Is it just a matter of learning to tune out the discomfort of cold fingers & toes, so you just stop noticing them?
I certainly notice that I feel the cold less as a ride goes on. On Saturday, my fingers were quite painful half an hour into the ride (5°, sunny), but fairly comfortable an hour and a half later (3°, sleet, and the wind had got up too).
That was shorts, sandals, no socks, and no gloves. Winter's not allowed to start until November
