prj71

Winter isn't bad at all...

50PlusCycling

No, winter ain't all bad, only 2 weeks until our ski trip to Niseko. Hopefully we'll be able to get up there a few times this winter.

Hanazono Ski Resort Live Camera

NomarsGirl

I would definitely be up for an outdoor ride in that. The Boston suburbs, though, are a bit chilly now.

chaadster

Man, it was almost 50ºF and sunny yesterday, on December 2nd, in Michigan! Yeah, it was pretty windy, but with weather like that, winter really ain’t all bad. Aside from some dried mud dust from dirt road crossings, there is no particular post-ride maintenance which needs done, and the bike is ready to go for its next outing this weekend as-is.

Despite the relatively gorgeous weather, the only other cyclist I saw out on my 21 mile, midday run was Annabell, who put up a 69 mile ride that day! Beast!

rydabent

Dec Jan and Feb should be cancelled due to lack of interest.

chaadster

I dunno…things are pretty hot on Zwift those months!

cjenrick

if you ride in cold conditions in winter, you will kick butt on couch people in summer. they never ctch up,

cold builds big muscles, no power lifters in Mexico, good power lifters from USSR.

they lift Ford pickup while you chnge tire

& you listen to coyotes during night rides like lst night,

rumrunn6

December is just a hint. January & February test our souls

Road Fan

Troul, you should definitely try WDOY! I rode it back in 2010 on my 3x7 equipped Woodrup. Not too long, not usually too hard. Trying to get her painted for spring, but I might try it on 650b this year if it’s not too slippery out! Any cold weather activity which ends with a Guinness at Conor’s is a day well-spent!

cjenrick

the cold is generating lots of animal activity. coyotes howling last night, this morning it was a humming bird trapped between the curtains and window which sounds really weird when you first wake up, kind of like a giant wasp.
tonight it was an owl who swooped over my head to snag a poor unfortunate rabbit who ran in front of my headlamp, the wise owl using me as a way to beat the cold with a hot meal.

rydabent

OTOH if you live in the snow belt if you are talking biking out side I cant think of of one good thing about winter.

prj71

Fat biking, snow shoeing, XC skiing, skiing, snow boarding, ice fishing.

Only bad thing about winter is shoveling and below zero days.

chaadster

Even shoveling, if the snow is not too wet and heavy, can be cathartic. But, I admit I do enjoy road riding in the winter; it’s just a very different type of experience than warm weather riding. I appreciate how I can see the contour of the land better in winter; it fires my imagination, thinking of how indigenous people traveled this same land 200 years ago, and how the European invasion transformed it into this ribbon of pavement that I, a descendent of enslaved Africans, cycles along for fun.

In fact, my last ride was along Pontiac Trail road, which started as a Native American footpath and became, by 1828, a territorial road which provided access for the European settlement of the area. Some of Ann Arbor’s oldest houses are on this road, including that of noted Abolitionist William Perry, one of those people who made Ann Arbor an important part of the Underground Railroad. I ride by that 1836 house often, and have been in others along the street and seen the hidden dugouts, disguised cellar doors, and covered over tunnels where people like me once had to hide to escape slavery.

It’s pretty amazing, so much change in just 200 years or so… I don’t think about that stuff when I’m whipping along in the summer, chasing Strava segments or focused on holding a clubmate’s wheel. In winter, though, things slow down and my mind wanders, which I think is pretty fun!

prj71

I don't shovel very often. Only when it's light fluffy snow and it's limited to shoveling my deck. I have snowblower.

I don't like road riding in winter. You never work at it hard enough to stay warm and the wind chill riding at 15 - 18 mph also adds to the discomfort. The other added factor about trying to road ride in winter is road salt...it destroys bike components. At least on the fat bike when riding trails you actually have to work at it and you stay warm the whole time.

I don't think about any of that type of stuff when I'm riding ever. And I don't chase strava segments.

chaadster

Speak for yourself, because I sure work hard enough to stay warm!

I mean, I can’t ride all day in the winter, but a couple of hours can still be a great ride.

tkamd73 

Winter ain’t bad at all, just about ready to make the switch, also have the indoor trainer set up, but consider that drudgery, rather go skiing.
Tim

prj71

Sure...You can climb a few road hills to stay warm...then you get all sweaty and have damp clothes...then you get on a flat section and ramp up to 15-18 mph and wind chill takes over on those sections.

Trust me...I've done it enough to know these things. It literally kinda sucks.

I've done all day 6-8 hours on the fat bike and haven't got cold.

prj71

Yeah...Kind of agree. Only do the indoor trainer when the weather gets too nasty and cold.

jananji

it is a bit cold in the UK as well this year.

BoydOBenjamin

Wow ! thats a wicked cycle you got there

ofajen

I guess I agree about the road riding part. I mostly gave up road riding in 1993. I still ride on roads but only to connect to the trails I want to ride.

OTOH, at least in our climate, dressing for winter riding can be handled. Lately, I aim more for “not freezing” than “warm”. It helps to have a base layer shirt that doesn’t feel clammy if it gets damp.

Last winter I usually wore a windbreaker which tends to get me a bit warm but then it also blocks the wind so there isn’t that much chill. If I can manage with several layers and no wind block, that seems even better.

In winter, there are fewer people on the trails and a different look with the leaves down. Very contemplative in the winter cold. Around here it mostly seems to be overcast, low 30s, windy and about to mist, rain or lightly snow.

Oh yeah, and eventually the trails start to have soft muddy patches that are fun to slog through.

I also like that at the end of a ride, I have to warm up about as much as cool down and in ten minutes I’m pretty much back to whatever passes for normal.

Otto

indyfabz

Winter is a necessary evil! There. I said it.

rumrunn6

trees in the forest provide some wind block
I agree dressing is a delicate balancing act
the other night, I wound up w/ a good garment combo for approx. 2 hrs of (slow) trail riding at approx. 30 degrees
thin running tights under quality cycling pants
thick quilted long sleeve running shirt, fleece shirt, thick fleece jacket w/ pit zips opened, thin cycling vest. just enough thermal & wind protection w/ some ventilation to stay dry
by time I got back to the car, I was done with being outside

don't mind the road bike in frigid temps but the conditions need to be good. have to eliminate all exposed skin, or really limit what is exposed. breathing road salt dust is no fun. dodging ice on the shoulder is looking for trouble w/ regular road tires. if the roads are clean & dry & the wind isn't terrible, I will consider it


paved trails take some of the complication out of it, if you're lucky enough to have a nice long one nearby, that is maintained year 'round

Flip Flop Rider

the cold is tolerable. It's the getting dark so early I do not like and yes I have good lights

Mikedmarx

After years with the trainer, made a jump to fat bike with studded tires for the snow and cold temps. Easy to layer up down to zero.. Never looked back