Brrrrr … the winter biking challenge!

Sunday, December 28, 2008
By Kate McCaffrey, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Freezing temperatures, biting wind, slick roads, black ice, snow, rain, sleet, frozen stiff fingers and toes … It’s all part of the daily commute for dedicated — really, really dedicated — winter cyclists.

Aimed at keeping bicycle commuters on the road through the cold weather, The Solstice Cycling Challenge is simple: Ride to work as often as possible over the next few months and occasionally share a brewski and swap hell-on-wheels stories with fellow commuters at the OTB Bicycle Cafe on the South Side.

“Our office caught bike fever over the summer and more Venture Outdoors employees have started riding to work,” said VO bike tour coordinator Seth Gernot. “We wanted to continue that momentum into the winter. We thought that a friendly competition would be a fun way to keep each other going through the cold, wet winter months.” Venture Outdoors is not a sponsor or coordinator of the challenge.

Gernot, 30, of Lawrenceville said he has about the same commute as most bikers — four or five miles — although that’s by no means the limit. He said he knows of one particularly committed cyclist who navigates 22 miles of hills and potholes.

Frequency of rides vs. mileage? To make the challenge fair, Gernot has established a secondary prize for mileage champion. Monthly prizes that will be awarded for mileage include useful things like fenders, tires, jackets, gift cards to bike shops and “stuff that winter cyclists will really appreciate,” said Gernot.

Within a few days of the challenge’s announcement, approximately 10 people stopped by the Venture Outdoors office to throw their $20 into the pool.

“One guy said, ‘I never knew other people rode in the winter!’,” said Gernot. He thinks more people will join as the word spreads.

Correction/Clarification: (Published Jan. 7, 2008) Venture Outdoors is not sponsoring or coordinating the Solstice Cycling Challenge, though employees of the organization started it. This article as originally published Dec. 28, 2008 was incorrect. Also, all prizes have been eliminated. Those who paid $20 for the chance of winning a prize will get their money back.