Kudos to you northern guys.
01-05-17, 08:58 AM
#26
The Fat Guy In The Back
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Sioux Falls, SD
Posts: 2,538
Bikes: '81 Panasonic Sport, '02 Giant Boulder SE, '08 Felt S32, '10 Diamondback Insight RS, '10 Windsor Clockwork, '15 Kestrel Evoke 3.0, '19 Salsa Mukluk
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 320 Post(s)
Liked 185 Times
in
119 Posts
I've done rides here in RI where my water bottle was frozen solid when I finished. And I learned the hard way that when you ride in really cold temps you should stay near civilization. Several years ago I got a flat on a ride when the temp was about 20F and I was out in the countryside. You can't change a tire with gloves on...and when I took the gloves off my hands got really cold really quick and I lost dexterity. So I decided to call my wife for a pick-up and discovered that I was in a cell phone dead zone.
Dan
Dan
__________________
Visit me at the Tundra Man Workshop
Visit me at the Tundra Man Workshop
01-05-17, 09:03 AM
#27
The Fat Guy In The Back
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Sioux Falls, SD
Posts: 2,538
Bikes: '81 Panasonic Sport, '02 Giant Boulder SE, '08 Felt S32, '10 Diamondback Insight RS, '10 Windsor Clockwork, '15 Kestrel Evoke 3.0, '19 Salsa Mukluk
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 320 Post(s)
Liked 185 Times
in
119 Posts
People at work call me crazy for riding my bike in sub-zero temps. However many of them wouldn't bat an eye about sitting on a frozen lake all day catching nothing but cold. It's all relative.
__________________
Visit me at the Tundra Man Workshop
Visit me at the Tundra Man Workshop
01-06-17, 10:10 AM
#28
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: NYC
Posts: 60
Bikes: 2010 Rockhopper Expert Disc (26er)
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 26 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
So true! The other day after work, I had decided to go for a ride when I got home and when I arrived to my warm and cozy home, I started procrastinating a bit but pushed through. Gearing up is SO TIME CONSUMING....lol. It was cold but I felt good about getting my ride in!
01-06-17, 12:09 PM
#29
Senior Member
Been there. Snapped a chain one day when it was -6°F. No fixing that on the road. This was before I had a cell phone. Had to walk 5 miles until I found someone with a phone I could borrow. I was dressed lightly so that I didn't get too hot while riding, but too light to stay warm while walking. Then I had to wait 1/2 an hour for my wife and son to arrive. The worst part is she was in my pickup and the cab was full, so I had to ride home in the bed with my bike. Brrrrr!
01-06-17, 12:38 PM
#30
meh
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Hopkins, MN
Posts: 4,705
Bikes: 23 Cutthroat, 21 CoMotion Java; 21 Bianchi Infinito; 15 Surly Pugsley; 11 Globe Daily; 09 Kona Dew Drop; 96 Mondonico
Mentioned: 22 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1112 Post(s)
Liked 1,013 Times
in
519 Posts
Thanks - but I feel the same way about heat and humidity. While 90 plus isn't uncommon here (Great Lakes region) at all, it's also not really our "usual" - many summers we go without more than 3-4-5 days at or over 90 in a summer - and actually, unlike in the South, even if the days are hot, nights generally but not always cool down to 65 or lower, which helps.
Realistically you can dress for cold but not much you can do for extreme heat and humidity.,
Realistically you can dress for cold but not much you can do for extreme heat and humidity.,
I love cold rides! I look for days when temps are below 0F to get out and ride. Last month, we were well below -20F (air temp, not wind chill), my Garmin showed -27F and the weather station by my house reported -23F. I was a little disappointed, I only got 15 miles that day but was planning a longer ride... stupid holiday house guest forced me to cut the ride short.
IMG_2356.jpg
edit: WTF - this photo is oriented correctly in the original file... oh well
03-26-17, 05:48 PM
#31
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,592
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5234 Post(s)
Liked 3,609 Times
in
2,357 Posts
basically we have 2 options. don't ride or ride thru it
04-08-17, 01:30 AM
#32
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: NW Montana
Posts: 81
Bikes: '02 Kona Lava Dome, '15 Origami Crane8... the rest are top secret :)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7 Post(s)
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
So many fun posts, but all I could think about was... 39 degrees. That's shorts weather. I forget sometimes that the weather I tolerate isn't an issue for others. For example... from Thanksgiving to St. Patrick's day, every bike is a single speed, and brakes are for emergencies only, as you'll have to manually release them. I've found myself riding less each year in the winter not because of the weather, but because of the plow trucks and spray trucks. I guess it's all relative... here it gets so cold that ice is your best bet for consistent traction. There, 95 degrees and 95% humidity is "a decent late-spring day." It's not so different... we all acclimate.
