In the past couple weeks, it has gotten rapidly colder in Portland. Two weeks ago I was riding in about 45 F (40F in the morning, 50F in the afternoon), now I'm riding in 23 F (20F in the morning, 25-28F in the afternoon).
I have good clothes and don't feel uncomfortably cold, a little bit chilly for the first several blocks maybe. However, I notice that I feel weaker on my commute. Not greatly weaker like if I were sick or had a dragging brake. But a little sluggish, sort of "plugging along" instead of "charging along".
Why might this be? Is the chill through my pants (regular + rain pants) affecting my muscles? The cold air affecting my breathing? Is my mind deciding that just riding in this temp is good enough, so no reason to push hard? Do you ever experience this? How then do people feel when riding in really cold temps like Midwesterners , East Coasters, and Montanans do?
I guess I better quantify a little. On a mild grade where normally I'm pushing 53 x 17 at 18 mph, now I'm gearing down to 53 x 21 and pedaling a faster cadence for 16 mph. On a stretch of flat road where normally I'm in 53 x 13 at 25 mph, in the drops and keeping up well enough with traffic to be in the center of the lane, now I'm in 53 x 21 in the hoods and plugging along at 20 mph off to the right of the lane. Normally my HR gets to 170+ during the ride, now it maybe sees 160. Basically I am taking it kind of easy, except I feel like I'm trying but just not getting the usual power. Not that I have a power meter or anything. It does seem a fair bit windier lately.
I rode my hardtail 29 to work one night last week, when it was in the teens and I felt the same way. By the time I finished my 3.3 mile uphill trek to work, I was walking ... Getting old sucks butt guys!
