Winter Training rides

[Rob3rt]

Cycling certainly seems to be a lot more hard work when the temperature dips below zero, but that could just be because I'm not as fit as I would like to think I am.

Are you wrapping up warm?

Other than the cold irritating my asthma I don't find it any worse tbh.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Are you wrapping up warm?

Other than the cold irritating my asthma I don't find it any worse tbh.

My legs and body are fine, my toes get cold because I don't bother with overshoes on the way to work and my fingertips get cold. It's my face that seems to suffer a bit, I've started a thread (big surprise)...

 

[Licramite]

you can get face masks with mouth slits or thinned areas by the mouth.
or a face cream you put on (its like vasaline) that justs protects the skin on cheaks and chin and around the lips and it doesn't make you overheat like a mask does.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

you can get face masks with mouth slits or thinned areas by the mouth.
or a face cream you put on (its like vasaline) that justs protects the skin on cheaks and chin and around the lips and it doesn't make you overheat like a mask does.

The blokes at work are only just coming to terms with me arriving in lycra, arriving with a face covered in bum lube might cause a level of hilarity that could rupture spleens.

 

[Graham]

You burn more calories in the summer. Your heart has to work harder to keep you cool i.e. pumping blood to the surface of the skin to cool the blood. Winter is about getting the layers right to keep you 'just right' - this has taken me a while and I've usually ended up wearing too much because I've stuck my finger out of the window before I rode and used that a judgement of what to wear. However, I've got an outside thermometer and now know exactly what to wear depending on the temperature (and wind). Quick blast on the inhaler usually sorts out my asthma.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

You burn more calories in the summer. Your heart has to work harder to keep you cool i.e. pumping blood to the surface of the skin to cool the blood. Winter is about getting the layers right to keep you 'just right' - this has taken me a while and I've usually ended up wearing too much because I've stuck my finger out of the window before I rode and used that a judgement of what to wear. However, I've got an outside thermometer and now know exactly what to wear depending on the temperature (and wind). Quick blast on the inhaler usually sorts out my asthma.

I'm getting there with a similar process of having set clothing for certain temperature bands. I also work to the rule that I should be slightly too cold when first starting out.

 

[Graham]

I'm getting there with a similar process of having set clothing for certain temperature bands. I also work to the rule that I should be slightly too cold when first starting out.

Agree with that - I'm 'lucky' in that my first 1/2 mile is usually uphill so gets some warmth into my legs pretty quickly.

 

[BrumJim]

You burn more calories in the summer. Your heart has to work harder to keep you cool i.e. pumping blood to the surface of the skin to cool the blood. Winter is about getting the layers right to keep you 'just right' - this has taken me a while and I've usually ended up wearing too much because I've stuck my finger out of the window before I rode and used that a judgement of what to wear. However, I've got an outside thermometer and now know exactly what to wear depending on the temperature (and wind). Quick blast on the inhaler usually sorts out my asthma.

Heater uses more energy than an air conditioning unit, so logically you burn more calories in winter as your body tries to keep warm.
Sadly I have no evidence to back up this wild guess. However I am justifying a cooked breakfast tomorrow due to cold weather, as I have not managed to complete my qualifying lunch-time (or evening) ride this week.

 

[Graham]

Heater uses more energy than an air conditioning unit, so logically you burn more calories in winter as your body tries to keep warm.
Sadly I have no evidence to back up this wild guess. However I am justifying a cooked breakfast tomorrow due to cold weather, as I have not managed to complete my qualifying lunch-time (or evening) ride this week.

If you ride in shorts and t-shirt then yes your body will use up a lot of calories trying to keep warm - in which case you definitely need a fry up! Release the frying pan!

 

[black'n'yellow]

You burn more calories in the summer. Your heart has to work harder to keep you cool i.e. pumping blood to the surface of the skin to cool the blood.

Actually, the opposite is true - you will burn more calories in the winter. And 'pumping blood to the surface of the skin' is not how the body keeps cool. Look up 'perspiration'.....

 

[Graham]

Actually, the opposite is true - you will burn more calories in the winter. And 'pumping blood to the surface of the skin' is not how the body keeps cool. Look up 'perspiration'.....

Just did. I am right.

 

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

Actually, the opposite is true - you will burn more calories in the winter. And 'pumping blood to the surface of the skin' is not how the body keeps cool. Look up 'perspiration'.....

Just to throw a spanner in here.

Heat is a byproduct of work - which in "warmer" weather is the reason for perspiration. Wouldn't the same heat (particularly in vital organs/core temp) be ample in colder weather to keep warm,providing your clothing choices are up to the task and you aren't shivering?

And therefore no calorie burn benefit?

 

[black'n'yellow]

Just to throw a spanner in here.

Heat is a byproduct of work - which in "warmer" weather is the reason for perspiration. Wouldn't the same heat (particularly in vital organs/core temp) be ample in colder weather to keep warm,providing your clothing choices are up to the task and you aren't shivering?

And therefore no calorie burn benefit?

But perspiration isn't necessarily 'work dependent' - you can still perspire without doing work, if it's hot enough.

Re the 'wrapping up' thing - that might be true if you were 100% insulated from the cold - but from a practicality point of view, that ain't gonna happen, because if you were fully isulated, you would overheat very quickly once you started to exercise. In any case though, if you are riding through colder, denser air, then your body will use more energy trying to maintain both temperature and output - especially on the parts that may not be as warm as they usually are.

 

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

But perspiration isn't necessarily 'work dependent' - you can still perspire without doing work, if it's hot enough.

Re the 'wrapping up' thing - that might be true if you were 100% insulated from the cold - but from a practicality point of view, that ain't gonna happen, because if you were fully isulated, you would overheat very quickly once you started to exercise. In any case though, if you are riding through colder, denser air, then your body will use more energy trying to maintain both temperature and output - especially on the parts that may not be as warm as they usually are.

I don't see it, which is not to say you're wrong.

 

[black'n'yellow]

I don't see it, which is not to say you're wrong.

ok, let's look at it another way

Obviously you will need additional clothing/weather protection in the cold. But this clothing is almost certainly not sufficient to 'trick' your body into thinking it is riding in the summer - especially if you intend on riding with any degree of intensity. Just because you are not cold whilst out on a ride, does not mean your warmth is 100% down to the clothes you are wearing. Don't forget your body is being 'cooled' from the inside as well - through the cold air you are inhaling. You can see I'm not getting the words out here, but that's about the best I can do...