SalsaShark

It is warm in my neck of the woods (Midwest USA) these last few days, pushing 100°F. Where I reside, the mercury doesn't rise much more beyond that, rarely eclipsing the 100° mark, albeit usually saturated with humidity.
On my commute home from work, this got me thinking of the range of temperatures I will encounter over the course of the year, which led me to think of the absolute extremes of the temperature spectrum in which I have ridden throughout my days.
Knowing that we rarely see over 100°, and being that my commute commences on bicycle year round regardless of weather, I will put that mark as my high temperature. We had a good cold snap a few years back that dipped down to -30°F (with some wicked winds, but wind chill doesn't apply here).
Looking at the differential between the two extremes (+100, -30), this puts my temperature riding width at 130°F.
This got me wondering how this stacks up against other people's riding in different environments. Surely somebody is encountering a wider range in their riding, but where?

msalvetti

I don't come anywhere close to you. Here in Boston it doesn't often get above 95F. I'll ride in that, but in the evening after the sun goes down. In the winter, I usually won't go out if the temp is below 25F. Just too hard for me to stay warm, especially my hands. May try mittens next year.

So my temp width is only 70F.

Mark

Desert Ryder

Well. summer is here in the desert so temps in the mid-late afternoon are going to hover in the 100+ range for a few months.
I'll only ride in the morning if I'm not working that day. Even then temps may be in the '80-'90s already.
Cold isn't an issue here nor is rain.

LarrySellerz

You rode at minus 30f on a windy day not factoring in wind chill? Once it gets lower than 0f I find cycling very unpleasant, youre a harder man than me. I think id want a full face mask

The Chemist

Here in Shanghai the yearly temperature range is around 0 degrees C to 38 degrees C, and I ride in all of it.

andrewclaus

During my commutes in Denver, I gradually improved my clothing so I could ride 45 minutes in 10F temps. That was the lowest I ever got. I have toured in 104F, and done some day rides in Arizona in 108F, where you don't want your knees to touch the top tube. I don't know if it's fair to include multiple locations.

BTinNYC 

So far this year 17F to 91F. I wouldn't go for a car ride at -30F.

BobbyG

In Colorado Springs it rarely reaches 100F but often go up to 98F (Highest recorded temp here was 100.8F in 2018) however the thermometers on my bikes will read up to 110 in direct sunlight. I commuted for 28 years and would ride home when it was still in the upper 90s.

On the other end of the scale it almost never makes it down to 0F. Thanks to info and discussions on bikeforums, for the last few years of commuting I was able to push my low temp threshold down to 5F.

It's very dry here so both extremes are easier to endure than in humid climes like Chicago and Iowa where I have also lived. However being up 6500 feet (and higher in the foothills) means the sun is very strong and sunburn happens fast, so covering up is essential.

TL/DR: ~95F

GhostRider62

Not sure but out West the bank sign said 117F and my Garmin said 126F on the road. A UPS driver stopped me one day telling me to get off the road cuz the heat index was 160 or 161F. Told him I was in a race, no could do. People always think you can hydrate yourself sufficiently. It is impossible, you have to slow down, way down. 20-25% of your energy conversion goes to the pedals and the other 75-80% is heat.

Cold? I think in the late 70's I did a ride at -5F. Nowadays, I won't ride below 20F. Getting old.

pdlamb

After a commute at 7F I decided that was too cold, I'd stick to double-digit temperatures on the low end. But I also got a pair of warm tights with a wind-block front. It hasn't equaled that low since then, so I don't know if I'd try for 0F or not.

High end was about 113F in the Phoenix area one afternoon after work. Made it back to my motel as I ran out of water.

So around 105 degrees.

ClydeClydeson

-17c - ~28c, although I have to take it easy in the upper temp range.

ofajen

As far as what I’ve ever done, roughly [+110,+10] or 100F. In a typical year it will now be [+100,+30] or 70F.

I have never enjoyed riding below 25F and pretty much switch to working out at the rec center when the temp is below 30F. I lift more weights and use the stair climber.

