Winter rides

[gavgav]

The cold doesn’t put me off, you can wrap up with layers, etc, but ice definitely does put me off. No chance I’m risking it if there is a possibility of ice. There can still be lovely sunny winter rides though, that aren’t frosty.

 

[mustang1]

Warning: "I'm alright" statement coming.

Down here in the soft South and South West of England the weather may look grey and dismal from the kitchen window in winter, but there really aren't that many unrideable days. It's getting out the door that's tough.

The mile long journey to the front door, where my brain plays tricks on me asking "hey do you really want to go for a ride?... in that weather?... wouldn't you rather have a cup of hot chocolate? Oh look now you forgot your gloves so you might as well stay indoors" etc.

I love winter riding but like most others here, if there's black ice, forget it. I also like the way MTB tyres crunch over ice in the forest... ooh lovely!

 

[Yakboy]

4.44 ° is my cutoff. So sez my nose, toes & eyes. Okay, everyone, open season to brag about how long you ride in what ultra frigid temps!

View attachment 611393

Have a look at USB rechargeable insoles...have been a bit of a revelation for me

 

[kayakerles]

I am riding to work at 4.30am each morning. I keep expecting it to be really cold, but its not. After 5km I am warm. At the end of 20km I am boiling. It is hard to decide what to wear at the moment.

I hear you, Steve. Here in the States in the winter, in Maryland at least, I take a 10 mile ride each morning at 5:30am (pre-pandemic, 5am to head for work) and my standard wraps are thermals under my regular pants, a long sleeve wicking shirt, and a thin windbreaker. Anything more, even a sweater and I get hot, but when I first walk out the door in the Winter, I am SURE I'm going to freeze to death! After 5 - 10 minutes the bod warms up, and after around 30 minutes the zipper on my windbreaker jacket is slowly getting lower and lower. Nothing worse than feeling sweaty/clammy when you're in a chilly environment!

It was 5.3 c this morning so not fasr off your cut off point , like you @steveindenmark im out a similar time on ealry shift it was a shock to the sytem this morning ! My hands really suffered today as i hant got my thicker gloves out and i didnt want to go ferretign through the cupboard so i had to suffer,

I know exactly what you mean on the gloves, CK. I have 3 sets of gloves, my padded fingerless ones for all nice weather, lightweight windbreaker gloves for semi-cold and windy days, and then some nice warm gloves for the seriously cold days. The first real cold or windy days of winter when you realize you have the wrong gloves, or forgot them altogether Ouch!

 

[kayakerles]

Have a look at USB rechargeable insoles...have been a bit of a revelation for me

I'll do that, YB, right now my warmest option for my most complaining body parts, (10 little toes) is my 100% waterproof hiking boots. I don't mind wearing them (I have flat petals, which easily handle ANY footwear) but they STILL don't keep toes toasty. I can even put up with the crying eyes and drippy nose!

 

[cyberknight]

I hear you, Steve. Here in the States in the winter, in Maryland at least, I take a 10 mile ride each morning at 5:30am (pre-pandemic, 5am to head for work) and my standard wraps are thermals under my regular pants, a long sleeve wicking shirt, and a thin windbreaker. Anything more, even a sweater and I get hot, but when I first walk out the door in the Winter, I am SURE I'm going to freeze to death! After 5 - 10 minutes the bod warms up, and after around 30 minutes the zipper on my windbreaker jacket is slowly getting lower and lower. Nothing worse than feeling sweaty/clammy when you're in a chilly environment!

I cant wear fingerless gloves even in summer as the windchill from riding sets my hands off unless its above 20c , if my hands get cold they stay cold for at least an hour , a few weeks ago even though i had full finger gloves on and it was about 15 c they got wet and even though everyone else was wearing fingerless as were ok i couldnt even undo my helmet strap at the cake stop till i had run them under warm water .

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Yep ice is to be avoided. But snow is ok.

 

[steveindenmark]

We do not see much snow and ice in Denmark anymore. It still goes down to Minus 10, but I still ride to work in that as I warm up wearing the correct gear.

If there is snow and ice, I do not mind taking the car. I do not like the idea of fixing punctures or the bike at 4.30am in the wilds of Denmark in snow and ice with no passing traffic. If I went down and could not get up, it could end up in a serious situation.

I cycle most days of the year but sometimes a bit of caution is needed

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

We do not see much snow and ice in Denmark anymore. It still goes down to Minus 10, but I still ride to work in that as I warm up wearing the correct gear.

If there is snow and ice, I do not mind taking the car. I do not like the idea of fixing punctures or the bike at 4.30am in the wilds of Denmark in snow and ice with no passing traffic. If I went down and could not get up, it could end up in a serious situation.

I cycle most days of the year but sometimes a bit of caution is needed

Indeed, better missing a day or two rather than coming off and missing months