Fear not says the New York Times. Yeah, the first few minutes suck but it turns out they always suck for everybody (nobody “just gets used to it”). The risks of riding, running, or swimming in the cold are pretty minimal according to the article, provided you keep your tender bits (like ears) covered. Besides, low winter light makes for some nice vistas best seen by bike. Check a few of them out at the Bike Hugger Urban pool on Flickr