Cycling through Snow

Anchorage, Alaska

It's my first winter cycling in Alaska. I bought snow tyres for my bicycle last week for $100 a pop. The tyres are made of rubber that stays soft enough in freezing conditions to grip the road, and have metal studs mounted on the top of the tread that grip the snow and ice. I was surprised at the cost but now that I'm out on the trails I feel like I am riding an unstoppable tractor. There has been older snow on the trails for the last week with no real ice, and many bare areas with clean pavement to ride.

Yesterday and last night snow fell in great chunks from the sky. This morning I had a chance to really test my new rig. Snow lay thick and clotted on the trails about 6 inches deep. My tractor bike baulked at first, and then, catching momentum, I was off and running, proudly riding through snow.

When I arrived at work I was far more sweaty and tired than any other day of the year that I have riden to work. I discovered the experience is similar to riding through soft sand, and takes a little more energy than riding across smooth pavement. This is a small price to pay for feeling hard core. I am now a proud winter bicycle commuter.