[Pants-of-dog]

This is my tenth winter of cycling. How about you?

I stopped keeping track after fifteen years.

[skinster]

I don't think this is true. I'm not tougher than you.

I used to think it would be crazy, dangerous, and maybe impossible to ride a bike in the winter in Montreal. But because of our bike network, and because most of it is snow-cleared, it's not only possible, but very fun.

Thing is, you have to get acclimatized to something as outside your comfort zone as riding in snow.

No way, Qatz, I would die in those temperatures. I am weak AF when it comes to cold weather...but to avoid sounding like a baby I think it's easier if I just say I'm brown and that's why I can't handle cold temps.

Speaking of cyclists...

[QatzelOk]

I stopped keeping track after fifteen years.

I didn't realize you were old enough to have accumulated more than a decade of winter cycling. All 15 years in Montreal, or elsewhere?

...it's easier if I just say I'm brown and that's why I can't handle cold temps.

It might be easier, but it doesn't seem true.

The first person I ever knew who biked regularly was one of my exes.... from Colombia. Okay, he was "golden", and not "brown". But I really don't think pigment distribution hurts/helps with winter biking. It's all in the clothing and studded tires.

[Pants-of-dog]

I didn't realize you were old enough to have accumulated more than a decade of winter cycling. All 15 years in Montreal, or elsewhere?

A few years were here in Edmonton.

It is a lot drier here. The sand, salt, and dry snow combine to make a dry powder that has the same consistency as brown sugar. I actually prefer Montreal slush.

[skinster]

It might be easier, but it doesn't seem true.

It is true, habibi! I don't do well in the cold but if I was forced into it, I suppose I might be able to. I think the weather is weirdly moving to 40s/50s for just next week so I plan to take my bike to and from work with me for some of the days. I wish this godamn city was cyclist friendly tho. It's not, at all.

[QatzelOk]

A few years were here in Edmonton.

It is a lot drier here. The sand, salt, and dry snow combine to make a dry powder that has the same consistency as brown sugar. I actually prefer Montreal slush.

Here in Montreal, the last few winters have had several slushy melts that have frozen into plywood-thick plaques of ice with ice pot-holes in them. Today, they are covered in brown sugar and we had freezing rain at -13 degrees. But it was really nice to cycle, though a work-out.

Over-heating was a problem today, and of course, freezing raindrops on ski goggles.

It's as fun as cross-country skiing if your city clears enough bike lanes and cyclists have dedicated spaces and huge amounts of attitude.

The most attitude-possessing winter cyclists in Montreal are called hurluberlus.

I guess I'm one of them. Three weeks ago, I biked from my house to Quebec City on mixed conditions. Three days of warm motels and sushi along le Chemin du roy (138). It was above freezing the entire time.