Winter is coming...

[mjr]

Tried many gloves even heated (cheap ones from Maplin ) also some heated pads within gloves from poundland which help but no real solution.

Gloves are rubbish, putting air between your fingers. Have you tried lobsters or mittens? What about pogies?

I may take a last punt on these though not sure if I will be able to brake or change gear.

It depends on your controls. Brake levers are fine as long as you stay away from the pinch point. Gear levers are fine, brifters are OK with care, but they will get snagged in some triggers easily (always in my EZ-fires). There is a type of sport mitten where you can uncover your fingers when needed (intended for people who shoot guns AFAICT), but that might not be quick enough to use for changing gear.

 

[Hypermind]

Ok ok, I get the feeling that my comment about studs on 23c was daft. Please forgive my ignorance as cycling is new to me, and I've only been doing it for 6 months... My tyres are currently 700x23c and so I assumed I needed that size of tyre to fit my wheels.

I take it I can size up and they will still fit?

 

[Bodhbh]

Ok ok, I get the feeling that my comment about studs on 23c was daft. Please forgive my ignorance as cycling is new to me, and I've only been doing it for 6 months... My tyres are currently 700x23c and so I assumed I needed that size of tyre to fit my wheels.

I take it I can size up and they will still fit?

The issue is probably going to be one of frame clearance. What bike is it? You might want to check the internal diameter of the rims, but they're probably fine to take 700x30 or 35. If it was my bike I'd want enough clearance for mudguards as well as the bigger tyres. It's not like it's unheard of for it to be -5C in the morning and 2C on the way back and p***ing it down.

 

[gavroche]

Why are you all going on about winter? We still have 3 weeks of summer and a full 3 months of Autumn yet. Life is too short to wish it away like that.

 

[srw]

Ok ok, I get the feeling that my comment about studs on 23c was daft. Please forgive my ignorance as cycling is new to me, and I've only been doing it for 6 months... My tyres are currently 700x23c and so I assumed I needed that size of tyre to fit my wheels.

I take it I can size up and they will still fit?

Where are you riding? For the vast majority of riders in the UK the weather will never get cold enough that you'll get more than a day or two's use a year out of studded tyres.

If your current tyres are 700x23c the chances are that the largest size of tyre you can fit is something like 700x25c.

 

[classic33]

Why are you all going on about winter? We still have 3 weeks of summer and a full 3 months of Autumn yet. Life is too short to wish it away like that.

First day of Autumn today.

 

[gavroche]

First day of Autumn today.

Oh it isn't, not till the 21st.

 

[classic33]

Oh it isn't, not till the 21st.

First day of meteorological autumn today.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Oi, the seasons start when the weather says they do!

 

[classic33]

Oi, the seasons start when the weather says they do!

Or the stars.

 

[gavroche]

The seasons start with the earth's position relative to the sun , that is the astrological calendar, the only valid one and the only one that matters to most of the world. It is an English thing to fit all four seasons within 12 months of the year. Stupid.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Or the stars.

Or the trees....

You see, the importance of seasons isn't about what dates you use to arbitrarily divide the year into 4. It's about what the weather's doing to the crops, the trees, the birds and the insects, etc....

Oh, and the cyclists.....

 

[growingvegetables]

Oi, the seasons start when the weather says they do!

... and when the vegetable gardener sees the signs!

From "The Horticultural Notebook", by J C Newsham (1937) ...

• Spring starts on 21st March, and lasts 92 days and 21 hours;
• Summer starts on 21st June, and lasts 93 days and 14 hours;
• Autumn starts on 23rd September, and lasts 89 days 17 3/4 hours;
• and Winter starts on 21st December, and lasts 89 days and 1 hour.

Worth remembering, because that's the definition of seasons which we see in our gardening books and on our seed packets!



[edited to add - worth remembering that astronomers and meteorologists, useful though they are, don't grow the food we eat?]

 

[cyberknight]

I just checked the minimum on my thermometer - it got down to 6.2 degrees in the middle of the night.

Getting a bit more On Topic ... I don't tend to ride in wintry conditions these days having once had 3 crashes on one icy New Year's Day ride. I would definitely use studded tyres if I were going to be riding in icy conditions again.

As for clothing - wear multiple layers so things can be taken off if you start to get too warm or added if you get cold - for example, when stood shivering at the roadside attending to mechanical problems.

I agree that cold hands and feet need to be avoided. Now that I have a big bald spot on top of my head, that feels the cold too. I have a Gore skullcap which is great for cold/wet/windy conditions; I found it on a mountain bike ride and it is a perfect fit for me!

All I know is the arm+leagwarmers along with base layer,gilet and full finger gloves were needed yesterday at 6 am.

 

[Profpointy]

It's all about the gloves for me. My commute is short enough that I can just ride harder if I'm cold to generate heat - but no matter how hard I ride, my hands get cold. I cannot stress enough the benefit of wind-proof gloves, possibly with 'lobster claw' style ones on top.

Planet X often do 'winter bundles' - worth a look.

I can still recall the exquisite pain in my hands from a gloveless winter commute (10 miles) some 35 years ago. Did half a mile then realised I'd forgotten gloves. Can't be bothered going back so carried on, then got cold, then the pain. After about 5 miles got used to it. However when I got to work and started warming up again the pain was unbelievable and took what seemed an age to subside. Still brings tears to my eyes thinking about it. Never forgot my gloves since