Q&A: Why winter biking is feasible in Madison

A telltale sign of winter’s arrival on campus is the thinning of once-full bike racks. As the temperatures continue to drop and the snow starts to fall, many students opt to bring their bicycles indoors or keep them chained up for the winter. But winter biking still has plenty to offer. 

To give some tips and tricks, The Daily Cardinal spoke with two board members from the bicycle advocacy group Madison Bikes — Liz Jesse and Alicia Bosscher — and the city’s Pedestrian Bicycle Outreach Specialist, Colleen Hayes, about what you need to know before hitting Madison’s snowy trails. 

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

What benefits does biking have?

Bosscher: For me, it’s a lot about just being outside and feeling the wind on my face and experiencing the world in a more open way than I can when I’m in a car. And I like the way that it just connects people.

Jesse: For me, [it’s always] been a big environmental factor, because I have a car as well. I’m not totally car-free, but I think I use it probably once a month or twice a month, and that was a big deal for me when I moved to Madison.

Hayes: Riding bikes, no matter what time of the year [is] very freeing and independence giving. Bikes are just kind of an independent, easy way to get around. If you’ve ever biked in Madison on a football Saturday or something downtown, you can get places quickly, if not more quickly. 

During the winter, how does Madison help bikers?

Hayes: Madison does a really good job, and they are committed to making the bike infrastructure, like our paths, separated bike lanes and parking-protected lanes, [cleared from snow]. 

Jesse: I think the city is really great when they think about resurfacing roads or about changes, they’re always thinking about pedestrians and the cyclists…Madison is always great about that, all forms of transportation are just as important. We need to make everyone feel safe.

Bosscher: I would echo all of those things. I’m always thrilled when I’m on the bike path and seeing that the bike paths are almost [always] better cleared than the roads. I’m so thankful to live in a city that prioritizes that. 

With the hazards that winter weather can sometimes bring, what tips do you have?

Hayes: I generally will not bike on a very busy street. I try to stay off the side streets. Sometimes, I try to bike where there might be a bike route, and it's [better] plowed. [When it gets darker earlier], make sure you're well-lit and visible to other folks around you because you’re not surrounded by all the metal of a car.

Jesse: Studs are definitely a must if you want to get out there in the ice and snow. Bar mitts to keep your hands warm [are fantastic]. The bus is also great, I’m on a BRT route, so a couple of mornings I’ll ride in but [then roll my bike] on the bus and get it home safely. Take advantage of all the things that the city offers for you to be able to get home safely in the winter.

Bosscher: I think about being predictable, using hand signals and not doing things quickly. [I also think] lights are so important. It’s a huge help to cars and people around us. For bike gear, I’m always wearing a helmet. My ski helmet in the winter keeps me warm.

Do you have any recommendations for places to bike in the Madison area?

Hayes: My favorite thing to do on a trail is to ride down Cap City path past the Sheraton Hotel. I like to try and get people to use the B-Cycles. It’s cool to just ride around on the paths…and just see more of the available paths. It’s a fun part of Madison to think about how many paths we have and the ones that connect us to other areas.

Bosscher: I thought of the boardwalk toward McFarland, that's a beautiful place to ride. Glacial Drumlin isn’t awesome if you have a road bike with skinny tires, but [with] any other bike…[it will] be beautiful. There’s tree cover on both sides, and I felt like I was in a world that existed without cars.

Jesse: If you like to get a little farther, go down to Paloli. You can take trails all the way there. It’s super relaxing because you're on trails for most of it and you are on roads that are very used to cyclists. That’s one of [my] favorite longer routes on a bike. 

Are there any resources or events that new or old bikers can utilize?

Hayes: We’ve been doing bike light giveaways on campus in November. UWPD would stop bikers] then send them over to me and Madison Bikes, and we would put lights on the bikes. UWPD had to cancel it [recently due to the cold]. I would like to do it again this spring. 

Jesse: I would say to check out Bike Week, June 1 through [June] 9. It’s my favorite week of the year. We usually have a plethora of activities to do. It’s a celebration of all things biking.

UW–Madison Transportation Services has several resources and bike classes throughout the year. You can find more information regarding these services here.

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