04-08-17, 09:46 AM
#34
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 7,384
Mentioned: 49 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 800 Post(s)
Liked 218 Times
in
171 Posts
… I have extracted this slogan [about winter cycling] from a post by @scoatw of Ohio, "Gear and gumption." Always on bad weather days someone at work will ask me,"You didn't ride your bicycle today, did you?." 
When it’s really bad out, my wife will chide me, “You just want to ride your bike today, so you can write about it to Bike Forums."
When it’s really bad out, my wife will chide me, “You just want to ride your bike today, so you can write about it to Bike Forums."
06-15-17, 10:39 PM
#36
Newbie
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 2
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I find riding in temps even below 0 deg F isn't bad. Surprisingly you generate a lot of heat and as long as my hands and feet are warm, I'm good. Usually had to unzip front and cool down a bit... I think that layers, handlebar mitts and winter boots make it work, although you have to keep your wrists warm.... I keep a spreadsheet of weather conditions, clothing and how it felt. Then look at it each day before heading out....
Riding in the heat with high humidity takes more out of me....
Riding in the heat with high humidity takes more out of me....
06-16-17, 04:22 AM
#37
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: White Bear Lake Mn
Posts: 764
Bikes: 88 Schwin Voyageur, 84 Schwinn World Sport, 85 Univega Alpina Uno, 85 Fuji Espree, 09 Novara Strada, 06 Jamis Durango, 03 Specialized Expediton Sport, 09 Surly LHT, 12 Novara Gotham
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
@KLW2 - That's awesome, I thought I was the only one trying to figure out how to dress for cold weather using a spreadsheet. I moved to Chicago last winter after living my whole life in southern CA and had no idea what I was doing. My buddies from Michigan still make fun of me for it. You figure out the perfect formula yet?
06-16-17, 04:44 AM
#38
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 7,384
Mentioned: 49 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 800 Post(s)
Liked 218 Times
in
171 Posts
I find riding in temps even below 0 deg F isn't bad. Surprisingly you generate a lot of heat and as long as my hands and feet are warm, I'm good. Usually had to unzip front and cool down a bit... I think that layers, handlebar mitts and winter boots make it work, although you have to keep your wrists warm....
I keep a spreadsheet of weather conditions, clothing and how it felt. Then look at it each day before heading out....
Riding in the heat with high humidity takes more out of me....
I keep a spreadsheet of weather conditions, clothing and how it felt. Then look at it each day before heading out....
Riding in the heat with high humidity takes more out of me....
@KLW2 - That's awesome, I thought I was the only one trying to figure out how to dress for cold weather using a spreadsheet.
I moved to Chicago last winter after living my whole life in southern CA and had no idea what I was doing. My buddies from Michigan stil lmake fun of me for it. You figure out the perfect formula yet?
I moved to Chicago last winter after living my whole life in southern CA and had no idea what I was doing. My buddies from Michigan stil lmake fun of me for it. You figure out the perfect formula yet?
The “formula” I have adopted for dressing to ride is that over the years I have established a set of six levels of dress according to temperature, ranging from 1 to 6, according to intervals of temperature of about 10⁰ F:
What clothing do you use reliably to stay comfortable for temps of:
50-70F
30-40F
10-30F
< 0F?
50-70F
30-40F
10-30F
< 0F?
I use my chart to decide on dress by just checking the temperature. I decide just by ambient temperature, and ignore wind chill (unless severe) since there is always a wind chill on a bike. I think of my degrees of dress in six levels.
Adopting to your table for my 14 mile commute (temperatures in parentheses):
50-70F
Level I (>70): Shorts, short sleeve shirt.
