How cold does it have to be to stop you?

[SheFly]

I'm with Geonz - I haven't found it yet. Coldest ride so far for me has been about 5F with a windchill. I have studded tires for winter riding - riding on frozen ponds is a hoot, and you get some very strange looks from the ice skaters .

SheFly

[Tater]

I have ridden with temps in the low single digits, so I don't think I have found my limit yet. As long as I am layered up good, I don't have many problems when it gets cold. I don't ride as long as I do when it is warmer, but I still get out and that keeps me happy.

[Aggie_Ama]

I was born in Texas and have never left maybe that says something about my tolerance. I can do around 40 if it is low wind and sunny. I prefer never to go out below 50 and luckily I don't have to very often. When it is chilly I would rather run, I am just not much on cold cycling. We cut off at 40 in our house although DH stays warmer easier and will go out in the 30's without me.

[Geonz]

Ski goggles keep the eyeballs from freezing - but I do think that at 15 below or thereabouts I might take the bus, remembering what that felt like.

I carry chemical handwarmers in case I break down, because when I'm moving my hands are warm, but if I stopped it would be another story - then the cold would be dangerous. (I stick to the cross-town commute when it's that hairy, though, so it's not too far to shelter from anywhere.)

[Velobambina]

Cold temps have not kept me from riding. Only unsafe riding surfaces---snow & ice.

Once I acclimate to the cold (takes several weeks of riding in colder temps), I'm ok and actually enjoy the winter scenery, peacefulness. With the leaves off the trees, it's like riding in a new place.

[kfergos]

I don't ride if it's below about 10F, if I can help it. I hate that feeling of your eyes starting to freeze shut and your nostril hairs freezing together, but really the show stopper is that I can't keep my feet warm even in 3 pairs of socks + booties. Also as somebody else said, your bike doesn't actually work that well in super-cold temps unless you switch to special lube, etc., so you end up with about 2 functional gears and pedaling is really hard.

Speaking of cold feet, does anybody have good women's winter cycling shoes to recommend? The Sidi Diablos look good, but they only go down to 40, and I'm a 37. I'd rather not switch to platform pedals and boots (though boots could be useful when trudging through icy snow pushing my bike when I wimp out), but last winter was SO COLD, I think I lucked out in not getting frostbite on my toes. This winter I've vowed to find footgear that works in all conditions.

[Crankin]

My limit for road rides is around 40. Yea, I'm a wimp. Last year I did ride in the 30s a couple of times, but it was on my Jamis, going about 12 mph. One of those times there were so many pot holes/water, etc. from the melting that I almost lost it on Rt. 62 (She Fly, why does one side of that road have all of the pot holes?).
I have been mountain biking in the very low 30s, possibly 28. I use chemical toe warmers/hand warmers when it's that cold, but I would rather switch to winter sports or hike, realistically.

[newfsmith]

My coldest commute was 1/14/2004, -4F/-20C. That was a 8.5 mi/13.6km each-way ride. I wore a LS Coolmax tee, a thin microfleece, wool jersey, wind vest and cape-vented Jackson-Gibbens jacket on top; tights and windpants on the bottom; wool liner socks & regular socks under ordinary winter walking boots on my feet; heavy wool mitts with leather "chopper" mitts over them on my hands; and a polypro balaclava under my helmet and ski goggles. According to my notes, I should have left the wind vest off, I was sweating too much. When it is cold enough that you have to completely cover your face, you will find your body is much warmer. To prevent chilling you never want to be dressed so warmly that you start to feel sweat rolling on your skin. One thing about riding at those temperatures, I've had 18 wheelers block intersections to let me through and one driver stopped, got out and was yelling "Bravo, Bravo" as I crept by at 10mph/16 km/h.

Yes, global warming is real, those are the last sub-zero (F) commutes I record.

[TrekTheKaty]

WOW! Last year it was 45 degrees on the trails (I mastered layers, but my hands got cold). This year, I'm rockin' some new gloves, but I'm curious how the roads will be. We're hoping for a mild winter after a rough winter last year (lots of ice, remember the week-long power outages?)--however, the wooly worms are undecided (half brown, half black--1 albino!).

Guess I'll dig out those all-terrain 32" tires from my hybrid!

