As Jason Craig rode his bicycle away from the junkyard, he was both satisfied and resolute. He was now 100% committed to relying on his recently acquired 20 year old Schwinn. Fully aware that November in Idaho might be regarded as an odd time of year to begin bicycle commuting, he was nonetheless looking forward to the fresh air and exercise.
Having spent 20 of his adult years living in northern Utah, where more snow is dumped in a day than southwestern Idaho typically sees all winter, he was not naive about conditions he might face. He was in good health and had always enjoyed physical activity, even if he hadn’t spent much time on a bike since junior high. The five mile route he would take to work was through town, but not on busy roads. The winter rides might be challenging, but they wouldn’t be Olympic.
The idea of becoming a full time bicycle commuter had germinated in 2010 when the laws about emissions testing in Canyon County were passed. Mr. Craig spent a couple of thousand dollars to try to fix his vehicle, but it gave him more and more trouble. He finally decided to sell it to the junkyard. The engine was worthless. What better way to really test the feasibility of winter biking? With no car to fall back on, he would be motivated to problem solve.
Mr. Craig had only bought his bike two weeks prior to parting with his car. Having heard good reports about Rolling H Cycles, he went by one Saturday. He greatly appreciated all the expertise Adam Haynes, the shop owner, offered him. Mr. Haynes showed Mr. Craig the old Schwinn, which was on sale by consignment at the shop. Mr. Craig gave it a test ride and thought it felt good! It was also a price he was willing to pay.
Now, three months later, Mr. Craig has had a stimulating, but not harrowing, bike commuter experience. He has learned the value of studded snow tires. He didn’t get them on before his first ride in snowy conditions. Three inches of snow had come down in the afternoon before he got off of work, and he ended up falling in the road. He changed tires as soon as he got home. He says the snow tires made riding in the packed snow and ice better, but he still has to avoid any leaning sideways while riding.
He discovered that a quality jacket for wind proofing was a necessity. The orange Gore jacket he purchased from REI has done its job quite well. Wearing leather sneakers with wool socks has kept his toes toasty. The liner of his helmet covers his ears, though he did try adding a beanie, but got too hot. A neck gator was helpful on the coldest days.
Keeping his hands warm has been the biggest problem. He progressed from fleece gloves to adding insulated liners to lobster gloves. When the temperature dropped to 10 degrees F, he added bar mitts. 
Even in the winter, there has been enough variation between morning and afternoon weather to warrant carrying clothing and gear options in a back pack. He prefers the back pack over the traditional rack and pannier bags. He thinks it is easier to take the back pack off of the bike when he parks and locks the bike.
As you may imagine, without any motor vehicle, Mr. Craig also rides his bike to get about town on errands. He makes a four mile trip to his grocery store of choice every Sunday morning. Rolling H Cycles, where he continues to go for service and advice, is only about 20 minutes away.
Another measure of how much he enjoys his venture is his increasing tendency to head out for a ride on his days off. Without needing to worry about a commuting schedule, he embraces the open country roads, laughs as he conquers the hills, and scoffs at the loose dogs. He doesn’t have to schedule exercise, because it is an automatic and integral part of his life. He has been called both crazy and inspirational. Either description is acceptable to him.
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