I want to ride faster

[RoadRaven]

Kit... don't "hate to say it"

Its true... absolutely and comprehensively
Say it... say it loud - too many people I race with blame the bike, the shoes, the helmet, the gears, the cranks.... etc etc etc... Very few own up to their own performance!

(I race at entry level still... )

And I am going to borrow your phrase - "buying excuses" - its perfect.
Excellent word crafting.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Sorry, but I can't afford to buy excuses- spent all my spare money on winter biking clothes so I can KEEP RIDING! I rode almost 4 hours today in 31F and almost got frostbite. Didn't bother looking at my speed, the hell with THAT... I just wanted to make it home alive!

[Bike Goddess]

Lisa- I just think that riding in 31 degree weather is a feat in itself! Besides, I think temperatures that low do have an effect on your speed. As SK said, it takes longer for our bodies to warm up (if they ever do!!!).

[RoadRaven]

31'F???

Isn't that about 0'celsius???

Congrats on making it home without frostbite!!!

Brrrr.... I have trouble with a few degrees above freezing - let alone on it or below!!!

You rock, Lisa... and all you other gals who bike in the Northern winter... (In the southern hemisphere we had a 26' day here and yesterday it was 31'C (thats about 75-85'F I think in your language?)

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Thanks Nancy and Roadraven, you make me feel good!
Yes, 31F is just below 0C. I admit it WAS cold. It wasn't so much the temp as the fact that we were out there pumping up and down hills for almost 4 hours.
I started out feeling cold, then I felt "less cold", fairly comfortable for the middle third of the ride, then I guess I lost steam and hands and feet got really cold. Also the sun was lower in the sky and wasn't warming us anymore at the end because it was behind the trees or hill line most of the time. I had a red face in a perfect circle shape that coincided with the edges of my balaclava! And my eyeglasses got realy cold and were giving me an "ice cream headache".
DH didn't seem to think much about it- he's always so much warmer than me- (like sleeping with a 6 foot long hot water bottle!)

I know there are lots of women out there riding under WAY colder conditions, and in the ice and snow too, but I'm new to this and all my life I've avoided exercise and being outside in the cold, so I feel good about being able to do this at all. Thanks for your encouragement, it means so much to me.

[KSH]

I know there are lots of women out there riding under WAY colder conditions, and in the ice and snow too, but I'm new to this and all my life I've avoided exercise and being outside in the cold, so I feel good about being able to do this at all. Thanks for your encouragement, it means so much to me.

Right there with ya.

Everytime I ride when it's below 60F degrees... I feel accomplished. I absolutely HATE the cold and bundling up.

Coldest ride this year, 35F degrees. BBBUUURRRR. Yes, I'm a whimp... to all the ladies living where it's really cold.

But here in Texas, I'm use to riding in 100F degrees heat.

[7rider]

Honestly, I'd rather ride when it's cold (well, maybe not 30 degrees, but in the 40 range, perhaps) than in 100 degree heat. You can always dress for the weather, but it's hard to undress for the heat! I melt in the heat (could be that I'm so sweet and made of sugar! ).

But I don't agree that for a recreational cyclist who slows down in cold weather versus summer rides is "buying excuses" for poor performance. If you're riding consistently, your fitness shouldn't have changed that much. Sure, we all have off days and wonder why we left an anchor out to drag behind us some days - or gosh, I think I have a flat! - but it can be more difficult to ride in the cold. Not every body performs optimally in wide temperature ranges. Many things could slow a body down in the winter. No foul. No shame.