mdadams1

I love cold weather riding. 15 miles. Just have to make sure I have sufficient layers on. Under Armor is the first layer. I found if I use regular pedals and put 2 pairs of wool socks on with my work boots my feet stay pretty warm. Lobster claws on my hands. I wear two layers on my head along with a skateboard helmet...sunglasses to keep the cold off my eyes. Even went a few miles unicycling. It is much safer to unicycle than ride a bike in a coating of snow. all your weight is over the tire and you go a lot slower..Anyone else riding and what do you do to stay warm?

JohnDThompson 

I'm waiting for it to warm up to at least 10°F first.

MinnMan

I ride down to about 5 or 10 degrees, depending on my acclimation. Face covering, a good set of glove liners and maybe chemical hand and toe warmers help a lot.

I'm traveling, so I don't have to face the Minnesota deep freeze at the moment, but I have friends posting on Strava who are riding down at -10 or -15 °F. It can be done, provided you've got the gear.

I really like a nice brisk winter ride. The limits are, of course, keeping my face and extremities from being too cold.

Aubergine 

10° C is pretty comfortable.

Retro Grouch 

I used to mountain bike with a group of guys every single Saturday morning. Attendance was compulsory and no excuses were tolerated. We liked below freezing temperatures because that ment the mud was frozen. Then I developed my good sense.

Hoopdriver

Predicted to be in the low teens for my first commute of 2018. Looking forward to it! Actually, not really, but I need to get to work.

BobbyG

I've been a serious bike commuter since I was 30, 26 years ago. At one point I was riding down to 0F, but didn't know what I was doing. Over the years my low temp threshhold rose to 21F. But after missing too many days due to snow and icy streets I pushed it back down to 12F. Then three winters ago I got studded snow tires and made 10F my limit. Here in Colorado Springs that means I ride year round with few interruptions due to weather.

My problem at my limit of 10F are my thumbs.

MinnMan

Maybe bar mitts?

CrankyFranky

Had to chuckle at "wait till it warms up to at least 10°F first"... It got up to 20°F a couple days ago, and it felt absolutely balmy. I was thinking about breaking out for a ride, but I don't have studded tires.

Happy and safe new year to all, and many smooth miles on the saddle!

Clewis9593

Getting ready to go out here after Vikes game -10 F right now.

PaddleFoot

No Studs, so I am waiting for safe riding. Doing a lot of indoors riding and getting ready for maintenance and upgrades now that the holidays are over.

Welcome to the site Clewis9593.

MinnMan

Yeah, welcome Clewis9593. There are several others round here from the twin cities. Maybe we've crossed paths on the roads and trails....

WNCGoater

Man, you guys from the frozen north... I wanted to ride today, high 24° but I dragged a deer out of the woods last night after dark and had to deal with that today. So maybe I'll ride tomorrow. I've only ridden down around 30° thus far this winter, tomorrow's high is supposed to be low 20's. Cold like this all week is the prediction. Heck our crazy governor declared a state of emergency. Granted this is the Deep South but it isn't unheard of to have a cold snap. It IS winter after all.
You guys deal with big negative numbers all winter long and with snow. Crazy! People shouldn't live in those conditions!!

So far a base layer of merino wool with some tights over that and regular jersey, with either a wind breaker jacket or I also have a soft shell I wear. That's been sufficient so far. I am a big fan of merino base layers though. My weak link is toes. I have some larger shoes I can wear some wool hunting socks and just got some neoprene toe warmers to try out.

Clewis9593

Thanks for the “warm” welcome.

JanMM

Warm enough - 42F - in the garage this afternoon to do some tandem maintenance. Removed synchro chain to clean it and then took off the main chain and crank. Checked bearings and cleaned all 5 chainrings. Too danged cold in Central Indiana to ride of late and too much ice, snow, muck on the streets.
I tip my helmet to those who get out in truly cold weather.

jamesdak 

It's been wimpy winter riding for me this year. Rollers on worknights and then the weekends haven't been that cold.

Huge fan of Merino wool product over the modern underarmour type stuff. The wool is superior at holding heat when wet by far. If I stop in the poly stuff it takes forever to get warmed back up.

I've ridden well below 0 Fahrenheit, haven't found my limit yet.




Today was 40 miles with a high of degrees. Hardly counts as winter riding.

canklecat

Coldest it usually gets here in north central Texas is 20F, including tonight, although the wind chill can get lower.

I planned to ride Sunday evening but walked around the block first and saw too much patchy ice on the roads. Decided New Year's Eve, icy roads and bicycling didn't go together. But I'll probably ride Monday. Same temps predicted but the dry wind should de-ice the roads by afternoon.

I just layer up, same as everyone else describes. My old Herman Survivor hiking boots are warm enough up to about an hour, with layered socks (thin poly anklets under thicker microfiber winter socks).

The hard parts:

• Keeping the hands warm. Layered gloves help but my hands have always run cold. I'll probably quit after about an hour when the temp gets near 20F.
• Not getting sweaty, then clammy and chilly. I usually start out with a windbreaker over layers, but I need to remember to take off the windbreaker after I warm up but before I start sweating.

mightymax

I have not ridden since Dec. 23rd when it was 20 degrees. I will ride down to twenty but if the windchill is in the teens I do not ride.
I hate cold weather period, and even though I am layered and most times feel comfortable. If there is a headwind (when isn't there) it seems no matter the layers, I feel it cutting through my clothing.
I live near Chicago and starting Christmas Eve I have not gone but trust me I am going stir crazy from it. It snowed on Christmas Eve so the trail would have been out, but I live in a semi rural area and have a street "snow route" to deal with this. The temperature has just been stupid cold! I was on vacation all last week and not one ride! Today I return to work and I need my ride to deal with everyday stress. I woke up and all hell bent to go until I checked the temp. It was only -10 with the windchill so I am parked on the couch typing this! I don't understand how it can be so crazy cold for so long a stretch. I see that in the 10 day forecast it will be 24 degrees on Sunday and I am going!!! Supposed to snow though grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr....

People at work are amazed I ride my bike everyday and shocked to learn I am still riding in cold weather. I tell them you get used to it if you are out in it everyday...

Max Bryant

aclass

What do you guys do about your eyes in cold weather?
When I ride in the 20°s 30°s it really hurts my eyes and I need to fix this.

BobbyG

I wear glasses, and that works for me down to 10F. A lot of winter riders used ski goggles.

aclass

I should have been more clear. I always wear glasses but my normal cycling glasses arent cutting it in the cold.

Maelochs

Frostbite will fix that.

BobbyG

dbg

I ride all winter long including well below zero.
0-20+ I wear a balaclava under my helmet, use lobster gloves, wear a fleece jacket under my showers-pass optic yellow jacket. I tuck my balaclava inside the fleece collar and everything is good.

I don't use eye protection until 10 below --where exposing anything is not so good. Then I wear ski goggles that fit over my subzero version of balaclava (neoprene mouth and nose cover) with a night lens. Lobster gloves start to hit their limit below zero for me but my commute is short enough to gut it out.

ALSO-well below zero-- I stuff a couple of paper towel layers down into the crotch area.

OldsCOOL

I ride when the temps dip to 0-5deg but any colder and it bothers the breathing too much and I wait for warmer temps in the 20’s.