BobbyG

I don't think of myself as hardcore. I just made small incremental advances and improvements in my cold-weather riding. The studded tires help greatly compared to smooth road tires, but I used to ride in light snow with moderately treaded, but unstudded, off-road tires. Ice was still a problem though.

In my 30s I used to ride down to 10F (I think). But I over-dressed and sweated, which made me even colder. Over the years my cold-weather threshhold kept rising to 21F. (why 21F nd not 20f? I don't know).

But after discovering bikeforums and its winter and commuting forums and members (especially @Jim_from_Boston and @tsl) I learned to dress for how my body will be after it warms up about 10 or 15 minutes into the ride. And a wicking underlayer helps keep moisture away from skin. And leaving your shoes loose helps with circulation. If I hit it right, I arrive comfortably warm but without sweating. The colder it gets the more important it is to cover bare skin. I wear a light bellaclava over my face, but not a heavy one. I pushed my limit back down to 11F, then 10F, and last year 7F. This winter I plan to ride down to 5F. I read about the commuters in Toronto and Minnesota who ride below 0F, some down to -15F, but I think that's beyond my desires. Plus it rarely gets below 0F, in my part of town.

The big cold-weather advantage in Colorado is the dryness. I lived the first half of my life in the midwest, and cold, humid air is really tough.

Everybody's "thermal profile" and thermal needs are different...you just need to discover and learn what yours are for different temperatures.

As far as the "fear of riding in the cold," I am less fearfull than in the past. For one thing, I've been riding with a cell phone for 20+ years. And even though I dress lighter than I used to, I always carry an extra layer of bike clothes, socks and glove liners, in case I have mechanical problems and have to walk. Plus, I ferry my office clothes, which is pants, and in the winter usually a heavy shirt and/or sweater, so in an emergency I have those to layer with.

I commute through Colorado Springs, so I am never more than a half-mile from a business I can enter, but usually only a block or two. And in an true cold-weather emergency, I would not hesitate to knock on doors on a residential street. (Although there are a few sketchy areas now).

Just do what you're comfortable with, and make incremental advances. You have no one to answer to except yourself.

The last thing I'll mention is regarding studded snow tires. At least with the lightly studded "road" tires like I have, tire pressure is important. Higher for dry pavement, lower for ice, and even lower for fresh, loose snow.

It really is a leap of faith dressing for how warm you will be in 10 ro 15 minutes, but when you hit it right, it feels wonderful!