Level II (60): Add thin long legged tights and/or long-sleeve jersey
(50): Add fleece shirt, maybe a wind proof cycling jacket, and long legged cycling tights over thin tights;thin fingered gloves, thin balaclava
30-40F
Level III (40): Heavy cycling jacket and long sleeve jersey; two layer sof tights as above; thin balaclava, maybe a woolen cap; heavier woolen gloves
(35): Add safety glasses (as goggles) that fit over my eyeglasses; extra pair of neoprene socks; balaclava and woolen cap
10-30F
Level IV (30) Add fleece jersey; thin, fingered gloves and thick wind-proof fingered gloves; neoprene extra socks and neoprene booties overshoes
Level V (25): Add windproof thin cycling jacket over fleece and under heavy cycling jacket
Level VI: (<20): Thin and thick woolen socks instead of neoprene socks; additional windproof pants [scrub pants or rainproof pants] over two pairs of tights, add neoprene face mask
<0F?
My personal best has been leaving at 8 degrees in Boston and arriving at my suburban destination at minus 9
I don't like being cold, so I tend to overdress a bit, but I have a rear trunkbag and can remove layers. Recently I've been looking for reasonably priced mittens for level VI.
Adopting to your table for my 14 mile commute (temperatures in parentheses):
50-70F
Level I (>70): Shorts, short sleeve shirt.
Level II (60): Add thin long legged tights and/or long-sleeve jersey
(50): Add fleece shirt, maybe a wind proof cycling jacket, and long legged cycling tights over thin tights;thin fingered gloves, thin balaclava
30-40F
Level III (40): Heavy cycling jacket and long sleeve jersey; two layer sof tights as above; thin balaclava, maybe a woolen cap; heavier woolen gloves
(35): Add safety glasses (as goggles) that fit over my eyeglasses; extra pair of neoprene socks; balaclava and woolen cap
10-30F
Level IV (30) Add fleece jersey; thin, fingered gloves and thick wind-proof fingered gloves; neoprene extra socks and neoprene booties overshoes
Level V (25): Add windproof thin cycling jacket over fleece and under heavy cycling jacket
Level VI: (<20): Thin and thick woolen socks instead of neoprene socks; additional windproof pants [scrub pants or rainproof pants] over two pairs of tights, add neoprene face mask
<0F?
My personal best has been leaving at 8 degrees in Boston and arriving at my suburban destination at minus 9
I don't like being cold, so I tend to overdress a bit, but I have a rear trunkbag and can remove layers. Recently I've been looking for reasonably priced mittens for level VI.
Even on my carbon fiber road bike I carry a backpack to bring a few extra lightweight, but somewhat voluminous items to fine tune my dress, to add or remove.
Finally, a particularly significant decision point for me is 35⁰, to wear goggles over my prescription eyeglasses, and I have frequently posted about my eyewear to prevent fogging.
BTW, I learned to scale lists on a six-point system after a white water rafting trip since that is how rivers are assessed for difficulty.
I have told a couple of colleagues at work about this scheme, so often when they ask me about the ride in, I can reply by the numbers.
.
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 06-16-17 at 05:18 AM.
06-16-17, 06:42 AM
#39
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 7,384
Mentioned: 49 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 800 Post(s)
Liked 218 Times
in
171 Posts
fya:
my coldest temperatures are rarelydown to 0°f for my 14 mile one-way commute… i generally wear single windprooffingered ski gloves though sometimes with a thin inner knit pair. However, whenever wearing hand wear at any temperature, i also wear a pair of “wrist gaiters”made from athletic socks, to seal the wrists from any gaps between gloves and jacket.
I note that the skin of my covered forearms perspires from the additional warmth. I speculate that these wrist gaiters may further warm the blood flowing to my hands. Since wearing them, i haven’t had any hand problems, fwiw. Feet are another matter, my weakest link for winter riding. the wrist gaiters are longer than tennis wrist bands and thus cover a longer segment of the forearm blood flow to further warm it up, as i suggest
I note that the skin of my covered forearms perspires from the additional warmth. I speculate that these wrist gaiters may further warm the blood flowing to my hands. Since wearing them, i haven’t had any hand problems, fwiw. Feet are another matter, my weakest link for winter riding. the wrist gaiters are longer than tennis wrist bands and thus cover a longer segment of the forearm blood flow to further warm it up, as i suggest
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 06-16-17 at 07:49 AM.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
rachel120
General Cycling Discussion
74
08-02-17 12:18 PM
CNC2204
Road Cycling
26
12-09-14 12:58 PM
jasonmg1981
Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg)
61
08-19-12 09:08 PM
