The guys in
southern California and the Southeast US have it easy... winter riding is
like summer riding only a little bit cooler. Unfortunately for the rest
of us things tend to get cold in the winter. And some of the time it
gets REALLY cold. Lots of people don't bother to ride in the winter,
nor do they want to work on their bikes. The garage, or shed or patio is
just too stinking cold. Well, this is where my friend, the portable
propane heater enters the picture. Most people have
seen these devices. They are a small heating unit that plugs into a
regular BBQ propane tank. They sometimes have a little piezoelectric
unit to start the flame, and others, like mine, are started with a
match. A couple of years ago I was wandering the aisles at my local
superstore during the springtime and a propane heating head unit was on
sale for about $20. I figured I couldn't go wrong for that price. I
have this sad addiction where I like to be out working in the garage all
of the time, even when the temperatures are approaching freezing. My
typical approach was heavy sweatshirts, gloves and a couple of those
500W halogen flood lights that did a fair job of warming things up. I
thought the propane unit might be just the ticket for creating a
workable garage in cooler weather. I let the heater
sit on a shelf for the summer and the following fall I broke down and
bought a propane tank since I never owned anything bigger than a hibachi
for cooking burgers, steaks, and the occasional neighborhood pooch. A
word of disclaimer: Never crank one of these heaters up in an
enclosed space without providing generous ventilation. The combustion
process with these things is pretty complete, and it may seem like it is
burning clean, but don't believe it. In my garage I crack open a
window and at the least open that garage door about 20 inches. The
heater heats by radiant energy (which means it heats the objects and not
the air) so a little draft isn't going to be an issue to staying warm.
Regardless, it's good insurance against falling asleep and not waking
up. In my little
corner of the world, the propane heater is a hero. I can set it about 4
feet away from the bike and the radiant energy even at a low setting
gets the bike up to a workable temperature in just a few minutes. I've
even applied entire decal sets in the middle of the winter by heating up
the plastic with strategic aiming of the heater. After 30 minutes or so
of running in my work corner, the garage is a pleasant temperature and
my sweatshirt usually comes off. The coffee cup even gets its own stand
about 20 inches in front of the heater to keep that cup of Joe steaming
hot. This thing makes working in the garage a pure pleasure. I know you think
I'm silly for being so excited about this heater, but I'm about to
share with you the best feature and the biggest secret. Take the heater
riding. No I don't mean strap it to the back of your bike, I mean
throw the heater in the back of the truck on a day you normally would
not go riding because it is just too dang cold (like 25F and cloudy). .
Use the heater to warm up that gear that has been in the back of the
truck and is frozen stiff. When you are done riding that first loop and
it's lunch time, crank that thing up and share the beautiful heat with
all of your friends. They will bow in front of its heat as they warm
their hands and bend in front of it as they warm their behinds. Then, as
they are finally returning to full circulation, pull that cold pizza out
of the tin foil and hold it in front of the heat. Within a minute or so
you will have the most amazingly warm pizza (don't burn your fingers!)
and your buddies will begin bargaining almost anything to get a warm
slice. At the very least, you can negotiate getting them to drive on the
trip home. Whatever the outcome, everyone will be happy you brought the heater, and you'll never forget it during the cold months. These
things are surprisingly stingy on propane use too. I've run mine for
two winters and it's only now ready for a $12 refill. Look for some
spring deals on the heaters and be prepared for some warm wrenching and
riding next winter. Oh Yeah:
Heats working area up fast, low propane usage, inexpensive, you probably
have a propane tank sitting around anyway Oops:
Don't get things too close... they'll melt or catch fire, MAKE sure
you have enough ventilation, one more thing to take riding. |
