They say we might be in for some wild weather the next few days, so get your bikes ready for interesting times. If you head out in snow, lower your tire pressure a bit, watch those turns, and try to stay toasty! We’ve shared loads of wintry weather riding tips over the years and this post is a good place to start.
If you’re looking for community support and inspiration, and don’t feel like heading out on your own, check out the rides below.
But wait: Did you know Portland-based Bike Tires Direct has a huge warehouse sale coming up January 20th?! It’s true. And you can save up to 70% on hundreds of items. There will be doorbuster deals, an e-bike sweepstakes, and more. Get the info here.
Saturday, January 13th
PSU Farmers Market Ride – 10:00 am at SE Clinton & 41st (SE)
Join a merry crew for this weekly jaunt from inner southeast, across the Tillikum Bridge, and into downtown to purchase and peruse wonderful food and other items at the market. More info here.
Sunday, January 14th
Ole Bolle Troll Ride – 9:30 am at Paulson’s Floor Coverings parking lot in Cedar Mill (West Side)
The Portland Bicycling Club is on a mission to find and pay respects to the giant troll public art project by Thomas Dambo. Will they find it? You’ll only find out if you join them on this ride! More info here.
Ride for a Ceasefire – 12:00 pm at Blumenauer Bridge (NE)
Ride organizers Rose City Indivisible say, “We are a group of multi-faith Portland riders who are demanding that Earl Blumenauer listen to his constituents and call for an immediate, permanent ceasefire, an end to the occupation, and an end to the US funding Israel’s military.” More info here.
Corvidae Second Sunday Funday Ride – 2:00 pm at Peninsula Park Gazebo (N)
This fun-loving and welcoming bike club will brave whatever weather comes our way with a group ride to ring in the new year. More info here.
— Don’t see an event? Please tell us about what’s going on in your neighborhood by filling out our contact form!
Thanks for reading.
BikePortland has served this community with independent community journalism since 2005. We rely on subscriptions from readers like you to survive. Your financial support is vital in keeping this valuable resource alive and well.
Please subscribe today to strengthen and expand our work.
The weather this weekend may get interesting. If it’s raining right up to the point where it freezes we may have an unfortunate smooth layer of ice under everything.
I think I have a bike that can do it. This might be the kind of weather where a trike would inspire confidence but I’ll have to settle for fat, low psi tires. I hope to give it a go on the ceasefire ride!
Who needs a bike? Snow is the perfect texture for running.
Maybe I made this comment last year when it snowed, but I think that line every single time I get on a bike or walk in the snow. Just a little spell of warding for hubris or something.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKZj2W2YyKY
Bummer to click through and find the troll ride cancelled, but I certainly understand not gambling with snow and hills especially after last years roadways, they were quite the adventure for all.
ah dang. And yes, that’s a good reminder to always click through before showing up. You never know if a ride is cancelled or updated.
Snow’s not that bad to ride in, but as John observes, the ice is what you need to be mindful of. Even at low speeds, ice crashes can be violent bone shattering affairs. I’ll be on my trike rather than on dual 23’s (the only tire I use on uprights).
Special care needs to be taken with Portland drivers who are the butt of jokes nationwide for good reason — don’t let yourself get crushed by an out of control vehicle.
If you’re riding on ice or snow, lower your seat. A lot. It will make it easier to recover your balance if you hit ice. And if you fall you won’t hit as hard.
If you regularly don’t wear a helmet, consider wearing one if you are going out in potentially icy conditions.
Be careful out there!
Ted Buehler
Bring an insulated bottle of hot or warm water to periodically wash the slush off your cassettes, so you can change gears. Wear multiple layers of clothing. Bring spare gloves, an undershirt, and caps (tooks/toques) to wear under your helmet, as you’ll get unusually sweaty during cold weather bicycling. Crampons for your shoes are a good idea (strap-on spikes for the underside of your shoes) and gaiters. Studded tires and bike tire chains exist but are probably overkill.
+1 to this. I typically don’t wear a helmet for short trips (which is most of my trips), but if I have even a whiff of ice about, I’m wearing one even to go around the block. I had a learning experience in my younger days where I ended up on a steep icy hill running straight into 39th and my options were to throw myself or go flying into traffic. That was maybe a couple hundred feet from where I started the ride, and I’m happy that my helmet was there to eat most of that aforementioned dive.
Can any of the pro Hamas crowd here tell me how a permanent ceasefire is going to be enforced on Hamas since they are the organization that has broken all the ceasefires so far.
“call for an immediate, permanent ceasefire, an end to the occupation, and an end to the US funding Israel’s military.”
Hey, I like that last part you put in quotes. The first part seems non sequitur. You don’t have to like Hamas to want indiscriminate killing of children and ethnic cleansing of a land to stop.
Instead of posting trolling questions here, maybe start a “ride to continue genocide” event?
Answer my question if you can. How can there be a ceasefire if one side keeps attacking and has publicly stated they won’t stop?
Is your internal excuse to not engage in critical thinking calling others trolls?
As I have mentioned to you and others more than once, you really should visit some of the world that isn’t wealthy, it will be very educational.
Also, the quotes are because it was taken from the article.
What makes me crazy about this is you won’t just come out and say what you’re implying. Why don’t you start a “ride to genocide Gaza”? That’s what you are actually arguing for in your comments but are too afraid to come out and say because it reveals an ugly underbelly that many people would find a little (or extremely) sickening. So you have to let out a constant stream of made up people (“pro Hamas crowd”), name calling, and just unrelated nonsense to try and distract from the plain and simple things anyone can see is happening.
I’m saying ceasefire now. That’s it. It’s very simple, and you have to tie yourself into bizarre knots to make that into a bad thing. What’s happening now is the most killing of innocent civilians, targeted media killing, and just depraved war crimes certainly in my lifetime. And my government pays for it! My labor goes straight into making bombs to drop on apartment buildings with kids inside. So no, I’m not going to answer your nonsense question, I’m going to continue demanding we stop supporting that.
Also, this isn’t the place to have this debate (I think), so I hope this is my last word on it for now.
Yes. Thanks John V. and jakeco969. As much as I believe this is an important debate and I appreciate both of you having it in a (relatively) productive way, please just move on and don’t try to get the last word. I think you’ve both made your points and Lisa and I would rather not have to close the comments again. Thanks for understanding.