January rides -- outdoors!!

[azfiddle]

Unlike the midwest, northeast etc, it's prime riding weather here in the desert- I've ridden every day of January (but go back to work Monday so that will be the end of that! New Year's Day: 60 miles on "The Loop" multi-use path that encircles Tucson (almost- we were on streets for about 10 miles of the total distance). Thursday, Saguaro NP for about 30 miles. Friday- took the extra long way from my house to my school to do some prep for returning to classes on Monday- 42 miles total through some beautiful Sonoran Desert. Today, rode with my women's cycling group, around the foothills and a short distance up Mt. Lemmon. I am always last... (today I was introduced as "not a bunny", but I ended up going an extra two miles without them, up the mountain to about 4500 feet elevation- it was getting a little cool and windy when I headed home for 48 miles total. So an amazing 177 miles for 2014!

[Catrin]

Azfiddle, I am jealous, there, I've said it So glad that some of us get to ride on comfortable temps this time of the year!

[malkin]

We've been out on the tandem a couple times and it's pretty cold out there! The road surface is kinda dicey too.

[ny biker]

I "rode" in Tuscon yesterday. More specifically, I just got Coach Troy's Tuscon Training "virtual reality" dvd for Christmas, and yesterday I tried out the shorter of the two rides on it. I think it was Gates Pass. The other ride is Mt Lemmon.

I finally got some warmer tights -- I scored a pair of AmFibs on sale this weekend. It was about 40 here yesterday so I would have given them a test by going for a spin outdoors, but the roads were wet all day and I didn't feel like having to clean my bike afterwards.

Keep your fingers crossed for this coming weekend -- the forecast is calling for temps in the low 50s.

[Thorn]

Record idiocy for this commuter. The university I teach at wasn't closed so I had to go in. It was bike or bus....40 minutes by bike or stand on the bus corner for up to 20-30 minutes (because my bus is rarely on time).

So it was to work by bike...tailwinds on the way in; headwinds home. -11 with 13 mph winds gusting 20 for a -32 windchill. My retention on sanity was that I rode just off the bus route. If I ran into problems it would just be putting the bike on the bus.

But, no issues. Hands, feet, head and core were happy. Tops of my thighs and butt were cold. Interestingly it was the only part of me not clothed in wool.

I'm really, really looking forward to my trip to Tucson in March.

For a humorous look on the cold and snow http://blogs.mprnews.org/newscut/201...cold-shoulder/ It is worth reading to the end.

[azfiddle]

NY Biker- those are two regular rides for me! Almost every time I get to the top of Gates Pass I have to get off my bike and sit down. Mt. Lemmon is much longer but easier. I was there on Saturday- about the first 5 miles anyway.

Hope you get those 50's soon.

Thorn, get in touch before your trip to Tucson - if not for a meet up then for general local info on rides etc.
Sharon

[Bike Writer]

Record idiocy for this commuter. The university I teach at wasn't closed so I had to go in. It was bike or bus....40 minutes by bike or stand on the bus corner for up to 20-30 minutes (because my bus is rarely on time).

So it was to work by bike...tailwinds on the way in; headwinds home. -11 with 13 mph winds gusting 20 for a -32 windchill. My retention on sanity was that I rode just off the bus route. If I ran into problems it would just be putting the bike on the bus.



But, no issues. Hands, feet, head and core were happy. Tops of my thighs and butt were cold. Interestingly it was the only part of me not clothed in wool.

I'm really, really looking forward to my trip to Tucson in March.

For a humorous look on the cold and snow http://blogs.mprnews.org/newscut/201...cold-shoulder/ It is worth reading to the end.

Okay Thorn, you have my unqualified admiration for biking dedication! Maybe change your handle to Wonder Woman? I crabbed over having to walk a block in that miserable weather this morning.

Yeah, I know, there is no bad weather just bad choices of clothing...but it was cold enough today for this: ps it's real, Hell Michigan is just a tad bit southwest of me.

[Donna1960]

Thorn...what did you wear on your feet and hands in the cold commute you did?

[SheFly]

Thorn - that's impressive!

DH is on a determined streak to NOT ride his bike indoors (he is also continuing a 2 year streak of riding his bike every day). Last night when I finished work, it was dark, and 9 degrees. We suited up, and went out on the fat bikes for what turned out to be a VERY fun spin in the woods. There was definitely some ice we had to beware of (on Monday, we had temps as high as 56 that went down below 20 later in the day, and a significant amount of rain), but there was also some excellent riding to be found. By the time we got home, it was 5. And the wind was definitely blowing, though in the woods, we were pretty sheltered.

So, what exactly does one wear riding in these cold conditions?

Head: fleece neck gaitor (from downhill skiing days), wool beanie and helmet
Top: wicking yoga tank top, Craft zip neck base layer, Pearl Izumi Elite jacket, down hooded jacket (which I managed to snag on a tree and tear )
Bottom: Smartwool knee socks, knee warmers, Champion fleece-lined bib shorts, Pearl Izumi Elite bib tights
Feet: Louis Garneau winter shoes
Hands: Ibex wool glove liners, REI heavy duty mittens (from downhill skiing days)

We were out for an hour and 50 minutes (1:38 moving time) and I was never cold. Towards the end of the ride, my feet started to get a bit chilly, but I managed to get home before it got to the painful point. Yes, we are crazy, but apparently at my house, the streak must continue!

