one less car news

Well, I guess I gave it all away in the title... So yeah, this week, Cole reviews the Long Road North DVD- check it out here: http:/www.1lesscar.com/reviews/lrn.html
Winter is always a little slow, but we're working on it, and we've got some good things coming... stay tuned!

What's going on?
Just saying those words today reminds me of Marvin Gaye. Wasn't even trying to rhyme...I just gots a little soul for a little white dude...or maybe it's the fact that the sun is shining and the sky is blue as far as I can see today (which is rare where I live this time of the year, period.)- I don't know. Getting shot by your old man probably doesn’t feel so hot...sorry Marvin.
I'm feeling good for the most part. Hopefully Marvin's feeling good too, wherever he is.

That's all beside the point. Here's the real deal- what's going on.

So Cole wrote a review for this really rad Seal Line bag they sent a little while back- not too long ago, but a little bit. I swear it was up, but as I was examining the reviews page the other day I couldn’t find it anywhere, so here it is- albeit a little overdue.

http://www.1lesscar.com/reviews/sealline.html

a new flavor of an old classic...
http://www.1lesscar.com/shirts/bchainring.html

That's right! We're giving away FIVE shirts- One shirt each hour for the next five hours!!!

Want one? Follow us on twitter (look left) and RT our message to win!!! But hurry!!!

-please note: our comments section hasn't been working, so we're having our discussions on the facebook fan page for now...thanks for bearing with that. we're working on switching over to wordpress!

That's right! We've got a new shirt- On sale through the weekend for only 13 bucks!!! you can get that here...

And now for the 3rd and final installment of Cole's Winter Riding Tips series!

The key to winter riding is balance. You can’t lean into your turns like you normally would. Keep your weight over the bike and take corners slow. Try to stay on the seat as much as possible too- the weight over the back tire gives it more traction!

If there is a lot of snow on the ground you can leave half of your base layer of clothing at home because there is nothing like peddling through 6 inches of wet snow to get your body temp up quick!

I remember once I rode to work in 8 inches of fresh snow, was all bundled, up and sweated through two layers and thought I was going to die.

If it's really cold, Vaseline on your face will help stop wind burn. I know it sounds awful but windburn is much worse.

That’s all I have for now... feel free to leave a comment over at our facebook page for now (we finally figured out blogger's comments section is screwed up. nice) with any tips or questions you have and I'll try my best to answer them.

-Cole.

Clothing.

It’s funny to see people trying to be fashionable in the winter. You're riding your bike in the freezing cold. You’re going to look like a dork anyway, so at least look like a warm dork!

A windproof AND waterproof jacket is key. One with pit zips for ventilation is plus, but they're a little pricey.

I tend to wear layers. I always wear a base layer to wick moisture away from my skin. Moisture plus cold air means you're cold.

Next, a regular t-shirt and then I wear a wool jersey to top it off. If it's really cold I'll add my down vest under my shell.

A baklava is also a must! I usually pull mine down around my chin unless it's super cold. This year i'm trying out a beard, and so far so good...sorry ladies.

Glasses with clear lenses stops the freezing wind from blowing in your eyes and making tears and also protects them from rain, snow, sleet. etc.

Gloves I'm still working on- I've been wearing warm weather ski gloves covered inside a wind proof outer glove, but warmth is an issue. I have heard good things about lobster claws but have yet to buy a pair.

Footwear is hard- I ride spd pedals, so I used to go with regular spd shoes and neoprene shoe covers with cut-outs for spds. Last year I got a pair of Lake winter boots and have never been happier. No spd? I would recommend an insulated hiking boot- Gortex would be the best, but that shit's pretty expensive.

I also carry a chemical hand warmer and if something feels like it's so cold that it might fall off, I'll throw a hand warmer on it and get my ass home!

I also believe in helmets. I mean, you're riding a bike in crappy weather and on ice, and probably traffic- It only makes sense!

As always, comments and suggestions are encouraged!

-Cole

This week, instead of my regular Rules of the Road update, I decided to give some advice on winter riding.

I recently made a post on twitter wondering if anyone was reading any of this. Low and behold there was some response!

One response said I should put up some winter riding tips.

My winter riding resume looks like this: I rode day in and day out for 4 years in West Michigan where I faced everything a winter could throw at you, and this will be my third season here in Chicago and here it’s a whole new beast.

First let's talk bikes.

In Michigan as well as Chicago there is salt. The salt is thrown all over the roads to help melt the ice. Salt will destroy pretty much any bike with a quickness, so it’s best to have a winter bike. The idea is build up something simple that you really could care less about.

In the past I've rode a mountain bike that I converted to single speed, a Schwinn Varsity that was converted to fixed gear, and currently i'm riding a single speed road bike.

All have their advantages, but here are the things to really think about.

Fenders are a must! They will keep you dry and some of the crap of your bike.

Fixed gear gives you good control on ice and your brakes won't freeze up. I have had derailleur’s freeze up so I tend to stay away from them.

Disk breaks seem like a good idea- I haven’t tested them out yet, but rim brakes always get clogged with snow, or covered in so much grime they're pretty useless.

People always talk about studded tires, but I think they're way too expensive and pretty useless. 80% of the time you're riding on dry or just wet roads. The metal studs are also kinda sketchy on corners so I take my chances.

If there is a lot of snow, traction is an issue, and you're not running disk brakes, I like to run zip-ties around the tire. It makes like a paddle wheel and you can haul ass!

Something to look for in winter tires is a good commuter tire with a lot of groves in it. Big knobs- while they seem like a good idea, really just throw shit all over you and don’t provide a lot of traction in the snow.

Look for a tire that is really thick and around 28 mm wide- you want a tire that cuts through the snow and down to the pavement- not one that rides on top of the snow.

Feel free to leave a comment with any tips or questions you have and I'll try my best to answer them...

Tomorrow we'll post part two!

-Cole