No Matter the Weather, Cycling is Better!

Are you but a summer sloth, or a skilled winter cyclist? Winter is coming, and you might consider it a bit tedious changing to winter tires. Also, it may not seem too enticing to fall on the slippery ice and end up with crutches or a broken arm all winter. However, there is no need to be afraid of winter cycling. If you have never cycled during winter before, you should be thinking: “Cool, something new to try!” rather than “no, I cannot be bothered…”. Not only will it make you part of the tough elite if you are ever asked how you get to work or school; you also deny winter the pleasure of preventing you from commuting sustainably.

Journalist: Arthur Devold

Translator: Aleksander Mæland Munkejord

Photographer: Lina Grünbeck

Try Beating the Statistics!

There is no doubt that 2021 has made us stop doing some of the small everyday activities that people used to do more of. Walking for fifteen minutes instead of sitting three minutes on the bus is one of the small decisions that make big differences. During summer, this kind of activity comes for free through days filled with outdoor activities, trips to the beach, and cycling. But when the darkness, the cold and winter slush take hold throughout the fall, many will find comfort with a teacup on the couch more often than during the summer. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but on average the activity level is lower during this season. So, defying the rough weather by cycling during these months could be just the right thing to do.

The “Doorstep Mile” of Cycling

Changing to winter tires is a step that is wise to take before cycling during winter times. Even if there are several good reasons to cycle during the winter, there is no getting around the fact that many people never manage to take this first step.

Especially for students with limited economies, purchasing studded tires is a task can be given low priority. That is why Ås Municipality and NMBU have joined forces with SPIRE together with the Society for the Conservation of Nature in Ås, the Students of Nature Conservation, The Norwegian Association for Company Sports, Follo Bicycle Club, Ås Bicycle Repairs, Intersport Vinterbro and the National Cyclist Association in Ås, to host a winter bicycle party at Vitenparken. There was food and drinks, music, lots of learning, not to mention professional bicycle mechanics. They were offering free assistance with changing tires.

Lena Marie Kjøbli is the environmental coordinator at NMBU and she is proud of the people in Ås; “So many people are cycling”. She is also pleased with how today’s bicycle party helps even more people take the important first step: changing tires.

Did you know:

Only 10% of summer cyclists cycle during winter.
A cyclist is the most energy efficient creature on earth if you consider how much energy comes out of how little is “invested”.
It is most important that you change to studded tires on the front wheel. If you find it too expensive to buy studded tires, this may change your mind.
A fuel-efficient car goes 20 km on one liter of gasoline. An average cyclist can go 1037 km with the corresponding amount of energy. Just remember to take breaks!
The National Cyclist Association has plenty of great videos with cycling tips on YouTube.

Bicycle Parties 

I must admit that I had never heard of bicycle parties before. They have been hosted in Ås for several years and are surely here to stay. Apparently, the enthusiasm is so widespread that today’s party was even visited by a kind of spy. Jarle Ring from the communication company JPC Arena is planning the great bicycle day at the City Hall Square in Oslo. Together with the National Cyclist Association, among others represented by Olav Fjeld Kraugerud, he is hoping for a proper bicycle party there next summer. The bicycle parties in Ås are causing ripple effects!

Olav’s Hottest Tips

Other than keeping the bicycle clean from salt and oil, I was wondering what else is important in order to be a proper winter cyclist. Olav Fjeld Kraugerud offers three clever tricks. By lowering the seat, you get a lower center of mass, and more stability. It also lowers the distance to the ground, so that you can put your foot down if you fall. A skilled winter cyclist keeps their seat lower than the summer sloth. His second tip is to pump the tires a little less full than in the summer, to get a larger surface contact with the ground, and better grip. Tip number three is that you really only need to change your front tire. That is the one that matters most in terms of stability.

He also offers a couple of tips regarding equipment. Lobster gloves work! They keep you warm, but you still manage to brake and change gears. “This is where the DIY spirit comes in … home-sewn lobster gloves … Christmas present hit of the year?” Tip two should fit the students of what used to be the College of Agriculture well: Wellingtons. “DeLaval wellingtons on your feet, with wool socks inside. (Is this “The revenge of livestock students”?)”. Thanks, Olav!

Winter Surfing

“Cycling in the snow on the roadside is a bit like surfing”, a buddy told me when I said I didn’t want to cycle during winter. It is something you simply cannot do during summer, and I felt enticed to try it out. So, this year, my studded tires are on, and I am no longer just a summer sloth.