Winter comes quickly in Portland in October. The weather quickly becomes cool and rainy. The days get shorter, and with it, so does the motivation to bike.
To be transparent, rainy weather isn’t too bad, but we don’t enjoy biking in the dark. It can be less safe and pleasant, but there is no way to avoid darkness for the traditional work winter commute. Light starts to disappear from 7-8am and 5-6pm in mid-October and doesn’t come back until mid-February. These five months also happen to be the exact same time that the Pacific Northwest gets the most rain in the year.
So, what is the best way to keep motivation to bike in the dark winter months? First option is to hack your ride, so you feel safe and comfortable in cool dark weather. Dress with warm clothing including rain protection. Don’t forget about gloves and shoes. Add lights to your bike and wear reflective vest or other gear. Stick to slow roads or even the sidewalk (yielding to pedestrians of course).
Second option is just don’t. If you are lucky to have some flexibility, skew your work or errand schedule to coincide with daylight hours. That could mean leaving for work one hour later, going home one hour earlier, or using your lunch break to run errands. Otherwise, you can drive or take public transportation.
Third option is to move to place close to the equator to ensure you have about 12 hours of sunlight year-round. Any further north or south you will have two seasons with more light and two with less light and the annual biking motivation challenge.
Biking isn’t a mandate. What is important is to make sure that you find ways to be active and get out of the house. If that involves biking, then that’s great.
Leave a Reply