dalava

Yesterday, I was almost home from my 40-mile loop waiting for the lights, a car pulled up next to me, the driver rolled down the window and said to me "are you nuts riding in this weather?" I looked down, my Garmin showing temp at 22 degrees, and the wind was blowing pretty constantly at about 25 mph, I thought to myself, may be we are.

But I really enjoyed the hot shower afterwards.

Number400

I did not go out yesterday, I commend you! I did go out a few weekends ago when it was 19 degrees and felt like 9. I was cold!

When it is cold like this, I have started just doing hills instead of a speed ride. Climbing keeps me nice and toasty.

I really should invest in real cold weather gear...

triumph.1

I've been riding in it all Winter and have been fine, although every non cyclist I know thinks I'm off, which is a fair assessment.

merlinextraligh

Friggin 34 degrees, and a 25 mph wind riding in Florida yesterday morning.

Fortunately, I ride in weather like that once maybe twice a year.

Mike F

It doesnt get cold here that often and when it does its the mid to high 30's. In San Diego you would think the world was coming to an end. People are posting their car temperatures and iPhone screen shots of how cold it is on FB. When Im riding at 0400 during these cold spells, I get people staring at me and shaking their heads at stop lights. Ive come to the conclusion that they think I have a DUI and have to commute to work. Weve got it pretty good here and you people riding in the 20's and below are crazy

BillyD

Even I consider some of you people extremists . . . imagine what the general public thinks.

dramiscram

Who's nuts really?

Last week end I met my brother in law at my in-law's house, he was getting out of his car, poorly dressed and freezing, the temp. was around -22 celcius. I was dressed accordingly, steaming a little, getting off my bike after the 15 kms ride between my house and the in-law's house. He told me the exact same thing : are you nuts riding in this weather? (we're french canadian so in fact he told me: Es-tu fou de rouler par une température pareille?)
I replied, smiling: who's freezing? You! So who's nuts?

2manybikes

I ride about twice a week when the temp is in the mid 20's F .

A friend of mine who is an expert ski instructor, says "there's no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing".

He's really right, one can dress for anything. I'm comfortable when riding in sub freezing temps.

People ski in way below zero F, but think the bike is colder. They'r the ones that are nuts.

If one skis in sub freezing temperature, you already have most of the clothing you need for the bike at that temp. That's how I started riding the bike in the cold. Over time I modified my outfit to be more bicycle specific.

2manybikes

Going into restaurants in bike tights has taught me that everyone thinks I'm nuts without being cold. Nothing changes in the winter. Bailey is looking at the 20F deep snow out the window, we're outa heaa.

Dead Roman

In my experience, no mater how cold it is on the bike, if you have leggings and a good wind breaking layer you will be fine as long as you keep moving.

dalava

So true... that's what I told the driver too "as long as you dress right, this is not bad". He just shook his head and rolled up the window.

zonatandem

Vous n'etes pas fou!

Youngin

Look at what nordic skiers wear in those temperatures. We go out in them and colder routinely. If you're not subject to those temperatures often then there's less need to invest in the right clothing. Wind briefs, shoe covers, eye, ear and face cover can make much colder rides comfortable. Cold wear rowing gear is also usually very comfortable to ride in, the material is usually flexible and some like JL rowing stuff is treated to shed water.

cplager

We had similar weather here yesterday too. I went a lot shorter distance (my feet were getting cold). During my hour, I saw 1 walker and 1 runner. I didn't see a single other person on a bicycle.

cplager

But when skiiing, do your speeds vary by a factor of 6? I'll easily hit 30 mph going down the hills and climb back up at slower than 5 mph. All that being said, I try:

lenny866

Lucky you!! You had a nice warm day to go for a ride.

2manybikes

Exactly right.

If I am riding alone I can also ride harder if I'm cold, or slower if too hot. This way I can extend my comfortable temperature range as it gets cold after dark. I have to switch from gloves to mittens at about 25F. So I bring them.

surgeonstone

Funny thing, the guy would most likely never said a thing to a person skiing or skating in that weather and yet the typical non cyclist mind can't compute cycling in winter. I grew up in New England skiing every weekend and break from first grade on and hockey every night on the pond across the street from our house ( and this was when we actually had real winters), and I find cycling no different that those activities, in fact I find it easier in terms of warmth as I generate a lot more heat cycling than with the other 2 activities. Well maybe not hockey, we used to go at it pretty hard.

surgeonstone

Exactly, dress right and you are fine.

dalava

what happened to those real winters?

Seriously, even in Canada (Toronto area), you don't get real winters any more. It's more like 30-40 degrees most of the time, and then some sucky wet 10-20 for a day or two every other week.

surgeonstone

I think Al Gore has them packed away somewhere for future use.

Vicegrip

The wind was impressive in nova yesterday. I was almost out of cogs in back and about to drop off the big ring on the flats along the Potomac. It almost felt like a boost when it was time to turn west and go uphill on 4MR and the WO&D. The funny thing was I was far from thinking this was nuts. I was happy to have some "found" time to go for a ride while my son was at a drop off B-day party that happened to be near a local MUP. I copped an hour ride and still did the Daddy detail. You know you are having fun when wind speed, travel speed and temp are all about the same.

zatopek

Yes, we are nuts. I was out riding in Maryland in the same weather you encountered and ended up with a mild case of frostbite on my toes, in spite of two pairs of socks and pretty darned thick neoprene booties. The next day, temperatures in the 30s, with lighter winds, seemed almost balmy in comparison.
All my club mates who were hunkered down in their nice warm beds had better watch out once spring gets here! On second thought, I stink and all the extra winter training miles in the world won't help much.

idc

Yeah, I've had the same experience. Feet/hands are the toughest to keep warm, otherwise it's all gravy.

dalava

For those of us unlucky enough having to work yesterday, I commuted in. Even though it was only 24 degrees, without the wind, like you said, it felt balmy by comparison.