Where I live, winter weather can reach -50 °C (-60 °F), with gale-force winds. How can I bike in these conditions? I've seen other posts here about winter cycling. But I live in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.  Here, our winter weather can reach -50 °C (-60 °F), and we can also experience gale-force winds.

How can I bike in these conditions?
As one comment has indicated, you may need to evaluate if cold this extreme is even safe to ride in. If you determine that is is, there are several issues you'll need to address.
There are a lot of questions here about winter cycling. I went through question with the winter tag. Here are some of the ones applicable to your situation:

Breathing may be a problem in extreme cold. The traditional solution of putting a balaclava over your nose and mouth and using large goggles may not be enough protection. The question How to prevent breathing issues during extreme cold has an interesting answer about heat exchange masks.


A scientific Journal, Chest Journal, published an article about the efficiency of heat exchange masks on asthmatic subjects during cold weather exercise. They found that the heat exchanger masks were at least as effective as pre-treatment with albuterol in preventing decline in lung function.


Seeing will prove to be a challenge, and glasses or sunglasses will almost certainly prove to be not nearly enough eye protection from the freezing wind. Suggestions for winter cycling glasses? suggests that downhill MTB goggles, or maybe ski goggles will work. (Be prepared for reduced peripheral vision with any goggles.)

Tire selection in the winter is a bit of a black art. Whether you get fat tires or studded tires is largely a matter of the terrain: Lots of snow, or lots of ice? The question Fat or Skinny Tires for Winter Riding? has a great overview of the issues involved.



I think the arguments are as follows:

Fat: You can float on top of the snow and you don-t have to go through it. You have a larger contact patch with the ground.
Skinny: Will find it's way through the snow to find some pavement to grab onto.
Studded: Works great on ice but has no effect on snow/slush/other stuff. (Note never tried studded tires so just speculating).



Of course, you want to wear the proper clothing in winter. The traditional advice is to dress in lots of thin, breathable layers, but with temperatures this cold I'd not take any chances. There are many questions on this site tagged winter and clothes; I'd read them all. Talk to fellow cyclists and see what they wear. Start with short rides until you're confident that you're staying warm enough. Frostbite is a real danger!

Gloves are important; your hands freezing up an hour from anywhere warm can be a disaster. I'd not skimp on these, possibly layering multiple glove if need be. I've personally never found a single glove warm enough to handle even New Jersey winters, and always need to layer. You might want to look at lobster-claw gloves, cycling mittens, or bar mitts. Gloves with pockets for warming packs are nice, but do nothing to protect your fingers from being frozen. Also see: What gloves work well for winter riding?

Shoes should be warm, and also windproof. You'll need to layer socks, possibly even getting boots a size too big to fit them. What your options are here will depend greatly on whether you use plain platform pedals, toe clips and straps, or clipless pedals. Personally, I prefer plain platform pedals when riding on ice, removing clips and straps for ease of dismounting in an emergency. But I've heard good things about riding clipless on a fixie in the ice. (I'd be afraid to try it, personally.)

Most bike helmets are designed to cool the head as well as provide impact protection. However, since you'll be wanting to hang on to heat, I'd investigate helmets specifically for cold weather. See: Using a ski helmet for winter biking, Why don't cyclists wear all-encompassing motorcycle-style helmets?.

Freezing weather can be tough on bikes, particularly if there's road salt in your area. Cleaning a bike in winter presents special challenges. See: How do I clean my bike in winter? You'll obviously be cleaning your bike indoors, not washing it down with a hose outdoors!