Bicycling in Cold Weather - Page 5 - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

12-11-2004, 08:32 PM

>Mark Hickey [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

wrote:

>FWIW, last time I did a ride in that temperature range I wore shorts
>and a short sleeve jersey, with half-finger gloves. My fingers did
>get a little cold though. ;-)

Let me guess. The temps were in that range for only *part* of the ride, say in
the mountains perhaps? Alternatively, it was a very VERY short ride. ;-)

Regards,
Bob Hunt

12-11-2004, 08:50 PM

>[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

wrote in part:

>I want to bicycle at casual speed for 5 to 10 hours a day in
>temperatures 20F-35F.

Why? That's not a smart aleck remark but a serious question. Are you talking
about long recreational rides with infrequent but planned stops? Stop and go
"city messenger" style riding where you can pop indoors and warm up almost at
will? MTBing in remote areas where the only heat available for miles is the
body heat you generate? What works for one ride environment may not work
another. As one who has ridden at both 20F and 35F, I'd say you've specified a
fairly wide temperature range. Your "5 to 10 hour a day" is an even wider
time/distance range.

Regards,
Bob Hunt

12-11-2004, 08:50 PM

>[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

wrote in part:

>I want to bicycle at casual speed for 5 to 10 hours a day in
>temperatures 20F-35F.

Why? That's not a smart aleck remark but a serious question. Are you talking
about long recreational rides with infrequent but planned stops? Stop and go
"city messenger" style riding where you can pop indoors and warm up almost at
will? MTBing in remote areas where the only heat available for miles is the
body heat you generate? What works for one ride environment may not work
another. As one who has ridden at both 20F and 35F, I'd say you've specified a
fairly wide temperature range. Your "5 to 10 hour a day" is an even wider
time/distance range.

Regards,
Bob Hunt

12-11-2004, 08:50 PM

>[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

wrote in part:

>I want to bicycle at casual speed for 5 to 10 hours a day in
>temperatures 20F-35F.

Why? That's not a smart aleck remark but a serious question. Are you talking
about long recreational rides with infrequent but planned stops? Stop and go
"city messenger" style riding where you can pop indoors and warm up almost at
will? MTBing in remote areas where the only heat available for miles is the
body heat you generate? What works for one ride environment may not work
another. As one who has ridden at both 20F and 35F, I'd say you've specified a
fairly wide temperature range. Your "5 to 10 hour a day" is an even wider
time/distance range.

Regards,
Bob Hunt

12-11-2004, 08:50 PM

>[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

wrote in part:

>I want to bicycle at casual speed for 5 to 10 hours a day in
>temperatures 20F-35F.

Why? That's not a smart aleck remark but a serious question. Are you talking
about long recreational rides with infrequent but planned stops? Stop and go
"city messenger" style riding where you can pop indoors and warm up almost at
will? MTBing in remote areas where the only heat available for miles is the
body heat you generate? What works for one ride environment may not work
another. As one who has ridden at both 20F and 35F, I'd say you've specified a
fairly wide temperature range. Your "5 to 10 hour a day" is an even wider
time/distance range.

Regards,
Bob Hunt

12-12-2004, 06:54 AM

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Hunrobe) wrote:

>>Mark Hickey [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
>wrote:
>
>>FWIW, last time I did a ride in that temperature range I wore shorts
>>and a short sleeve jersey, with half-finger gloves. My fingers did
>>get a little cold though. ;-)
>
>Let me guess. The temps were in that range for only *part* of the ride, say in
>the mountains perhaps? Alternatively, it was a very VERY short ride. ;-)

It was a fairly short ride - I was in Colorado, at about 9,000 feet.
I got up before dawn and dressed for what I thought was the weather
I'd encounter (being very quiet because we were in a "lodge situation"
and didn't want to wake everyone up).

I stepped outside dressed as described above, and as I was prep'ing my
MTB I noticed that there was still frost on the ground. Hmmmmm, must
be a little colder than I thought it was. I took off, and it WAS
pretty "brisk" for the first half mile or so, but since I was climbing
fairly soon it wasn't long until I was plenty warm. Not toasty, but
comfortable enough.

I rode for about an hour, and got back to the lodge. I put the bike
away and noticed that the thermometer was still below freezing. The
only thing that had really gotten uncomfortable was my fingers, and
them only mildly.

But I'd have dressed a little warmer had I been going out for a five
hour ride... probably would have thrown on a light vinyl jacket and
full-finger gloves. Anything more than that and I'd be uncomfortably
warm. YMMV.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Home of the $695 ti frame

12-12-2004, 06:54 AM

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Hunrobe) wrote:

>>Mark Hickey [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
>wrote:
>
>>FWIW, last time I did a ride in that temperature range I wore shorts
>>and a short sleeve jersey, with half-finger gloves. My fingers did
>>get a little cold though. ;-)
>
>Let me guess. The temps were in that range for only *part* of the ride, say in
>the mountains perhaps? Alternatively, it was a very VERY short ride. ;-)

It was a fairly short ride - I was in Colorado, at about 9,000 feet.
I got up before dawn and dressed for what I thought was the weather
I'd encounter (being very quiet because we were in a "lodge situation"
and didn't want to wake everyone up).

