Winter brings on a whole new aspect to Alaska. Fishing continues on the frozen lake, campfires turn into bonfires and cyclists turned skiers are the happiest this time of year. 
However, some people don’t quit cycling in the winter. Skiers are not to endurance ski once it hits four below zero as its bad for their lungs. Cyclists however, unless traversing down a ski hill at great speed (which is not allowed in the winter) continue to trek along in the snow. The speed of summer cycling is gone but the technical challenge of winter cycling becomes a reality.
Adding studded tires to a bike gives greater endurance on icy patches,
a fat tired bike makes cycling though the soft snow bearable and a mountain bike with less air in its tires help the rider get across the cleared snowy roads.
One learns to dress for winter biking as if dressing for skiing; in layers. The cool cotton of summer is quickly replaced by synthetic fibers such as lycra and spandex. Jerseys are layered with other fibers in order to keep warm while cycling. However, overdressing can easily occur and one must be able to peel clothing layers off due to increased body heat from exertion. It is recommended to dress “cool” for winter biking but staying away from cotton which absorbs sweat and decreases ones body temperature.
It is a skill but knowing how long one will be out cycling should determine the amount of layers one wears. As if with any sport, winter cyclists should carry an extra layer just in case of a flat tire or emergency repair.
Although the city clears the roads for motorists in Anchorage, it sometimes may take a few days for the muni to get to them and up to a week to get them completed at which time there may have been another snowfall which means back to the beginning for plowing.
Sidewalks are also plowed by the city along busier roads but they take longer to be completed and can become easily rutted making cycling difficult or more challenging. Many sidewalks are never plowed or shoveled by businesses and/or homeowners which can frustrate the winter cyclist or challenge him to find alternate routes through trails and woods which are never touched in the winter unless designated as ski trails.
In the case of ski trails, skiers hate sharing the trails with cyclists because they easily rut the trails and make skiing difficult. However, the trails are mostly maintained by the Muni or the Nordic Ski Association of Alaska. These are the trails that are the best for using a new type of bike called the Fat Tire bike.
