How cold is too cold?

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Originally Posted by zoom-zoom

I have been hoping to ride more outdoors this Winter than in the past...but I'm finding that my asthmatic lungs may not allow this. Today I rode 24 miles with friends into a lot of wind and really struggled (temps weren't even all that cold...upper 30s). In the Summer it's a piece of cake for me to finish a ride with an average speed of 16mph or faster for 4x that distance. Today our average was <15 and I was hurting. Tonite my lungs are really angry and my throat feels so raw.......

I'd give anything to have an even average set of lungs. :(

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I hear you ZoomZoom, I have asthma as well. It hardly ever flares these days but cold air is the one thing that WILL aggravate it for me. Riding in 95 degree heat doesn't affect it at all...My average speed is certainly lower than yours so I've no advice, just hope you can find something. Nothing wrong with mountain biking on frozen hard trails or cyclocross...

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Originally Posted by Crankin

Take your inhaler before you ride and don't breathe through your mouth!

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Did the first, can't do the 2nd...related to my asthma is horrid sinuses/allergies (I always ride with a hanky, because my nose is always plugged-up and running like a sieve, especially lately as I battle a post-headcold sinus infection. I'm a mouth breather. So sexy... :p ).

Thanks LPH! That's just the info I was looking for. I don't have a lot of money to spend on bikes and I don't want to ruin what I have out of pure ignorance. As for what to wear. I'm not too worried about actually figuring that out. I'm a downhill skier and my second job in the winter is as a ski patroller so I'm pretty savvy at putting the right combo together for the weather. I probably have all I need for the top half but will have to invest in some winter cycling bibs as my ski pants are far too bulky (shouldn't have thrown out my early '90's in the boot stirrup pants they would have been perfect! Well maybe a little fred but I would have been warm)

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Originally Posted by Tri Girl

And what brand is your neoprene face mask? I have asthma, too, and the cold is always something that bothers it in the winter.

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I'll check on that for you. I got mine out of the NSP catalog but it's not available to the public.

I'd give anything to have average lungs too. It's frustrating and scary sometimes.

I found it available commercially!

http://cozywinters.com/shop/coldaven...-facemask.html

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Originally Posted by FlyingScot

Thanks LPH! That's just the info I was looking for. I don't have a lot of money to spend on bikes and I don't want to ruin what I have out of pure ignorance. As for what to wear. I'm not too worried about actually figuring that out. I'm a downhill skier and my second job in the winter is as a ski patroller so I'm pretty savvy at putting the right combo together for the weather.

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Oh great! Then you're probably all set. I wear much the same XC skiing as I do biking, but hands and feet are more exposed, so thicker, more windproof gloves and something windproof that lets you wiggle your toes is in order.

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Originally Posted by zoom-zoom

Did the first, can't do the 2nd...related to my asthma is horrid sinuses/allergies (I always ride with a hanky, because my nose is always plugged-up and running like a sieve, especially lately as I battle a post-headcold sinus infection. I'm a mouth breather. So sexy... :p ).

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Asthmatic here, too! And also a mouth-breather. Several years back, I was having a root canal done, and my dentist tried to insert some sort of rubber barrier into my mouth to prevent "debris" from getting into other areas of my mouth. I literally felt like I was suffocating with that thing covering my mouth. I immediately ripped it out and yelled at my dentist that I have asthma and I'm a mouth-breather and that he can NOT cover up my mouth like that. I think I scared the crap outta him. :p

The cold affects my breathing, as well...especially when hills are involved. I always take a hit of my rescue inhaler before I head out on a cold ride, but I carry it with me as well, just in case. It's the only time I ever need my rescue inhaler (I'm on Advair the rest of the time, which controls it). I find that I tend to hyperventilate more easily during a cold ride...which sucks.

Linda

Linda, I'm oddly reassured to know that I'm not the only mouth-breathing freak around here! ;) Yeah, I hate dental work for that very reason.

I've had to teach myself not to be a mouth breather, as it not only affects asthma, but also increases anxiety. I don't like having my mouth covered, like with a balaclava, and the dental thing, forget it. However, I have learned to just keep my mouth shut in the beginning of a cold ride. I also don't like it when any of my senses are covered... My ears, eyes. I can't swim well, either because of this.

I am a mouth-breather as well, especially in the cold air. My sinuses close so quickly in cold air that I don't have much of a choice. I especially noted this yesterday when I was riding in 35 degree temps. At least the bacalava helps to warm the air a bit before it hits my lungs...

I think I'm gonna have to try a balaclava. I have one, but didn't feel cold enough to actually need it, yesterday. Perhaps I need it to warm the air, not so much for my head/face.

To answer the OP's question, tomorrow morning will be too cold. I was going to ride at 5:30 AM, but it's going to be 21 degrees (and dark). I think that if it had said 28, I would have been OK.