I stepped outside dressed as described above, and as I was prep'ing my
MTB I noticed that there was still frost on the ground. Hmmmmm, must
be a little colder than I thought it was. I took off, and it WAS
pretty "brisk" for the first half mile or so, but since I was climbing
fairly soon it wasn't long until I was plenty warm. Not toasty, but
comfortable enough.

I rode for about an hour, and got back to the lodge. I put the bike
away and noticed that the thermometer was still below freezing. The
only thing that had really gotten uncomfortable was my fingers, and
them only mildly.

But I'd have dressed a little warmer had I been going out for a five
hour ride... probably would have thrown on a light vinyl jacket and
full-finger gloves. Anything more than that and I'd be uncomfortably
warm. YMMV.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Home of the $695 ti frame

12-12-2004, 06:54 AM

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Hunrobe) wrote:

>>Mark Hickey [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
>wrote:
>
>>FWIW, last time I did a ride in that temperature range I wore shorts
>>and a short sleeve jersey, with half-finger gloves. My fingers did
>>get a little cold though. ;-)
>
>Let me guess. The temps were in that range for only *part* of the ride, say in
>the mountains perhaps? Alternatively, it was a very VERY short ride. ;-)

It was a fairly short ride - I was in Colorado, at about 9,000 feet.
I got up before dawn and dressed for what I thought was the weather
I'd encounter (being very quiet because we were in a "lodge situation"
and didn't want to wake everyone up).

I stepped outside dressed as described above, and as I was prep'ing my
MTB I noticed that there was still frost on the ground. Hmmmmm, must
be a little colder than I thought it was. I took off, and it WAS
pretty "brisk" for the first half mile or so, but since I was climbing
fairly soon it wasn't long until I was plenty warm. Not toasty, but
comfortable enough.

I rode for about an hour, and got back to the lodge. I put the bike
away and noticed that the thermometer was still below freezing. The
only thing that had really gotten uncomfortable was my fingers, and
them only mildly.

But I'd have dressed a little warmer had I been going out for a five
hour ride... probably would have thrown on a light vinyl jacket and
full-finger gloves. Anything more than that and I'd be uncomfortably
warm. YMMV.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Home of the $695 ti frame

12-12-2004, 06:54 AM

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Hunrobe) wrote:

>>Mark Hickey [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
>
>wrote:
>
>>FWIW, last time I did a ride in that temperature range I wore shorts
>>and a short sleeve jersey, with half-finger gloves. My fingers did
>>get a little cold though. ;-)
>
>Let me guess. The temps were in that range for only *part* of the ride, say in
>the mountains perhaps? Alternatively, it was a very VERY short ride. ;-)

It was a fairly short ride - I was in Colorado, at about 9,000 feet.
I got up before dawn and dressed for what I thought was the weather
I'd encounter (being very quiet because we were in a "lodge situation"
and didn't want to wake everyone up).

I stepped outside dressed as described above, and as I was prep'ing my
MTB I noticed that there was still frost on the ground. Hmmmmm, must
be a little colder than I thought it was. I took off, and it WAS
pretty "brisk" for the first half mile or so, but since I was climbing
fairly soon it wasn't long until I was plenty warm. Not toasty, but
comfortable enough.

I rode for about an hour, and got back to the lodge. I put the bike
away and noticed that the thermometer was still below freezing. The
only thing that had really gotten uncomfortable was my fingers, and
them only mildly.

But I'd have dressed a little warmer had I been going out for a five
hour ride... probably would have thrown on a light vinyl jacket and
full-finger gloves. Anything more than that and I'd be uncomfortably
warm. YMMV.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Home of the $695 ti frame

12-12-2004, 09:11 AM

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

>
>I rode for about an hour, and got back to the lodge. I put the bike
>away and noticed that the thermometer was still below freezing. The
>only thing that had really gotten uncomfortable was my fingers, and
>them only mildly.
>
>But I'd have dressed a little warmer had I been going out for a five
>hour ride... probably would have thrown on a light vinyl jacket and
>full-finger gloves. Anything more than that and I'd be uncomfortably
>warm. YMMV.

A half hour from shelter is not too far. Would have become a popsicle if you
had broke down. Of course you could stay warm jogging while carrying your bike.
For awhile. Eventually hypothermia would get you. I'm always shocked how cold
my skin is under the vinyl jacket when I finish. Now as the temperature drops
I keep a change of sweats and fleece jacket nearby to go to as soon as I
finish. Feels so good. I guess everything is ok as long as the core temp stays
up.