it’s cold out – ride warm.

I ride my bike to work every day. Or, at least, I had been until it snowed so much that Claire (my bike) became unstable on the ice & snow. Claire‘s a cyclocross bike from Masi and she’s a sexy redhead, to be sure but my ride today showed me that even on mostly plowed roads, I need something more. I need a fat bike. While browsing for fat bikes, I came across this video featuring bike expeditioner Jay Petervary. It has some good advice and interesting theories on how to dress in the cold. I’ve never had a problem with the cold, just the snow, but even my system could use tweaks here or there.

Jeff over at Bike Jerks/All-City has posted about what he wears when it’s 40 degrees, 10 degrees and below zero.

Eventually, I’ll get around to posting what I wear during the winter when I ride but I’m lazy.

This is your bike on Hogs.

Jeff Frane apparently runs the blog over at bikejerks.com in addition to working at All-City Cycles and putting on quasi-illegal “bandit cross” races. I kind of want to live like that.

He did an awesome restoration of a 1989 Schwinn Madison that he got from a friend of his. He left the bare metal, scratches, etc. on the bike, instead of repainting or recoating it. About that decision, he said this:

Every scratch has a story. Remember to embrace them and not be a whiny bitch about it, they’re the life the bike has lead and they are beautiful. While you’re at it, remember to feel the same way about your own body, embrace the scars, the crow’s feet, the smile lines. Baby you were there.

Fucking a, Jeff, fucking a.

This is your brain on bikes.