I’ve never seen -30F here and the last time I saw -20F was almost 45 years ago. Back then I would cross country ski instead of biking. With climate warming, it’s getting easier to ride more in the winter except for February, when we now get clobbered by a big snowstorm every week and it’s too dangerous to ride.

I rode yesterday at 94F and quite enjoyed it, but I waited until 5 pm and the trail routes were at least 80% in shade by then plus there was a brisk 17 mph headwind.

Otto

SalsaShark

Oh I had a face mask and goggles on.
I was also wearing a shirt.

SalsaShark

Me either; that's why I took the bike! 😉

prj71

95 degrees here in WI yesterday. Real feal was 103°.

I biked 45 miles after work. I love biking in the heat. I fat bike in winter but my cut-off is around 10-15 degrees.

SalsaShark

I hear you there. I find i can stay comfortable in cold temps if I make sure my fingers and toes stay warm, and don't overexert myself to sweating - dry is the key. One can always carry extra layers and chemical warmers if a mechanical problem arises and you need to keep warm off the bike.
On the flip side, there really isn't anything that can be done in extreme heat, aside from slowing down and drinking more water, which will be lost again to sweat. Gotta be super careful in the heat, once you get dehydrated and overheated, you're in trouble!

_ForceD_

I live in coastal southern New England. I ride in temps from the mid/upper-90s (so say >95°F) down to around the mid/lower-teens (so say <15°F). So my “temperature width” is 80-85°F.

Dan

SalsaShark

I imagine somebody willing to ride in the worst extremes that Wisconsin has to offer could put up a pretty big temperature width over the course of a year.

prj71

Like I mentioned...I don't like to ride below 10-15 degrees. I'm miserable when the temps are below that. I go to the gym instead on those days.

ClydeClydeson

Chemical warmers are a lifesaver! I used to teach XC skiing to little kids and there was a lot more standing around than skiing, and I would certainly have an odd number of toes now if not for chem warming packets.

The way I deal with the heat is stopping for multiple swims during rides if the temp is above ~23 C. I plan my rides to go past swimming spots for this reason. This time of year in my part of Canada, most bodies of water is delightfully cool, but gets a bit less refreshing as the summer wears on.

CAT7RDR

I ride for fitness and recreation so 30F w/ sunshine and low winds in the mountains are rare. Maybe 95F heat index is all I want to endure.

locolobo13 

In Minneapolis for week I rode in subfreezing temps. Can't remember but probably 20-25°F. It was just a short morning ride, 4-5 miles, before the workshop started each morning.

Things will have to get awful bad here in Phoenix to see those temps. OTOH I've ridden all the way up to 118°F, possibly higher in the summers here. Generally the higher temps are my homeward commutes of 5-6 miles.

genejockey 

Where I live it generally won't get below about 40 degrees once the sun's out in the winter, so that's about as low as I have bike clothes for. It will get over 100 for maybe 7-10 days a year, but not usually more than 3 in a row. I will ride when it's in the high 90s, but not pushing very much, but if it's >100, nah.

tkamd73 

I refuse to ride my steel bikes in salt, which pretty much rules out winter In Wisconsin, really not interested in owning a winter beater bike, or any beater bike for that matter, either. Above 90F I prefer kayaking, as I have lake access, and it’s a lot easier to stay cool.
So I guess my range is 35 to 90F, only use my bikes for fitness, and because I just enjoy being on a bike. Outside of that temperature range, I’ve got better things to do, and other ways of staying fit.
Tim

jackb

Here in Missoula, MT, it's cold a good deal of the year, so in order to ride regularly I have to tolerate some cooler days. Generally, I don't like to ride much below 55F. It's never too hot to ride here with summer temps rarely going above 90F. Trouble is, summer is short, mid-June to mid-Sept. I can expect days down in the low 50s anytime during the summer, like right now as I sit at my desk at home. I don't ride in the winter. Too cold and too much snow, but I see people doing it.