Alaskans area hardy group of souls who have learned to adapt to, and even embrace, the changing climate of winter. When the snow piles high and the mercury dips to the single digits or lower, life doesn’t change all that much. Alaskans simply acclimate.
Take bicycling, for instance. Common sense would have it that these two-wheeled recreational machines are put away into storage sheds or garages come winter. Not so in Alaska, where man and bike have stuck together for as long as a century. The Eagle Historical Society boasts one particular photo showing Ed Jesson, an adventurous gold seeker from 1900, poised with his big-wheeled, single-gear bicycle. Jesson took that bike and rode for a month, covering 1,000 miles from Dawson to Nome using the frozen Yukon River as his trail.
Jesson’s account of the trip includes this quote, collected from the Alaska Gold Rush Centennial Task Force: The bicycle “stood the trip in splendid shape and to my great surprise I never had a puncture or broke a spoke the entire trip.”
Today, a growing number of intrepid cyclists visit Alaska with that same spirit of adventure, and the added luxury of improved mechanics and cold-weather gear. Mountain bikes are equipped with studded tires, multiple gears and better lubrication to withstand cold temperatures. The cyclists themselves have warmer clothing, battery-operated lighting systems and any number of accessories to make winter riding — or “snow biking” as it is commonly termed — a joy.
“I’d say (snow biking) has been growing pretty steady for at least the past three years,” said Tony Lombardo, a shop technician at Alaska Mountain Bike Source in Anchorage. “We’re also seeing an increase in technology with winter gear for mountain bikes, which is making it easier for people to get out. There are a lot of good studded tires out there.”
Off-road mountain biking has indeed been gaining momentum for the past 10 years. In 1990, the National Sporting Goods Association didn’t even track the sport’s popularity. But by 2000, an estimated 7.1 million people took to the trails on their fat-tired bikes.
So, it’s no surprise that snow biking is becoming more popular, too. As cyclists better learn to handle their bicycles, they are more willing to experiment in cold weather.
“The people I’ve been getting are curious — we’re at the curiosity stage,” said Doris Lundin, who rents snow bikes to guests at Fairbanks Hotel in conjunction with the local sports shop, Alaska Outdoor Rentals (which also rents its bikes at Chena Hot Springs Resort, near Fairbanks). “They’re afraid there’s a problem with it. They’re afraid it’s going to get too cold. But once they try it, they say, ‘This is kind of neat.’ “
Snow biking’s appeal is best known in the larger Alaska cities of Anchorage and Fairbanks, where groups of riders will embark on outdoor rides on area trails. Commuters, too, depend on their bikes to take them to and from work, even in the coldest of temperatures.
“I do use my bike for commuting and it’s great in the winter,” said Don Love, who works in the bike department of Anchorage’s Recreational Equipment Inc. outdoor gear store. The key is a good lighting system, studded tires and dressing appropriately, he said. Other than that, the rules of the road remain the same.
In general, a snow bike is simply your average mountain bike equipped with a few cold-weather modifications.
“The type that I have at the hotel is your basic, 27-speed mountain bike, with front suspension, and they’ve got good gearing that’s very well maintained,” Lundin said. “The bikes are lubricated for low temperature. If you used normal grease that would be good in Phoenix, at the temperatures we have here, you probably couldn’t get the crank to go around. They also have studded tires, so when you’re riding on a slick day when you can barely walk, it’s like riding on Velcro.”
At Alaska Outdoor Rentals, an even beefier snow bike is available with tougher rims and wider Snowcat tires, ideal for off-road riding on trails and backcountry locales. For those who want to experience such biking, guided tours through Alaska Outdoors Rentals can be arranged.
In Anchorage and the surrounding area, snow biking also has a following. Mark Gronewald, owner of Wildfire Designs Bicycles in Palmer, custom builds bikes equipped for ultra-cold weather. And Bryan Kennedy, of Alaska Mountain Bike Source in Anchorage, is developing Kevlar-beaded custom-studded tires for customers who want to go beyond the basics or who compete in the growing number of snow-bike races, including the Iditasport and Susitna 100 races.
So, if you’re coming for a visit and want to check out snow biking, getting started is pretty simple. When snow conditions are hard-packed and firm, just let a little air out of your tires, to about 10 to 15 pounds of pressure, to increase surface area. Fat, nubby tires are best. Snowcat doublewide rims are an option, too, like the ones available for rent at Fairbanks’ Alaska Outdoor Rentals.
In ice, or for commuting around town in traffic, studded tires are a must. There are all sorts of studded tires out there, but in general, ask for tires that have at least 296 studs per tire. Anything less, and you’ll loose too much stability.
As for clothing, use common sense. Dress in layers, use clothing with lots of zippers for ventilating, and avoid cotton. The extremities, especially your feet and hands, are particularly vulnerable, so avoid the spandex. Instead of clipless pedals, try wearing big boots and extra-wide toe cages in extreme cold, as well as mittens instead of gloves. Balaclavas are good for wearing underneath helmets.
Other things to consider: use slow, controlled movements when steering and pedaling, and don’t use the front brakes if the bike begins to slide. Be careful to keep ice from building up on cables and breaks, and always make yourself visible with lights or reflective clothing.
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