I won't ride my bike if it's going to be colder than......

Black ice is a beast and I've fallen twice. Both times, I was riding slowly.
If there is still ice and snow ruts on the road sides, then I don't bike because ...I end up in the middle of the road /too close to the cars.

Today, my employer just profiled a winter cyclist-employee who cycles in more snow than I do and @ -20 degrees C. She has a 7km. bike ride from home to work (same building where I work) and most of it on a bike path.

It's snowing again right now and dearie just told me he's going to try cycling for a short piece. He has studded winter tires. I know he will be sticking to the path. Better to fall with no cars around.

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Originally Posted by lph

I should add that I find riding in rain and just above freezing a LOT colder than riding well below freezing... cold rain har a way of seeping in everywhere.

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Yes - this exactly!!

+1to rain being worse. I'd take 25F and sunny over 40 and rainy any day. Being wet and cold is more miserable and draining than anything. Temps don't even have to be that low to cause hypothermia.

Okay, well I feel a little "wimpish" now, since it was partly sunny and not windy. I would have mainly suffered from cold toes. There are so few days in southern Arizona when I even need to wear tights- I can usually get by with knee warmers, wool socks, arm warmers and a wind breaker in the winter. I have only worn my full gloves a few times. There's another century next month ...

Okay, I really feel like a wimp. Up until a few weeks ago, my limit was 50 F. Mostly, because I ride before sunrise and without the sun, that can be cold on my native Florida bones and it is what I had gear for. My BF helped me kick my gear up a notch and we were out at around 44 a few weekends ago. Can't say I would do it early in the morning, but it was okay with the sun out. I was in leg and arm sleeves, baselayer, jersey and shorts, wind pants, wool socks, wind jacket, neck warmer. Booger was out there in shorts, base layer top, long sleeve jersey and knee socks.

L

Okay, I really feel like a wimp. Up until a few weeks ago, my limit was 50 F. Mostly, because I ride before sunrise and without the sun, that can be cold on my native Florida bones and it is what I had gear for. My BF helped me kick my gear up a notch and we were out at around 44 a few weekends ago. Can't say I would do it early in the morning, but it was okay with the sun out. I was in leg and arm sleeves, baselayer, jersey and shorts, wind pants, wool socks, wind jacket, neck warmer. Booger was out there in shorts, base layer top, long sleeve jersey and knee socks.

L

Realistically 50, 40 if someone twisted my arm and it was sunny. I hate the cold.

I think the coldest temp I've ridden in was about 23*. That was 6 -7 years back when a local bike shop had rides all year 'round. I can remember shop rides where shocks would freeze, brakes would freeze, our water would freeze, pedals would get clogged with snow & we couldn't clip in, - but, we're all older now though and no more of that nonsense!
Last year, the coldest that I rode in was 30*.

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Originally Posted by azfiddle

Okay, well I feel a little "wimpish" now, since it was partly sunny and not windy. I would have mainly suffered from cold toes. There are so few days in southern Arizona when I even need to wear tights- I can usually get by with knee warmers, wool socks, arm warmers and a wind breaker in the winter. I have only worn my full gloves a few times. There's another century next month ...

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Don't feel wimpish. Not only do we all have our own internal themometers, but your climate is so much more predominantly hot I suspect you've unconsciously adjusted your preferences accordingly.

My limit is around 25f windchill. If it's sunny and I really want to get out, cold is tolerable. I'm not equipped to deal with ice, though.

It appears my limits are reasonable. Funny, I've had the impression I was crazy for biking in this weather. For my commute, which is short, the limit is what the world throws at me, which yesterday was 5F, and that was painful even for the short distance. But if I lived in a different climate where we routinely got that cold I'd have better gear. I have good clothes and equipment for this climate (the midwest).

If I lived in a milder climate, there'd be no point in having all the gear I have, so I wouldn't have it, and my cut off would be much higher.

That's my commuting limits. Wild horses couldn't drag me out on a recreational ride below ~50F. And yesterday was too cold even for wild horses. (Ok, all the horses around here are in pastures. Not exactly wild.)

My limit is about 15F for my current 6 mile commute. A week or so ago when the temperature was single digits, I only bike 1.25 miles to the bus stop. When I lived only 1.5 miles from work, I biked it no matter how cold, down to -10F or so. But keeping fingers and toes warm on a longer ride is a problem, so 15F seems about right for now. I do have studded tires on my cummuter, so not afraid of black ice, but when the roads are too narrow with snow I'll think twice about riding. Also try to avoid riding whille the snow is falling and cars may be slipping or have limited visibility.

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Originally Posted by thekarens

Realistically 50, 40 if someone twisted my arm and it was sunny. I hate the cold.

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I'm with you!!:)

I am finding that I am wimpier where colder weather riding is concerned this year. 45 now seems to be my limit rather than the 37-38 of the last couple of winters. This could be related to having a wider range of fitness activities to choose from this year. Or I am just a cold-temp riding wimp ;)