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Chilly but fun

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Chilly but fun

Old 01-14-22, 02:37 PM
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Helderberg
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Chilly but fun

Went out today for a nice ride. I have not been on the bike consistently for about two months so I am trying to get out for a ride often. Headed out on my usual warm-up leg and got hit in the face with a strong wind so decided to get up on the Greenway so the trees would break up the wind. That worked but the trees also shielded the sun so on the way back it got cold. Fun but cold 15 miles and I feel good. Starting to add a few miles to each ride and not blow out my knee again.
Be safe all, Frank.
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Old 01-14-22, 05:24 PM
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Originally Posted by Helderberg
Starting to add a few miles to each ride and not blow out my knee again.
but yeah, knees don't like cold
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Old 01-14-22, 07:45 PM
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ofajen
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Originally Posted by rumrunn6
but yeah, knees don't like cold
I’ve taken to always wearing sweatpants on rides at 60F and below, just to help keep my knees warm. Sometimes my legs get sweaty, but I figure it’s good to be cautious. Sorry, that’s really low-tech, I know, and I even use my old steel ankle bands to keep the cuffs out of the way. 😊

Otto
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Old 01-14-22, 08:21 PM
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I wear leggings beneath nylon sweat pants and a balaclava over a sweat band. My windproof riding jacket with just a T underneath has been good enough down to 30° F. Can't stand getting cold but don't mind sweating up a storm. Except today I ended up carrying my bike back (4.83 miles) when I got a flat (small sharp stone) and my spare was a patched tube that didn't hold air. My bad. My shoulder was killing me by the time I got home. I even took my gloves off and used them for a shoulder pad. Replaced both tire and tube with new and now carry a new, never opened shrink wrapped tube for a spare haha.
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Old 01-16-22, 01:10 PM
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Good ride! I’ve ridden once the last couple weeks. Weather, back issues, birthday celebrations, house projects etc. I wish we had your network of greenways close by.
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Old 01-16-22, 01:31 PM
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Clyde1820
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Originally Posted by ofajen
I’ve taken to always wearing sweatpants on rides at 60F and below, just to help keep my knees warm. Sometimes my legs get sweaty, but I figure it’s good to be cautious.
Good reminder. It's something a lot of people never do (use such tights/sweats).

Did that myself, in the 1980s and 1990s, when doing performance running and lots of cycling. Under 60ºF sometimes, certainly when under 50ºF, I used some mid-weight wicking-type tights that were exceptional at providing just enough heat, just enough support, such that minor aches in the knees and leg muscles were largely eliminated. In warm weather, could easily do very hard workouts, even over great distances, but if cooler then I found those tights worked wonders. (Can't recall the brand/model of tights I used. Kept a couple pairs in rotation. They were almost like terry cloth, but of a denser weaver, made of a wicking material that was lighter than wool but had much of the warming effect wool can have.)
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Old 01-16-22, 06:58 PM
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Originally Posted by jppe
Good ride! I’ve ridden once the last couple weeks. Weather, back issues, birthday celebrations, house projects etc. I wish we had your network of greenways close by.
We have some nice trails around here but I wish they would connect them. If the state would just add a total of about 10 miles of trail I could easily do 100 miles and never have to deal with a car. Allegedly the state is working on this but at the rate NC's gov't moves I will be long dead before they even break ground.
Frank.
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Old 01-16-22, 08:13 PM
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Originally Posted by Helderberg
We have some nice trails around here but I wish they would connect them. If the state would just add a total of about 10 miles of trail I could easily do 100 miles and never have to deal with a car. Allegedly the state is working on this but at the rate NC's gov't moves I will be long dead before they even break ground.
Frank.
A lot of states work with clubs that can do fund raisers or write grants to generate funding for such projects and basically take on the project with the state doing the over viewing to make sure it is something they want to maintain if the club abandons it or even finishes it but then things change and the club drops the upkeep, basically leaving it to the state to maintain. I've been involved in many off road hiking and ATV projects and have written lots of grant requests that were successful to fund said projects. NC has a timber industry so there is always grant money coming from that for different varying projects. You might want to look into this if you're serious about building something for the public's good, which a bike trail definitely is.
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Old 01-18-22, 05:19 AM
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Adding mileage slowly is definitely the way to go. When I was stateside anything below 60f was a leg warmer day. Have fun, and be safe!
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Old 01-18-22, 10:06 AM
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My cool weather bike clothes are good to a temp of 42-43 any lower I stay home. It is blasting hot most of they year down here.
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Old 01-18-22, 11:06 AM
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Originally Posted by Hondo Gravel
My cool weather bike clothes are good to a temp of 42-43 any lower I stay home. It is blasting hot most of they year down here.
Ah, just so you know, those aren't 'cool' weather clothes. haha
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Old 01-19-22, 11:07 AM
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It was -22F here in the great white north this past weekend so there wasn't enough clothes on the planet to bike comfortably! i know that's not but true but I chose to X country ski and play outdoor ice hockey instead.
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Old 01-19-22, 07:31 PM
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In calm conditions, I'm good to about 35*f. I have zero desire to encounter ice or snow. With any wind = 40* min.

Last few seasons have added winter shoes, fleece lined bib tights (with a front zipper allowing for longer rides). Decent clothing makes it hard to come up with excuses when the temps dip. Once out on the road, always glad to have made the effort. Extends the riding season; important, as I've muchly given up the ski season.
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Old 01-20-22, 02:08 AM
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Im ok to the low 30s. I don't have to ride but i like to and prefer cooler to hotter so below 80 but above 35.
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Old 01-20-22, 09:41 AM
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One of the problems I have with cold rides is my eyes. They water like crazy and it really screws up my vision so I don't feel safe. I have tried wearing covers over my glasses but my glasses are too large. Other than that, once I have broken my inertia to stay warm and home I am very glad to be out on the bike.
Frank.
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Old 01-20-22, 11:34 AM
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Originally Posted by Helderberg
One of the problems I have with cold rides is my eyes. They water like crazy and it really screws up my vision so I don't feel safe. I have tried wearing covers over my glasses but my glasses are too large. Other than that, once I have broken my inertia to stay warm and home I am very glad to be out on the bike.
Frank.
I have 2 pair of glasses that tint. One pair is aviator style, larger lenses and sits higher up my nose (closer to my eyes) and when I wear them my eyes are fine. When I wear the other pair, slightly smaller lenses and rest further down my nose, my eyes water terribly. Talking cold weather only. Thought I'd throw that out there. And then there are always goggles, but unless you're moving they tend to fog up.
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Old 01-20-22, 12:17 PM
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Top out at 35 today and for here that is cold. I would ride but I don’t have the clothing. Not worth investing the $ because winter doesn’t last long. It was 80 yesterday. We have crazy temperature swings in winter it will drive you crazy.
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