You're crazy for riding in these temperatures!
#51
meh
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To those that haven't spent time in the Twin Cities, this is a good explanation about the weather conditions that create the "crazy bikers" up here.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climat...0%93Saint_Paul
Yes, it's an ego-builder to be a year-round biker round here (most Canadian bikers can claim the same bragging-rights)
The climate of the Twin Cities is classified as hot-summer humid continental (Köppen Dfa).[2] A feature of the humid continental climate in the United States is that weather can be unpredictable with extremes occurring in many phases of measurements. For example, the Twin Cities has a hotter all-time record high temperature of 108 °F (42 °C) than the entire state of Florida, despite being located nearly 1000 miles farther from the equator. Conversely, temperatures during the winter months are colder in the Twin Cities than in any other major metropolitan area in the continental United States, and are about equal to those in Anchorage, Alaska, which is around 1,000 miles (1,600 km) closer to the North Pole. The Twin Cities can also experience droughts, floods, and on average are windier than Chicago, Illinois (the "Windy City", although that is not the origin of the phrase).
Yes, it's an ego-builder to be a year-round biker round here (most Canadian bikers can claim the same bragging-rights)
#52
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I realize that for the time being, I have a fantastic winter bike, and I didn't need to buy it, nor did I build it. It's the fleet of Citi Bike bikes in the city. I don't want to ride any of my bikes in this weather, but Citi Bike is fine. It's not a pleasant bike to ride for the most part, but I really feel damned safe on it, because it weighs 50 pounds and makes me upright. I fishtailed on one, once, in slush, and I was able to recover pretty well. It has big MTB style slick tires, and they seem to hold on quite well. If I didn't have this available, I would build myself a heavy winter bike.
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#53
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Question for those who live in cities with CitiBike / BCycle type bike shares, and actually have winter - does your bike share operate throughout the winter? Here, they just shut down for the season last Saturday. IIRC, they experimented with limited service (a few select stations open) over the winter a couple years ago, but it must not have gone well, because they're back to complete shutdown in December.
#54
Sr Member on Sr bikes
Thread Starter
Question for those who live in cities with CitiBike / BCycle type bike shares, and actually have winter - does your bike share operate throughout the winter? Here, they just shut down for the season last Saturday. IIRC, they experimented with limited service (a few select stations open) over the winter a couple years ago, but it must not have gone well, because they're back to complete shutdown in December.
Dan
#55
meh
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Question for those who live in cities with CitiBike / BCycle type bike shares, and actually have winter - does your bike share operate throughout the winter? Here, they just shut down for the season last Saturday. IIRC, they experimented with limited service (a few select stations open) over the winter a couple years ago, but it must not have gone well, because they're back to complete shutdown in December.
We just got Lime in some surrounding suburbs, it'll be interesting to see what they do in the winter (likely dumped all over the place and rusting).
* for the record, I'm a fan of bike share programs and use them while traveling all the time; but I think the Lime system is not helping with their 'drop it anywhere' system. Nice Share added dockless bike share, but they have marked parking spaces and charge you for not returning it to a marked space. Reference
#56
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Question for those who live in cities with CitiBike / BCycle type bike shares, and actually have winter - does your bike share operate throughout the winter? Here, they just shut down for the season last Saturday. IIRC, they experimented with limited service (a few select stations open) over the winter a couple years ago, but it must not have gone well, because they're back to complete shutdown in December.
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
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Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
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#57
Bicyclerider4life
Eh ... Better "Crazy" than "Insane".
#58
Full Member
Who has gotten those comments before? When rolling out of the driveway for a 25 mile ride on a 30°F, but otherwise beatuiful afternoon...a neighbor comments to me "It's too cold for bicycling. You're crazy."...as he loaded his skis into the roof rack on his car for a trip up to the mountains for some weekend skiing...where it'll surely be significantly colder than the 30° I was ridding in.
Dan
Dan
Response: "True, but we all have to do what we have to do."
Reply: "True, fair enough."
Comment Two (in Elevator): "Oh, I saw you biking in the snow today, I felt so bad for you."
Response: "No need to worry, I bike 10 miles to work every day, and I've found that if it's not at least 10 miles, it's not worth doing."
#59
Full Member
Is that your post ride look? I suppose you Minnesotans have to be pretty cold adapted to be able to smile after that. The coldest I've ever experienced in life was 0 degrees visiting a friend in Arkansas during the holidays, and I cannot express how miserable I was. Not snow, just ice for the entire week.
I'm an all-weather cycling supporter, but at this point even I would be tempted to joint the "crazy cyclist" vote. The again, I'd think that for anybody standing out in that cold.
I'm an all-weather cycling supporter, but at this point even I would be tempted to joint the "crazy cyclist" vote. The again, I'd think that for anybody standing out in that cold.
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To those that haven't spent time in the Twin Cities, this is a good explanation about the weather conditions that create the "crazy bikers" up here.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climat...0%93Saint_Paul
Yes, it's an ego-builder to be a year-round biker round here (most Canadian bikers can claim the same bragging-rights)
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climat...0%93Saint_Paul
Yes, it's an ego-builder to be a year-round biker round here (most Canadian bikers can claim the same bragging-rights)
We have crappy winters in kansas but not especially cold or wet. They're just long and dreary, but without much snow so we can't even go sledding that often. On the bright side, it's not hard to bike outdoors for much of the winter as long as you know how to layer, which is a trial and error process.
