How cold is too cold?

[GLC1968]

Apparently, 25F degrees is too cold for me as I skipped my lunchtime ride today. I really think it would have been fine, but this is the first cold day we've had all year and I'm not even remotely acclimated! (or, that's my excuse, anyway).

Tomorrow it should be in the 30's around lunch and I'll ride then, instead. I have commuted at colder temps, but that's mostly because I had to get to work. It's much harder to motivate myself outside when I don't truly *have* to.

Once I'm out there, I usually enjoy it. I'll take a 25F day over 100+ heat every time.

[Crankin]

Truthfully, I don't like road riding below 40. I've been mountain biking in the 30s. My coldest road ride was around 35, with flurries coming down. Well, I was on my mtb, on the road.
It's going to be warm next week, so I probably will ride my commuter bike to a couple of appointments. I really don't want to get my Kuota all dirty from the road and have to take it off of the trainer.
I like doing different outdoor sports when its cold. I hike and walk during the "in between" times before there's any snow. Once March comes, I'm more apt to go on a ride if it's close to 40.
I give credit to you hardy folks who ride when it's 17!

[KnottedYet]

I love reading the Ice Bike thread on BikeJournal. And watching Howard's videos of riding on ice/snow is a hoot!

[SalsaMTB]

There was only one day last year that Dh and I decided it was just too cold to ride and turned around after about 1 mile. The temp was -4F/-20C. I had a little bit of exposed skin on my face, just above my eyes, and was hurting. So, from that day on, Dh and I have set out limit to 10F. Anything below, we stay inside.

[three]

I agree with Salsa. It's the same rule I have for outdoor runs - 10F or below is too cold. But, she lives in MI and I'm in MN, so our standards of cold are probably a little different than everyone else. As a kid, when it hit 50F for the first time (usually late spring) I'd throw my swimsuit on.

I would say it depends on your access to appropriate weather equipment/clothing, wind, and ice/snow factors. I don't have the right tires for the current road conditions so I'm stuck indoors on the trainer or in SPIN class, but I do go outside for runs as long as it's above 10F. You just have to dress appropriately. Believe me, once you get going - you warm up pretty darn fast and what seemed cold at first won't bother you a bit 10 minutes later.

[tulip]

When I commuted my 28 miles RT, I would call it quits at 25 or so, although sometimes in the early am it was colder than that. However, waiting for the bus in those temps was worse than riding. I enjoyed riding in the cold, once I learned the proper layering system (Pearl Izumi lobster gloves, by the way, are the best for me).

Now I'm a bonafide wuss. I moved south, slightly, and work from home. I no longer have a commute to work. I thought, great, I'll just go for a bike ride!. Not happening, except on nice weekends.

Thank goodness for spinning, is all I can say.

[Aquila]

I can ride down to about 30F, so long as the roads are reasonably dry. Below that, my face hurts, and it's just not fun when my face hurts. But I'm a whuss! Long johns under everything is key for me, and not stopping. I get cold fast if I stop for more than a moment.

[7rider]

It's been said that "there is no bad weather...only bad clothing."
That said...I've ridden when it was 18 F (-7ish C), but it was a short, fairly slow commute and I had on a neoprene face mask. But I didn't really care for it. Tomorrow's forecast says 6 a.m. temp will be 16 F with "feels like" temp of 10! I think I may take Metro in the morning and bail on the bike commute.
Our shop road ride does not officially go off if it's 28 F or colder. Of course, that's probably just the personal threshold of the LBS owner/ride leader, but it seems pretty reasonable to me!
If it's too cold, I'll take care of the errands and chores in the a.m. and ride later in the day when it's had a chance to warm up!

[divingbiker]

I've set a lower limit of 20F for commuting, but it was colder than that this morning and I still rode. (Apparently the thermometer on my deck reads a bit high.) Very cold toes, but otherwise it was ok, so I guess I have to lower my limit.

My limit for recreational riding is about 40F.

(As an aside, I got a bunch of "Hotties" toe warmers for Christmas and they suck. By the time I got to work they were ice cold (hence the very cold toes above). The "Heat Treat" brand from REI seems to last a lot longer.)

[solobiker]

I guess it depends on where I was living. Back east where I am from where there is humidity the temps feel colder then here in CO. So, since i am in CO where the 20s feel like the 30s in NY I would be fine in the low to mid 20s. In NY the upper 30s. That damp cold air chills me too much.

[LadyinWhite]

I'll take a 25F day over 100+ heat every time.

Not me! I'm just the opposite. I can't stand the feeling of cold on my face and breathing through a buff is OK but only in the 40's and above. My cold weather gear does keep everything warm but the face and that's all it takes for me to be instantly miserable.

I don't mind the heat at all! Last summer I loved the hot hot days, stopping at intersections with the heat just rising up off the pavement. So hot that the only thing that makes the heat bearable is cutting through it on a bike.

Love it.

In fact - don't laugh, but I have skipped my trainer rides for 2 days because I don't want to go down in the cold BASEMENT! Can you say pansy???