"So, what do you do in the Winter?" When I tell someone I work for a laundry 
delivery service that operates via bicycle, I receive a lot of different responses. One of the most common is the question, "What do you do in the Winter?" Just to be perfectly clear, Wash Cycle operates rain or shine, sun or snow, all twelve months of the year. I mean, dirty laundry doesn't just disappear because the seasons change, right? Every season presents its own unique set of challenges. With the weather having already turned colder and Winter looming on the horizon, we thought it would be a good time to share some insight into how we prepare to deliver exceptional service in cold temperatures, ice, and snow. This is the first of three posts on our winter weather tips. Be sure to check out parts two and three! Now let's talk about our bicycle preparations...
Outfitting a Wash Cycle for Winter: We do some unique things here at Wash Cycle to make sure our cycles are Winter-ready: 1. Studded Snow Tires
Believe it or not, there are studded snow tires available for bikes, very similar to the heavy duty studded tires used on emergency vehicles. We only use these when we know a storm is coming or after the snow has already fallen to avoid wearing down the city streets and the studs. 2. Fenders and Rain Covers Rainy weather gear works just as well (if not better) in the snow, and we use these year round to keep your laundry clean and dry on the way to your house or business. Some, like me, believe the rain covers also help to lower wind resistance, but I haven't confirmed that with science... 
3. Lights With daylight at a premium in the Winter months, seeing a Wash Cyclist riding around before dawn or after sunset is a much more common occurrence. Lights increase our visibility and keep everyone safer, pedestrians, motorists and cyclists alike. 4. Towels This isn't so much a cycle preparation as it is ongoing maintenance. After riding around in the snow (or rain), our bikes and trailers will get a little dirty no matter how hard we try to keep them clean. Wiping them down regularly lessens the harmful effects of the Winter elements and road salt, just like washing your car. 
5. ZipCars We can safely deliver via bicycle in up to 2 inches of snow. If conditions worsen, we will resort to renting a ZipCar as a last resort, which we also do if temperatures will not rise to an acceptable level for outdoor activity.
Now that you know how we prepare our bikes for Winter, join us next time when we'll tell you how we outfit our cyclists to do their job!
In addition to writing this blog post, Steve Prudente is a Cycling Route Manager and has been with Wash Cycle Laundry since October of 2014. You can find him regularly wash cycling throughout our North Philadelphia region.
delivery service that operates via bicycle, I receive a lot of different responses. One of the most common is the question, "What do you do in the Winter?" Just to be perfectly clear, Wash Cycle operates rain or shine, sun or snow, all twelve months of the year. I mean, dirty laundry doesn't just disappear because the seasons change, right? Every season presents its own unique set of challenges. With the weather having already turned colder and Winter looming on the horizon, we thought it would be a good time to share some insight into how we prepare to deliver exceptional service in cold temperatures, ice, and snow. This is the first of three posts on our winter weather tips. Be sure to check out parts two and three! Now let's talk about our bicycle preparations... Outfitting a Wash Cycle for Winter: We do some unique things here at Wash Cycle to make sure our cycles are Winter-ready: 1. Studded Snow Tires
Believe it or not, there are studded snow tires available for bikes, very similar to the heavy duty studded tires used on emergency vehicles. We only use these when we know a storm is coming or after the snow has already fallen to avoid wearing down the city streets and the studs. 2. Fenders and Rain Covers Rainy weather gear works just as well (if not better) in the snow, and we use these year round to keep your laundry clean and dry on the way to your house or business. Some, like me, believe the rain covers also help to lower wind resistance, but I haven't confirmed that with science... 3. Lights With daylight at a premium in the Winter months, seeing a Wash Cyclist riding around before dawn or after sunset is a much more common occurrence. Lights increase our visibility and keep everyone safer, pedestrians, motorists and cyclists alike. 4. Towels This isn't so much a cycle preparation as it is ongoing maintenance. After riding around in the snow (or rain), our bikes and trailers will get a little dirty no matter how hard we try to keep them clean. Wiping them down regularly lessens the harmful effects of the Winter elements and road salt, just like washing your car. 5. ZipCars We can safely deliver via bicycle in up to 2 inches of snow. If conditions worsen, we will resort to renting a ZipCar as a last resort, which we also do if temperatures will not rise to an acceptable level for outdoor activity. Now that you know how we prepare our bikes for Winter, join us next time when we'll tell you how we outfit our cyclists to do their job!
In addition to writing this blog post, Steve Prudente is a Cycling Route Manager and has been with Wash Cycle Laundry since October of 2014. You can find him regularly wash cycling throughout our North Philadelphia region.