SheFly

[Crankin]

That wind late yesterday even got to me, SheFly. And I was only going to my car... appropriately dressed. 15 degrees with sun during the day seems like nothing to me, but wind and darkness sort of put me to the tipping point. Although, if I had been up north and nordic skiing, of course, I would have gone! I've skied in colder/worse conditions. I just can't get myself to ride, though. I went on a super short ride in December, at around 30 degrees/cloudy. I have the right clothes, but I was extremely chilled for awhile afterward. It seems like I had more trouble adjusting to the cold this year. My hands are the main issue, as I don't feel comfortable shifting in my AmFib gloves. I do it, but often end up wearing my next level up, with liners/heaters. I couldn't use lobster gloves (tried that) and bar mitts, no way. It's like I get a feeling of claustrophobia and then I get nervous about not being able to shift. I had no issues with lobster gloves and trigger shifters, though, when I mountain biked or on my old hybrid.
Well, I will live vicariously through you. My friends already think I am nuts for skiing/snow shoeing in the past week.

[AppleTree]

It's raining for sure, but I thought "why not?"... It felt good to be out for a short errand ride (8 miles) on the North Creek Trail today. Temps are in the 40s, so not bad at all. At least the PNW isn't in the polar vortex.

[Thorn]

As I toyed with riding or not, I kept thinking of the woman who rode to the South Pole. Now *that* was impressive. If she could do that, what's a commute to work?

It is funny, the colder I successfully ride, the more I realize that the bike really is year-round vehicle now that we have LED lights and studded tires. Sure, it is cold, but at those temps you can't ride very fast so it doesn't get colder by biking. I admit, tho, that if there is a more than an inch or two of snow I'll take the bus -- I just don't feel confident riding in the snow.

As for what I wore...
Core: 3 layers of wool (Ibex Shak-weight) + winter cycling jacket for wind protection
Head: Wool beanie + hood of one of the Shaks + wool Buff over the chin; for the nose, the LPH patented "nose buff" -- best tip I ever got; safety goggles
Legs: Boure thermal knickers and Showers Pass thermal pants
Feet: 2 pairs of SmartWool knee socks + thermal hiking boots (I switch to flat pedals in the winter)
Hands: Shak-weight glove liners and Bar Mitts (seriously, just glove liners, the road bike Bar Mitts are crazy warm)

Sometimes in the winter I think I spend more time gearing up than I do the actual riding.

[ridebikeme]

Got out mid afternoon yesterday, although had to ride the roads as opposed to the trails. Like most parts of the country, the temps/rain have left the trails where once you step foot on them you end up crashing through the top layer to 6-7 inches below. But all of that will change when either a snowmobile goes through or they groom. Either way, the roads are enough of a challenge with 2-3" thick ice on the sides.

Took the FATBIKE out and had a blast! Temps were about 15 when I started with wind anywhere from 5-15MPH.

I wore:
Gortex shell
Smartwool top
Windproof vest

swix base layer on the bottom
Swix Universal pants

Toko Lobster mitts... the best that I have ever found!
Wool Buff
LG skull cap
Thin Smartwool footies
Ficsher OTX boots... like Crankin, I generally switch to flats in the winter.
+++ I did just buy a pair of Toko Boot Covers, much heavier than any of the cycling booties I've ever seen, so will try them along with my Mavic shoes here soon.

[ny biker]

As I toyed with riding or not, I kept thinking of the woman who rode to the South Pole. Now *that* was impressive. If she could do that, what's a commute to work?

It is funny, the colder I successfully ride, the more I realize that the bike really is year-round vehicle now that we have LED lights and studded tires. Sure, it is cold, but at those temps you can't ride very fast so it doesn't get colder by biking. I admit, tho, that if there is a more than an inch or two of snow I'll take the bus -- I just don't feel confident riding in the snow.

As for what I wore...
Core: 3 layers of wool (Ibex Shak-weight) + winter cycling jacket for wind protection
Head: Wool beanie + hood of one of the Shaks + wool Buff over the chin; for the nose, the LPH patented "nose buff" -- best tip I ever got; safety goggles
Legs: Boure thermal knickers and Showers Pass thermal pants
Feet: 2 pairs of SmartWool knee socks + thermal hiking boots (I switch to flat pedals in the winter)
Hands: Shak-weight glove liners and Bar Mitts (seriously, just glove liners, the road bike Bar Mitts are crazy warm)

Sometimes in the winter I think I spend more time gearing up than I do the actual riding.

What is the nose buff??

[AppleTree]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who wondered what a nose buff was. I actually googled it, thinking it was a new piece of bike gear I hadn't heard of, and you know what the result was? A link to this thread on TE!! LOL. :- o