#61
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This thread is making me nostalgic for real winter. I know y'all up in the Cities have had a bit of it, but a bit further to the south and west on the Wisconsin state line, we still have not had a drop below 0F.
There are just too many decisions with these warmer winter temperatures: studs or not? One layer or two? Which gloves? Colder is, in many ways, easier.
Plus, I do enjoy the look of shock and horror when I walk into work in extreme cold and complain about how hot I am.
There are just too many decisions with these warmer winter temperatures: studs or not? One layer or two? Which gloves? Colder is, in many ways, easier.
Plus, I do enjoy the look of shock and horror when I walk into work in extreme cold and complain about how hot I am.
#62
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@wipekitty, yes, my climate zone is like that for most of winter. That's why I sometimes wish we had real winter here. Saturday was 35ºF and rainy. Yeck!
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“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#63
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@wipekittySaturday was 35ºF and rainy
#64
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I'd be OK with steady 30s, some 40s & some 20s. guess we'll have to grin & bear it when it hits. only 2.5 months 'till April!
#65
Full Member
haha was thinking this myself recently. then yesterday, late afternoon, a vicious snow squall rolled through our area. the sky got dark like a weird thunderstorm, then the wind howled sideways with lots of snow. I was like: "oh darn that's what winter looks like & it's coming!" cuz I guess I kinda forgot ... selective amnesia?
I'd be OK with steady 30s, some 40s & some 20s. guess we'll have to grin & bear it when it hits. only 2.5 months 'till April!
I'd be OK with steady 30s, some 40s & some 20s. guess we'll have to grin & bear it when it hits. only 2.5 months 'till April!
#66
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#67
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It’s been weird again this season. November turned cold, but December was warmer than November. January has been warmer yet, hitting 55 one day, and near 50 two other days. Were it not for the late sunrise, early sunset, and very low arc of the sun across the sky, I could easily make myself believe it’s late March or early April. Our lows at night for the first 8 days of January now have only been just below freezing most nights. Right now it’s 45 degrees atv 2:30 AM. I’ve had to get out the snow shovel 0 times since the first snow in November - we’ve gotten maybe an inch ar most about 5 or 6 times, but it melts right awsy. OTOH, we’ve had a lot of soaking rains.
So, it’s been really great to get out there this “winter” - but I actually miss having some snow cover - both of my bikes set up for winter have studs, so it’s tough going on pavement, relatively, but good for rebuilding the aerobic capacity, endurance, and muscle strength I’ve lost.
But I certainly can’t say it’s been crazy extreme cold riding.
I’m sure reality will set in soon and back to reality. As long as it doesn’t go like last year, when March was cold wih snow, and April was extremely cold with significant snow until the very end. I want spring to be spring.
OTOH, I kind of miss the magic of riding in a snow squall at 15 degrees.
Weather was never this weird when I was a kid in the 1970’s - winter was winter.
So, it’s been really great to get out there this “winter” - but I actually miss having some snow cover - both of my bikes set up for winter have studs, so it’s tough going on pavement, relatively, but good for rebuilding the aerobic capacity, endurance, and muscle strength I’ve lost.
But I certainly can’t say it’s been crazy extreme cold riding.
I’m sure reality will set in soon and back to reality. As long as it doesn’t go like last year, when March was cold wih snow, and April was extremely cold with significant snow until the very end. I want spring to be spring.
OTOH, I kind of miss the magic of riding in a snow squall at 15 degrees.
Weather was never this weird when I was a kid in the 1970’s - winter was winter.
Last edited by DaveQ24; 01-08-19 at 01:47 AM.
#68
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Same here. Where are you, @DaveQ24. I sometimes enjoy the unusual changes of weather, but the trend also makes me scared of things to come. We're in the mid Hudson Valley for a few days. It went down to 19ªF yesterday morning, and it felt damn cold, but only because we haven't had much normal weather here.
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New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
#69
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I agree with you guys. We are crazy.
Last night it got down to 53° F. Brr!!!
I can't wait for the long, cold, bleak six weeks of winter to be over.
Really looking forward to the warmer days and daffodils in February.
Tim,
Atlanta
Last night it got down to 53° F. Brr!!!
I can't wait for the long, cold, bleak six weeks of winter to be over.
Really looking forward to the warmer days and daffodils in February.
Tim,
Atlanta
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@noglider - SE Michigan, Detroit NW suburbs.
Pattern shift coming, at least a bit of one. Cold front that came through has dropped the temps for the next few days, highs in the upper 20s lows in the teens.
Yesterday hit 50, last of that for a while I suspect.
Pattern shift coming, at least a bit of one. Cold front that came through has dropped the temps for the next few days, highs in the upper 20s lows in the teens.
Yesterday hit 50, last of that for a while I suspect.
Last edited by DaveQ24; 01-09-19 at 10:47 AM.
#71
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Minneapolis has had a big January thaw with temps getting to mid-40s F a few days in a row. Most snow is gone, and replaced with ice. Now we have normal temps (highs around 10-15F), so this skating rink is here to stay. I'm very happy to have studded tires on my bikes!
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People in this part of the country like to say "I like the change of seasons." But all in one week?