WonderMonkey

I've rode in the low 30's tomorrow but tomorrow, as part of my "commute as an exercise strategy" initiative it is supposed be 32 degrees when I get on my bike. It is going to be a test of my gear. I have all the top and bottom gear I need except for my foot covering. I have just a "cool day" booty thing so I'll see how uncomfortable I get, or not tomorrow. I will be wearing warmer socks and such so we will see. I'm limiting my ride to one hour as I'll be biking to work and then home. The hour is due to an appointment I have to make sure I'm home and ready for. Additionally the hour is to test this parking spot.

mcours2006

At 32F and for one hour I might be okay with without overshoes. Any long than that or any colder and it's going to be pretty miserable.

JAG410

Low 30's can be tricky, yet it's a great temp to test gear because you really can't hurt anything if you get too cold. Usually below 35 I start to cover my mouth to heat up the incoming air. I don't use foot coverings or switch to winter boots until 10 degrees or so. Good luck on your ride tomorrow!

This was last year...it's fun to say "I rode today" but realistically it's pretty foolish.

mcours2006

At least the wind wasn't too bad.

This was, what, like end of December judging by the sun times?

WonderMonkey

Wow! That's cold for biking!

I'll have face covering, hands, etc. and a base layer for the legs. The legs won't be wind-blocking which is important so it will be telling on how they hold up.

To gather my thoughts I wrote a little article to myself. Preparing For Winter Commuting | Michael Henry Rocks!

wolfchild

30F is very mild...I don't even cover my face until it's well below freezing.

Jim from Boston

That's pretty much my experience too. At very cold temps, down to 0°F as my personal “best,” my feet are the weakest link.

I have an aphorism for my 14 mile one-way commute in the worst extremes of cold or wet, “No matter how well I’m dressed, I can be comfortable for the first 10 miles, and then I tolerate the rest.”

WonderMonkey

Sure, because are in in Toronto! Thirty degrees is a warm summers day for you!

WonderMonkey

Plain cold doesn't really bother me (I spent a Winter in Northern Alaska) but on the bike my toes get cold when the temperature dips. I'm trying to see how cold I can reasonably go with my current setup. Probably 33 degrees.

WonderMonkey

I've got to figure those types of things out as well. If I'm warm at the beginning I'll be too hot then sweaty then cold towards the end. I usually take the advice to start out a bit chilly because I'll warm up and I find that to be true except for the toes.

Jim from Boston

Below about 15°F I pretty much dress to the max. Even if I sweat, the insulation keep me from chilling due to it.

WonderMonkey

I know that each few degrees (say 5) that the temperature drops below 32 is a different game. Or something like that. Because my hybrid is more of a flat bar if I do decide to keep going beyond what my gloves (that will arrive soon) can handle I can get the pogie, or the moose mitt, or whatever. At that point I would have already had to have purchased some significant shoe covering.

Speaking of shoes just a bit ago I used some painter's tape (blue masking type tape) and covered up the vents on my shoes. That should help a bit. May not need it for tomorrow but it certainly can't hurt.

1nterceptor

I have summer shoes, winter boots and spring/fall boots.
At 30F; I'll probably have my winter boots on.

5 Fahrenheit/-15 Celsius by 1nterceptor, on Flickr

WonderMonkey

When you say boots I assume you are not clipping in with them on? Is it possible to clip in on temperatures like that and be safe?

1nterceptor

I'm just so used to clipless pedals; it would feel weird to not to clip-in even in winter:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Paku...IoDLA&index=87

dedhed

When it gets cold I'll throw bread bags inside my vented shoes until it's really cold and I go to hiking boots and not clipping in.

WonderMonkey

This morning's (coldest I was referring to in OP) went well. Toes a bit cold, legs a bit cold (base layer, not wind blocking), but my hands were very warm and sweating a bit on the last part. My upper body started to sweat a bit too early into the ride but I'll take that. With my gloves I could not get to my zipper to vent my outer layer but I know I could have pulled over and easily taken care of that. I brought a small sack type backpack so I could put a layer or two in it on the way home. I'm driving into work tomorrow and could easily leave my stuff in my office but I'm going to practice for times when I may commute two days in a row. Additionally I don't want to leave something at work and then realize I need it part way home.

Summary
- It went well but my feet won't be able to handle much colder, or windier.
- Legs may need some wind block.

BobbyG

I used to ride down to 0F, but for the last few years my cold temp cut-off was 23F. But last year I went back down to 12F, and this year I'm gonna shoot for 10F. Three lesson I learned are to underdress slightly. If I can be stand to be chilly for the first 10 minutes of the ride, I'll be warm for the rest of it. Cover your skin to protect it from the cold, but not with heavy material. I use a light balaclava, and light tights. And finally, leave your shoes and gloves loose. Donning extra socks and squeezing into shoes restricts blood flow, dimminishing its warming ability. Same for gloves and fingers. The more you sweat the colder you'll be. At least this has been my experience; and I haven't done sub 12F in 17 years.

WonderMonkey

So after cooling down I head over to get a shower and ..... I forgot my pants. I brought everything I needed to work this past Friday except my pants. I said several curse words.

I am going to have to ride back home and get ready there and then DRIVE MY VEHICLE to work. So really I didn't commute, I just got some exercise. Crap.

jrickards

I've ridden this fall in a couple of sub-zero (Celcius) mornings, but no colder than -4C/25F so far. I haven't had to cover my face but I'll wear a cycling-specific toque under my helmet below 6C/43, lobster mitts over my gloves below 3C/37 and booties over my shoes below -5C/23F. I'm putting together notes on temperature, what I wore and whether it was good, too much or not enough.

WonderMonkey

Good advice. The good thing about today was that I could stand to make a mistake or two and be ok. The gloves I used today are right and for wet weather and they certainly don't allow for any circulation of air. Sweat gatherers for sure. I'm going to have to get some other "mid 30's" gloves but until then these will do, maybe even into the 20's a bit.

WonderMonkey

Good thinking, I'm going to document the day, what I wore and how it performed. I'll do that on enough commutes that I should get an idea of what's what.

bmthom.gis

Those temps aren't bad. Even down here in SC I find them pleasant. We already had two mornings like that. I was comfortable in insulated cycling pants, wool socks, I can't remember if my jersey was longsleeve or shortsleeve, a jacket, cycling cap and some ear warmers. For colder, I can wear some heavier clothes under my jacket. I have toe warmers that go over my cycling shoes to try out this winter, and a balaclava. Gloves are some sort of hunting gloves I picked up at Dicks Sporting Goods a few years ago for an unrelated event. They are thin, but warm and block the wind.

canadian deacon

Below about 15 F I wear ski goggles and a balaclava also ski gloves with liners. The liners themselves function well on their own down to about 20 F. Down around -4 F I think about jumping in a car.

My commute takes about an hour and wind speed seems to play a large factor in what is an acceptable amount of cold for these 50+ year old bones.

bmthom.gis

I'm sure it has been said, but it is good to be a little cold when you start out - just cold enough to feel brisk and refreshing. I usually warm up by the time I am out of my neighborhood - as it is all uphill.