Originally Posted by
noglider
@
BobbyG, that looks too cold for me. How many miles? Or more importantly, how long does the ride take in those conditions? Then again, I'm still refining my gear, and I might be able to tolerate lower temperatures this winter. Winter hasn't come here yet.
That route is 8.6 miles and takes about 40 minutes on dry pavement at an average speed of 13 to 14 miles an hour. With the studded snow tires on the dry pavement it takes 45 minutes. And in the snow it takes 50 minutes or more depending. On the way home it is uphill and takes about 10 minutes more. I forgot the exact time into the office Monday, but I do remember it took me 58 minutes to get home.
The next day, Tuesday, they had predicted 4 in of snow in the afternoon, and I usually only ride up to 3 in since anything above that slows me down to walking speed. And then today, Wednesday I had a work commitment and then after work commitment.
My new low temperature threshold is 7 degrees Fahrenheit, and I wanted to push it down to five this winter. However it was 4 degrees yesterday morning, and it is too early in the year for that kind of cold.
Even so, it's dry here so you don't feel the cold like you do in New York, or Chicago, where I spent two 1-week stretcheslast winter. I was downtown right on the lake and it was the coldest 20 degrees I have ever felt.