As anyone who has attended a community meeting about bike infrastructure in the Twin Cities region can likely attest, there is an oft-spouted claim that “nobody bikes in the winter.” While the number of trips by bike certainly drops with the temperature, more and more people seem to be using active transportation year-round, particularly with subjectively “milder” and shorter winters, the proliferation of e-bikes, and the growing number of separated bike lanes that don’t disappear after the first significant snowfall.
With Minneapolis’s strong bike culture, it’s fitting that there are a number of community-led events aimed at supporting those who want to keep biking as the landscape transforms into a winter wonderland.
The 2025 Grease Rag Winter Skill Share and Gear Swap was held on Saturday, November 1st at the Minneapolis Central Library. Now in its 16th year, the event was free to attend and was open to Femme/Trans/Women/Two-Sprit/Non-Binary (FTW) members of the public.
If warm weather biking is typically seen as a cis-male dominated activity, winter biking can feel downright impenetrable for other identities. The Grease Rag Winter Skill Share aims to create a safer space for FTWs to learn, grow, and continue biking through cold, ice, dark, and snow. While the location, leaders, and format of the event has evolved over the years, what has stayed consistent is a non-judgmental and holistic event that aims to provide FTWs with the knowledge, confidence, and resources to tackle what can be a mysterious, challenging, and isolating season.
Volunteers began planning in August for this year’s 5-hour event, which around 35 people attended. Sessions were led by individuals from the Grease Rag community and featured the topics of bike maintenance, what to wear, and safety, handling, and routing, with self care tips and activities interspersed throughout.
The Gear Swap is a recurring component of the event where Grease Rag individuals and small local businesses donate gear (winter and otherwise) that they no longer need. First-time event attendees typically get first dibs on the no-cost gear, which can include items such as studded tires, clothing, and a whole host of accessories like fenders, lights, bags, and hand warmers. which can help new winter riders feel better equipped for temperatures and conditions they’ve never experienced.
“The winter skill share helped me ride through the winter 16 years ago, and I’ve been to almost every skill share since because I love the community aspect of it. Every year someone will tell me, ‘I went to this event last year, and it was the first winter that I biked! I’m back because I loved the event so much!’ Every year.” – Low, attendee and volunteer
“The Grease Rag Winter Skill Share gave me the courage to bike in colder weather! The winter skill share is special because everyone comes to the event with different experiences to share. We all get to learn from each other in a supportive, non-judgement environment.” – Sarah, attendee and volunteer
The Behind Bars Winter Skill Share was held on Sunday, November 9th at Behind Bars Bicycle Shop in Northeast Minneapolis. Attendees came in from the windy, cold day to find hot apple cider and sweet treats before jumping into an event described as “an open discussion for everyone of all skills and experience.” The event has been organized in collaboration with Behind Bars for the past few years; this year, it was organized by shop ambassador Veronica, who works as a bike messenger. Open to anyone, about 13 people were in attendance for the 2-hour event, in addition to some shop staff who chimed in with their tips and tricks.
With the bike shop setting, there was plenty of show-and-tell, which provided real-life examples of clothing, gear, and bike set ups. Along with a front-row view of the items being discussed, the intimate setting meant it was easy to ask questions and share tips. Additionally, attendees were able to purchase gear on the spot – quite helpful for anyone not prepared for the 15-degree windchill on the ride home. The conversation also included tips on visibility, maintenance, storage, and what items can be best found at thrift shops versus buying new. With a Behind Bars bike mechanic in tow, attendees received insights into what parts on a bike to pay the most attention to and how often (and how thoroughly) to clean them.
The final winter transit-themed event took place at Minneapolis’ Central Library on November 19th. Streets.mn contributors Alicia Valenti and Daniel Baxter shared a presentation and gear suggestions for wintertime bike- and run-commuting. Alicia is a year-round bike and transit commuter and focused on winter riding, including when using a fat bike works best. She also works as a bus rapid transit project coordinator for Metro Transit, and shared her insider tips for using the bike racks at the front of each bus (and how to find out whether your bus will have a fat bike-friendly rack).
Daniel is a year-round run commuter. While local run-commuters may not be large in number, (at least not yet), Daniel’s gear recommendations work well for non-running pedestrians who want to stay active in snowy and icy conditions, as well as the run-commute curious.
This event was part of Daniel’s role as a newly minted Commute Ambassador for Move Minneapolis. Catch their presentation here:
