Bicycling in Cold Weather - Page 11 - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

12-12-2004, 10:03 PM

13 Dec 2004 05:31:03 GMT, <41bd2917$0$76695$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>, David
Reuteler <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:

>
>my experience with long winter rides in minnesota tells me near 100% is way
>off, tho. at least for my body.

Right. I'm accentuating the need to eat more because it's important.
Also important to keep up your hydration even though you're not as
thirsty in cold weather.

The Army's cold weather ration pack is 4500 calories.

From an Army manual:

Maintain Adequate Energy Intake
1. Eat an adequate amount of rations. A good general rule of thumb is
that military personnel will need to increase their food consumption
by approximately 25-50%, depending on their activity level, to meet
the extra energy requirements of cold weather operations. For example,
in garrison an average male burns 3200 calories/day and an average
female burns about 2400 calories/day. The energy requirement may
increase to approximately 4500 calories/day for males and 3500
calories/day for females when participating in cold weather field
training. Eating a RCW and the T Ration with the Arctic supplement
meet the higher caloric requirements of cold weather training.
2. Eating "normal" breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals with frequent
nutritious snacks during the day and a small "snack meal" right before
bedtime meets the high caloric demands of cold weather operations.
Save extra foods from meal times to eat for midmorning, mid-afternoon,
and evening snack meals. Choose snacks that require minimum
preparation such as: oatmeal, granola bars, MRE crackers, MRE bread,
cheese spread, peanut butter, candies, cookies, soups, and cocoa.
3. Discourage military personnel from using field training exercises
in cold weather as an opportunity to lose weight. Dieting compromises
the body's ability to prevent hypothermia and decreases job
performance (both mentally and physically).
4. Personnel may hear many anecdotal stories alleging that high-fat
diets or foods are especially beneficial to helping the body tolerate
the cold. While some of these stories have some basis in scientific
fact, what the body really needs is adequate caloric intake to
maintain body temperature in the cold. High-fat diets may work just
fine for Eskimos who are used to them, but do not work so well for
those accustomed to the more moderate fat content of the typical
western diet. The human body adapts remarkably well to high-fat diets
but this takes time (weeks). Greatly changing normal dietary patterns
result in gastrointestinal and bowel problems and interfere with the
body's ability to produce energy for work.
--
zk

12-13-2004, 01:45 AM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>, Mark Hickey
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> writes:

>I should mention that I carry the jacket in my pannier when it's cold
>out, so if I do have a breakdown in the middle of nowhere I can throw
>it on. I should also mention that I'm more comfortable in the cold
>weather than most people who live in Florida or Arizona (where the

Actually they do get some serious weather in Arizona.

>heavy coats come out at ~60 degrees F - 15 C). ;-)

Yeah I can relate to that. I have nieces and nephews living in Anchorage who
come to visit here in Southern CA in March and all want to go to the beach.

12-13-2004, 01:45 AM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>, Mark Hickey
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> writes:

>I should mention that I carry the jacket in my pannier when it's cold
>out, so if I do have a breakdown in the middle of nowhere I can throw
>it on. I should also mention that I'm more comfortable in the cold
>weather than most people who live in Florida or Arizona (where the

Actually they do get some serious weather in Arizona.

>heavy coats come out at ~60 degrees F - 15 C). ;-)

Yeah I can relate to that. I have nieces and nephews living in Anchorage who
come to visit here in Southern CA in March and all want to go to the beach.

12-13-2004, 01:45 AM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>, Mark Hickey
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> writes:

>I should mention that I carry the jacket in my pannier when it's cold
>out, so if I do have a breakdown in the middle of nowhere I can throw
>it on. I should also mention that I'm more comfortable in the cold
>weather than most people who live in Florida or Arizona (where the

Actually they do get some serious weather in Arizona.

>heavy coats come out at ~60 degrees F - 15 C). ;-)

Yeah I can relate to that. I have nieces and nephews living in Anchorage who
come to visit here in Southern CA in March and all want to go to the beach.

12-13-2004, 01:45 AM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>, Mark Hickey
<[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> writes:

>I should mention that I carry the jacket in my pannier when it's cold
>out, so if I do have a breakdown in the middle of nowhere I can throw
>it on. I should also mention that I'm more comfortable in the cold
>weather than most people who live in Florida or Arizona (where the

Actually they do get some serious weather in Arizona.

>heavy coats come out at ~60 degrees F - 15 C). ;-)

Yeah I can relate to that. I have nieces and nephews living in Anchorage who
come to visit here in Southern CA in March and all want to go to the beach.

12-13-2004, 07:12 AM

Bill Baka wrote:

> human and out of cell phone range. That brings up a final point from me,
> you do carry a cell phone for help, don't you?

Rarely!

A humorous story:

My mother insisted I carry a cell phone with me going out to my
second RAGBRAI a few years back. She was convinced I'd break
down and end up being stranded in some lonely midwestern back
road, dying of thirst or starvation.

I pointed out to her that I would really have no excuse for
being stranded long enough to perish since I was hauling 10
bicycles for my co-team RAGBRAI riders in the back of my
pickup truck!

I should be good for at least a couple hundred miles before
lack of water ended my RAGBRAI plans.

SMH

12-13-2004, 07:12 AM

Bill Baka wrote:

> human and out of cell phone range. That brings up a final point from me,
> you do carry a cell phone for help, don't you?

Rarely!

A humorous story:

My mother insisted I carry a cell phone with me going out to my
second RAGBRAI a few years back. She was convinced I'd break
down and end up being stranded in some lonely midwestern back
road, dying of thirst or starvation.

I pointed out to her that I would really have no excuse for
being stranded long enough to perish since I was hauling 10
bicycles for my co-team RAGBRAI riders in the back of my
pickup truck!

I should be good for at least a couple hundred miles before
lack of water ended my RAGBRAI plans.

SMH

12-13-2004, 07:12 AM

Bill Baka wrote:

> human and out of cell phone range. That brings up a final point from me,
> you do carry a cell phone for help, don't you?

Rarely!

A humorous story:

My mother insisted I carry a cell phone with me going out to my
second RAGBRAI a few years back. She was convinced I'd break
down and end up being stranded in some lonely midwestern back
road, dying of thirst or starvation.

I pointed out to her that I would really have no excuse for
being stranded long enough to perish since I was hauling 10
bicycles for my co-team RAGBRAI riders in the back of my
pickup truck!

I should be good for at least a couple hundred miles before
lack of water ended my RAGBRAI plans.

SMH

12-13-2004, 07:12 AM

Bill Baka wrote:

> human and out of cell phone range. That brings up a final point from me,
> you do carry a cell phone for help, don't you?

Rarely!

A humorous story:

My mother insisted I carry a cell phone with me going out to my
second RAGBRAI a few years back. She was convinced I'd break
down and end up being stranded in some lonely midwestern back
road, dying of thirst or starvation.

I pointed out to her that I would really have no excuse for
being stranded long enough to perish since I was hauling 10
bicycles for my co-team RAGBRAI riders in the back of my
pickup truck!

I should be good for at least a couple hundred miles before
lack of water ended my RAGBRAI plans.

SMH

12-13-2004, 07:17 AM

Zoot Katz wrote:

> I'll just add what I not yet seen mentioned: We use more calories in
> cold weather. We burn fuel just staying warm in addition to the work
> we're doing. You could almost double your regular food intake for a
> ride of that duration if it stayed below freezing the whole day.

Sound like a plan for all you people looking to lose weight!

Daily 5-10 hour rides in sub-20 degree weather on the bike.
You'll be fit and trim come March to the surprise of all
those who you haven't seen for the winter...

Assuming you make it through the winter.

SMH