Great stuff! In the words of Alan Price's song, "Just get out there and do it!"
(Searching for excuses, though, he says,) the tough thing about winter riding in the Ottawa area is not so much the snow & the cold as the ice buildup on the roads, esp the secondary ones that are the safest for riding. There are hardcore riders who use their bikes year-round, but I put mine away in my basement workshop between mid-December and mid-March (or whenever we have the 1st serious snow, and later, clear roads.) With the snow piled up alongside secondary roads, and drivers frustrated by winter delays, and less space than usual, plus the icy spots, I find it just gets too dangerous.
A friend who used to live in Saskatoon rode his bike year-round--typically, there's so little snow there that winter riding means only having to deal with the cold. He reckoned he'd sooner ride 5-6 minutes to work at -30 than walk 20-25 minutes in the same temp. Reasonable enuf, in the circumstances. Sunny, tho', and a dry cold...
J.
