Photo: Chaiel Schaffel/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Despite temperatures hovering in the mid-20s on Tuesday, Ferris Wheels Bike Shop owner Pierre Payette still rode to work rather than drive, a routine he has rarely breaks.
Payette took over the Jamaica Plain bike shop earlier this year after having worked there his entire life. Commuting six to seven miles to work from Dedham via bicycle has remained a constant for him, and he feels that it’s possible at any weather and temperature if you’re prepared for it.
Payette said it's best to wear layers, remembering to focus on key body parts.
"Hands, feet, and the head are the real troublesome areas,” he said.
On very cold days, he personally wears a balaclava, a neck warmer and two pairs of gloves, with the second pair being “a little roomier than a normal fit,” Payette said.
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Another suggestion he had for winter biking was to have a second, cheaper bike that you wouldn’t mind getting beat up by the elements.
“You don't care too much if it gets stolen or falls apart,” he said. “Salt is pretty rough. It'll take the paint off. It'll corrode things. It'll rust them.”
Despite all of the preparations that come with biking in rough weather, Payette said that it is all worth it to avoid the typical morning commute of most Bostonians.
“I think the best motivation is not having to sit in traffic,” he said.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Chaiel Schaffel (@CSchaffelWBZ) reports.
