va is that the season is too short it is either burning hot and you will die of heat stroke or freezing cold and your fing

by dougp 17y ago

The problem with bicycles in Northern Va is that the season is too short it is either burning hot and you will die of heat stroke or freezing cold and your fingers and ears get frost bite. I had much more luck walking (2.5 miles) to the metro station and then to work then riding a bike that same distance and it felt much safer. At least with electrics the heat stroke part is fixed.

joeyo 17y ago
The problem of cold fingers and ears is solvable for more or less any reasonable climate-- certainly for northern Virgina. There are really excellent bike gloves and hats that can be worn under a bike helmet. Having a good pair of socks is also important. Jackets are less of a problem than you would think because they only really have to break the wind-- the act of cycling keeping you warm-- until the temperatures get well below freezing. The larger problems with winter bike commuting are dangerous road conditions. Ice and slush on the road are bad enough to contend with if you have four wheels, but they can be quite tricky when you have only two. And to further compound the problem is the fact that the bike lanes and side streets that a cyclist prefers tend to be less frequently salted and cleared.
jrockway 17y ago
burning hot and you will die of heat stroke You have to remember that when you are riding a bicycle, you are sweating and a lot of air is moving over your body. The result is that you stay pretty cool, even when it's very hot out. (It's also important to wear wicking and breathable clothes. You are not going to be very comfortable in a cotton T-shirt.)
gommm 17y ago
I used to ride a bicycle to work during Kyoto's summers (very hot and humid weather) and frankly I find it much more bearable than walking in this weather... The air while riding helps cool off...

3 ms·

The problem with bicycles in Northern Va is that the season is too short it is either burning hot and you will die of heat stroke or freezing cold and your fing

by dougp 17y ago

joeyo 17y ago
The problem of cold fingers and ears is solvable for more or less any reasonable climate-- certainly for northern Virgina. There are really excellent bike gloves and hats that can be worn under a bike helmet. Having a good pair of socks is also important. Jackets are less of a problem than you would think because they only really have to break the wind-- the act of cycling keeping you warm-- until the temperatures get well below freezing. The larger problems with winter bike commuting are dangerous road conditions. Ice and slush on the road are bad enough to contend with if you have four wheels, but they can be quite tricky when you have only two. And to further compound the problem is the fact that the bike lanes and side streets that a cyclist prefers tend to be less frequently salted and cleared.
jrockway 17y ago
burning hot and you will die of heat stroke You have to remember that when you are riding a bicycle, you are sweating and a lot of air is moving over your body. The result is that you stay pretty cool, even when it's very hot out. (It's also important to wear wicking and breathable clothes. You are not going to be very comfortable in a cotton T-shirt.)
gommm 17y ago
I used to ride a bicycle to work during Kyoto's summers (very hot and humid weather) and frankly I find it much more bearable than walking in this weather... The air while riding helps cool off...