How cold is too cold?

[crazycanuck]

Wayyyy back in Edmonton, i believe i cycled until it was -10C & that's not cold. Well, unless there's a windchill. If you're dressed the right way & your bike's set up properly, i think it's still ok to get out there and bike.

Here in Perth, i cycle in our "winter" when temps only drop to 3 or 5C. That's not cold!!!

I remember cycling home last Jan 25th when it was 39C & no wind Oh boy, was i ever glad to get home!!! I decided then that if it's over 36C and no wind, i may just take the train home.

YOu guys are getting me excited about all the weather i get to experience when i get back on my bike

[Popoki_Nui]

Here in Perth, i cycle in our "winter" when temps only drop to 3 or 5C. That's not cold!!!

It gets down to 3-5C in Perth? I didn't realize the temps went that low there; that isn't much different than here.

Around here, for me it isn't "how cold is too cold" so much as it is "how wet is too wet". Cold (winter daytime high temps around 5-8C) is quite ok, but the rain kills any enthusiasm I have to ride outdoors. Occasional showers? Fine. Light on-and-off drizzle? Acceptable. Torrential downpour (like from November to February)? Forget it.

[Aggie_Ama]

Low to Mid 40's for me. In Texas it is hard to justify owning clothes for much colder than that. Plus we get so little cold weather it is hard to get acclimated. Now I will ride in a heat index of 100 no problem.

[Brandi]

It gets down to 3-5C in Perth? I didn't realize the temps went that low there; that isn't much different than here.

Around here, for me it isn't "how cold is too cold" so much as it is "how wet is too wet". Cold (winter daytime high temps around 5-8C) is quite ok, but the rain kills any enthusiasm I have to ride outdoors. Occasional showers? Fine. Light on-and-off drizzle? Acceptable. Torrential downpour (like from November to February)? Forget it.

I have to agree with the wet factor as well. if I know it is going to rain I try and Get out as soon as I can and ride my butt off in case I can't for a few days!

[lph]

I agree that a lot of rain or snow is a lot worse than cold. A downpour will get me racing home soaked, and much more than a light flurry of snow in the air will have me checking the metro timetable. More than an inch or so of new snow on the ground is a real hassle to ride through, and can be really dangerous in traffic.

Cold is more about having the right gear. At -12 C (10F) I have trouble keeping my feet warm even in winter shoes, but that's with clipless pedals. If I changed to platform pedals and hiking boots, or invested in thermal booties rather than the neoprene ones I wear I'd probably be fine. The rest of me is fine, and the road conditions are usually great when it's that cold, not slippery or soft at all. But my bike usually starts protesting before that, around -10C I have trouble shifting and the brakes are slow. If I were more diligent about lubing everything with a thin lube they'd be better. But we rarely have temps that low for more than a few days, so I can't be bothered :-)

PS. My best new "fixit" this winter was cutting a hole in a Buff for my nose and mouth! The skin under my eyes gets really cold, and the hole for breathing through means I can keep the whole shebang up over my cheeks all the time rather than pull it up and down all the time. Keeps the Buff from getting soaked from moisture from my breath as well.

[SheFly]

All kidding aside, it really is hard to keep warm even with all the right gear once the temps get really cold. I have ridden in 3-5 F temps and keeping feet warm is really hard - those rides usually involve some running just to get the circulation going in the feet.

I'll ride in pretty much anything - usually due to peer pressure and for the sake of a good story . New Year's Day, a group of us went out in the snrain here in the burbs of Boston - raining closer into the city, and snowing pretty hard out in the burbs. Temps weren't TOO bad - about 25 or so. Unfortunately, we got really wet coming home, and that made for a pretty miserable end to our ride.

Too cold? Naw!

SheFly

[Velobambina]

SheFly is brave enough to ride across ICY PONDS! One tough lady, indeed. She is my heroine!!

Feet. Have I found a solution? Santa brought me the Sidi heated insoles for Christmas. The last few mornings have been brutal cold. I've used the insoles, one chemical toe warmer on each tootsie area (top of foot), lighter weight Smartwool socks, Sidi Diablos outfitted w/toe & shoe covers. My feet did NOT get cold. Yesterday was the real test---temps in the 20s with windchills in the lower-mid teens. Today, it was 17 degrees when I left the house and there was a light wind. For both rides, I was out about 3 hours each. By the time I got home, my feet were still warm.

Hands. Our wonderful Lisa sold me her Gore gloves (I think they are the volcano model). They aren't warm enough, for me, on their own. However, they make the best glove warmers. Again, both today and yesterday, my hands stayed warm with this combo: my Lisa gloves, AmFib lobster gloves, and chemical hand warmers.

I try to stick it out despite the cold, so long as the pavement conditions are not icy/unsafe. Getting up the gumption to go out is the toughest and usually, once I'm out there, I'm fine. I give myself the option of turning for home if I get too uncomfortable.

Thank goodness, we are headed for warmer weather next week. It'll be in the forties when I ride before work all next week! Cold by itself is bad enough but DARK and COLD is the worst.

[SlowButSteady]

Low to Mid 40's for me. In Texas it is hard to justify owning clothes for much colder than that. Plus we get so little cold weather it is hard to get acclimated. Now I will ride in a heat index of 100 no problem.

Ditto, only for South Carolina. I got coldweather tights last year for Christmas and send them back unworn in mid-Feb in exchange for something warm weather.

Now I'm wishing that I had them. It's been below 20F for 3 nights in a row here. I went to the "Y" and swam the other night just to get warm

[sundial]

SheFly is brave enough to ride across ICY PONDS! One tough lady, indeed. She is my heroine!!

That's crazy!! Now tubing across a frozen pond, that's my kind of sport.

[OakLeaf]

Once when I was in college I wrapped my front wheel around my forks. Literally.

That was the last time I rode when there was a possibility of ice.

[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.

[amy]

ARE YOU NUTS!
Ok I can't say anything in this thread I guess. I mean I rode about a week ago when it was about 45 and there was wind so it was colder then that..BUT I was frozen when I got home!

Ummm... here in southern california, I'm such a baby when it comes to the cold. I will definitely be up for a ride in 110 F but if it is below 60F, I'll complain and whine. I think it was about 58 F and windy my last long ride... I haven't been back out in a couple weeks.

I'm almost too embarrassed to post this. Oh, the shame!

[Geonz]

Yesterday somebody at work said to me, in complete seriousness, "I bet you're loving this beautiful weather!" Hey, it was 40 degrees and only cloudy! Riding in 2 degrees makes it beautiful then and it doesn't take quite as long to dress

[shootingstar]

Do cycle about 2-4 degrees below freezing...helps there isn't a strong wind chill factor. Distance max. is about 30 kms. No more. But better than nothing just to keep muscle memory alive.

But only if there is no snow or ice. Black ice I can do...but only in non-hilly sections. I've fallen off bike twice in last few years on black ice.

I actually prefer to cycle at approx 5-10 degrees above freezing...rather than at very hot temp. I am more willing to go farther at lower temp.

[Geonz]

I also wilt badly in the heat.
It's supposed to get all Siberian again this weekend - down near 0 F (our weather guy says we won't go as low as the long-term forecast unless we get snow cover int he meanwhile). Those are the days, though, that make today's 25 feel pretty good.