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Whats The Coldest Temperature You're Willing To Train In

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Whats The Coldest Temperature You're Willing To Train In

Old 01-20-20, 03:41 PM
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illjustride
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Whats The Coldest Temperature You're Willing To Train In

Hey folks. Based in the northeast and temps tonight and for the rest of the week are 30 degrees. However, the road season on this side of town is kicking in in another couple of months. I'm wondering if I should continue to get my miles in and saddle up or hit the gym and row, treadmill or elliptical,
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Old 01-20-20, 03:48 PM
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Today I was doing a power ride in mid-40's. I can ride with heavy clothing down to the upper 30's but that isn't pushing it and I only ride hard enough to keep warm. I find the biggest problem keeping warm in your hands. I have gotten them so cold that I couldn't shift properly. So I got some Lobster Claw gloves and that seems to work though you can't sign any autographs that way.
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Old 01-20-20, 03:48 PM
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It depends a lot on what the humidity is and if the sun is shining. The coldest I have ever gone is 12 degrees F with 85% humidity and no sun. It was brutal and I could only take that for about one hour.

These days I'm getting older and I notice I'm a little more sensitive to cold every year. 30 degrees F is about my limit. My trainer is just too nice to do otherwise. shrug...
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Old 01-20-20, 03:55 PM
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If the roads are clear, no snow or ice, 20* is generally my cutoff point, though I've been known to go out at 10* if I'm particularly stir-crazy.
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Old 01-20-20, 04:00 PM
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A cloudy and dry 35F or a sunny 30F is the point of diminishing returns for me. Below that, and the ride becomes more about staying warm and dry than getting a good ride in. If I have to stop for anything like a flat, the ride is essentially over. I try to avoid extended climbing and descending at those temps. Sweat is a killer.

This is why Zwift exists.

Edit:

Just imagine if you train through the cold temps, your fitness will have an edge over the other racers that didn't. That's how I used to justify flogging myself in crap conditions before the advent of indoor riding.
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Old 01-20-20, 04:20 PM
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40degrees real feel.

No need to ride when its colder and it isnt as fun, so I dont. Winter is time for zwift, volleyball, and most anything else.
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Old 01-20-20, 04:21 PM
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Originally Posted by WhyFi
If the roads are clear, no snow or ice, 20* is generally my cutoff point, though I've been known to go out at 10* if I'm particularly stir-crazy.
Yep.
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Old 01-20-20, 04:26 PM
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Originally Posted by WhyFi
If the roads are clear, no snow or ice, 20* is generally my cutoff point, though I've been known to go out at 10* if I'm particularly stir-crazy.
About the same here. I think my record was 8F but that's not something I am in any hurry to repeat.
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Old 01-20-20, 04:34 PM
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I went for a 20 mile ride on Sunday. When I left home it was 9°F and sunny so not too bad. Spiked tires and icy roads so it took almost 2 hours. I'll do rides of that distance down to around zero on the weekend in the winter and ride inside the rest of the week. I generally wait until it's around freezing or above for longer rides. Coldest I have even been out was -17°F. That sucked so I don't think I'll ever do that again.
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Old 01-20-20, 04:57 PM
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have ridden in the single digits and was actually too warm because I overdressed. see pic.



For me the temp is not the issue. If its dry and calm, I will ride. Ice and wind, no. I Will ride at 10 degrees with calm winds, but stay in if its 25 with 15mph winds.
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Old 01-20-20, 05:16 PM
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I'll go run shirtless in 30* with gloves and handwarmers. Cycling is rougher because of the greater wind, but with the extra-warm BarMitts I'll deal with that now too.
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Old 01-20-20, 06:58 PM
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Get a good indoor trainer. It’s not a badge of honor to train in the cold when you don’t have to.
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Old 01-20-20, 07:14 PM
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I haven’t gone out as low as 33, I don’t think I’ll go out below 30. Depends on the windchill before I am moving and time of day. Early morning it’s harder to start moving.
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Old 01-20-20, 08:46 PM
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I commuted @ -15F once. Once. Now my limits, like my smarts, are higher. The coldest I’ll ride >20 miles is 25F. Colder than that I’ll either stay inside on the trainer or ride shorter. Compare the effort of dressing appropriately for a short ride vs mounting the bike on the CycleOps and having a warm place to ride with coffee and a nice shower only steps away... guess which one usually wins out?
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Old 01-20-20, 09:20 PM
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36* if it's wet and 26* if it's dry/
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Old 01-20-20, 09:25 PM
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7 or 8 degrees is pretty much as low as I'll go. Definitely would not ride below 0. The risk of ice is too much for me. Plus I don't have the appropriate warm weather gear.
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Old 01-21-20, 09:23 AM
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In Phoenix it almost never gets below freezing during daylight hours, so the temperature doesn't stop me from a training ride. Sometimes I might wait till 10am or so for it to warm up, but I never miss a day because it's too cold.
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Old 01-21-20, 09:39 AM
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When the bottles would freeze. Lol.