[Velobambina]

KF---The Lake winter shoes are better - w/out "accessories" -- than the Diablos. I have both. With the Sidis, I have to use toe covers, shoe covers, and the heated insoles. I posted more, comparing the shoes, on another thread (possibly the winter gear one). A few weeks ago, I bought a new pair of the Lakes directly from Lake---they make a women's version, so they MIGHT have smaller sizes. I go up one size for my winter shoes so there's more room for layering socks, chemical toe warmers, and air circulation. My original pair of Lakes got much abuse and wear, so it was time for new ones. BTW, SheFly, aka Winter Riding Goddess, originally recommended the Lakes to me.

[ACG]

Here in sunny SoCal it doesn't really get cold. However 2 years ago it was 29 degrees and I rode with a group. We layered and did about 25 miles.

It is the dark mornings that make me stop riding. I'll be glad when it is light in the mornings again.

[obie]

Like someone said upthread, it's not the cold but the conditions - I've ridden in 1 and 2 degrees F numerous times. But then again I'm a commuter first and foremost - so any time I need to get to work or somewhere else, I'll usually ride because it's easier.

Riding for fun - I'm not sure we do a huge amount of this in anything below 25 or so, although there was one weekend where we spent a lot of time riding around in the snow! Really, I guess we're such winter sports fans that if it's that cold, we're probably out somewhere skating or xc-skiing!

I'm lucky in that my extremities tend to stay quite warm, and I don't need too much on them. The downside is that I did permanent (or at least long-term) damage to my quads a few years ago, skating in subzero (F) conditions with a wind, and not enough on my legs. So, I have wimpy quads and they need to be kept WARM once it's below 40 or 50! It's a little embarrassing, but they literally just.stop.working!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

They fit over your glasses? Are they comfortable?

Yes they are VERY comfortable. So comfy that I'm not usually even noticing that I'm wearing two sets of glasses! Most people are amazed too, when I take off my sunglasses and have eyeglasses on underneath. Like that funny scene in the movie Airport where he's so 'cool' in his sunglasses, and then he whips them off to reveal another pair of sunglasses underneath...and another! (anyone remember that?)
They are all plastic so they don't get so cold on my face. they eliminate glare from the sun while riding, and many is the time when pebbles and bees have bounced off them at 35mph- I cringe to think what that might have done to my expensive graduated prescription lenses! They totally stop the wind because they even wrap to your face at the top. They look like typical 'movie stat' glasses.
I recently bought a second pair just in case I lose my first pair.
here is what I get, one size fits all, I like the tortoiseshell:
http://www.eagleeyes.com/products/staclips/fitons.lasso
Here is a photo of me wearing them:
http://harmonias.com/L_riding1DSC02460.jpg
(that's a little helmet mirror sticking out front by the way)

As to cold feet, my choice of using PowerGrip straps instead of being clipless really is an advantage in winter, since I get to wear my heavy warm insulated hiking boots and several yummy pairs of wool socks.

[tulip]

Used to be about 20F when I was commuting, and I liked the challenge. These days, however, without the need to get on my bike in order to make a living, I find it hard to get out when it's below 50F. It hasn't gotten below that here yet during daylight hours (and I don't ride at night).

One of my favorite commuting memories was the day after a big snow. I had studded tires on my mountain bike and the bike path was empty while the road was jam packed with people in their cars. It took a long time because the MUP wasn't plowed and it had gotten icy and rutted, but it was so much fun! If you live with snow and ice, studded tires are a must if you want to ride all winter. Oddly, I think I would ride more if I lived in a place that has regular snow.

But I'm gonna try, really try, to ride every day that I can as long as it's no raining (I wear glasses). It's hard to find motivation sometimes, but I...can...do...it, I think.

[7rider]

Yes they are VERY comfortable.
I recently bought a second pair just in case I lose my first pair.
here is what I get, one size fits all, I like the tortoiseshell:
http://www.eagleeyes.com/products/staclips/fitons.lasso
Here is a photo of me wearing them:
http://harmonias.com/L_riding1DSC02460.jpg
(that's a little helmet mirror sticking out front by the way)

Arrrrgghhhh!!!! Geezer Googles!!! Nooooooooooo!!!!! Say it ain't so!

Normally, 25 degree F, and/or snow/ice keep me off my bike. The past few mornings, it's been in the mid- to low-30's however, and I just haven't been motivated to ride. So, I take metro.