I've had that happen. Now, Zwift.

My thing is, commuting is one thing. No sweat and you could dress in a predictable manner if that was your thing.

Training? Nope, indoors.

I really really really don't understand road season starting around here at the bottom of winter temps. Makes zero sense to me given all the venues the races use don't change in "usage" or "volume" by mid or late March versus the first week of February.
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Old 01-21-20, 10:16 AM
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Originally Posted by burnthesheep
When the bottles would freeze. Lol.

I've had that happen. Now, Zwift.

My thing is, commuting is one thing. No sweat and you could dress in a predictable manner if that was your thing.

Training? Nope, indoors.

I really really really don't understand road season starting around here at the bottom of winter temps. Makes zero sense to me given all the venues the races use don't change in "usage" or "volume" by mid or late March versus the first week of February.
I've talked with several promoters about this, as it happens in CO, MT, WA, and OR as well. They all say the same thing: "Nobody shows up for summer races. They are already burnt out, taking a break before cross season, or going on family vacations while the kids are out of school."

I've always argued that people are burnt out by summer because they just spent 5-6 months training, racing, and ruining their equipment in conditions that nobody wanted to be in to begin with.
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Old 01-21-20, 10:48 AM
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[QUOTE=Cypress;21293562I've always argued that people are burnt out by summer because they just spent 5-6 months training, racing, and ruining their equipment in conditions that nobody wanted to be in to begin with.[/QUOTE]

There are a lot of March heros that are toast in July. I listened to a podcast recently with some coaches and this is a big issue for them to try and manage in some clients. Especially for those that are externally motivated to train by things like Zwift racing and Strava KOM's. It's an interesting phenomenon. That is one reason I put a lot of emphasis on cross-training in the winter and why many coaches are recommending turning to they gym in the off season. Some just don't take an offseason and make themselves very vulnerable to mental and or physical burn out.

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Old 01-21-20, 11:00 AM
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I'll commute in the rain, but I might skip a rainy training ride. It's pretty rare that it actually rains all day, so it's not gonna hurt anything to take a rest day.
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Old 01-21-20, 11:22 AM
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Originally Posted by burnthesheep
I really really really don't understand road season starting around here at the bottom of winter temps. Makes zero sense to me given all the venues the races use don't change in "usage" or "volume" by mid or late March versus the first week of February.
Not entirely true. For example, speedways get much more use in warmer months than in colder months. This proved an issue with weeknight races a few years ago. Now they don't happen.

Originally Posted by Cypress
I've talked with several promoters about this, as it happens in CO, MT, WA, and OR as well. They all say the same thing: "Nobody shows up for summer races. They are already burnt out, taking a break before cross season, or going on family vacations while the kids are out of school."

I've always argued that people are burnt out by summer because they just spent 5-6 months training, racing, and ruining their equipment in conditions that nobody wanted to be in to begin with.
Both are true.


OP: As long as my feet, hands and ears are OK, I can ride. I've gone out in the teens. and been fine.

But training in temps that cold isn't exactly ideal. 1. The colder, dryer air wreaks havoc on my lungs. If I go too hard, I will develop a nice hacking cough that prevents deep breathing and lasts a couple days. I remember after an early season race, there were four or five of us trying to have a conversation after the race, but none could talk because we all developed the hacking cough. And 2, my body is working so hard to stay warm, it makes it more difficult to hit my target numbers/efforts.

As a result, I find it more effective to just get on the trainer during the cold months.
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Old 01-21-20, 11:42 AM
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Originally Posted by topflightpro
Not entirely true. For example, speedways get much more use in warmer months than in colder months. This proved an issue with weeknight races a few years ago. Now they don't happen.
This, I can agree with. Not sure about the Elon track schedule, but I used to drag race my car. It was pretty much 2-3 nights a week at Roxboro or down to Rockingham they were open for cars. Then it was test'n'tune by appointment/fee only otherwise.

I'm working for our guy at Herbalife on weeknights. Ditch the weeknight worlds around once a month, no big deal. The TT is the day after the 01Feb one, so that's a no since the TT I'm considering A+ priority. The one on the 08th we have a godchild birthday. But, yeah, will be going to Herbalife weeknights as that fires up.

That's a lucky setup the area they have out there to put that on.

After the TT, PNUTS till then. Practice being a little more sly/conserving energy and crowd surfing.
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Old 01-21-20, 11:50 AM
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Originally Posted by WhyFi
If the roads are clear, no snow or ice, 20* is generally my cutoff point, though I've been known to go out at 10* if I'm particularly stir-crazy.
Same with me, here in tropical Iowa. Although the Trek on the trainer, in the basement, gets the lions share of use this time of year.
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Old 01-21-20, 01:09 PM
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Back when I was in my 30's and 40's and racing, we would train no matter the temp. Frozen bottles, falling on ice, it was entertaining. Now many years later and retired, I look at the temp outside and if it's in the 40's, it's inside for me.
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