Discussion
Following on from the roll call/ATGATT threads, prompts me to ask: Who commutes by bike all year round?
Those of you who do:
What do you ride? Do you make any alterations to it for winter?
What do you wear?
What does it have to look like outside the window in the morning for you to finally concede and not bike in?
etc etc
Mate of mine has commuted all year round, almost entirely on sports bikes, for 20 years or more. He used to live in a house with a steep drive and his only concession to the weather was if the drive was too slippery to get the bike down/up. I know he uses heated kit in winter now.
Reason for the thread, well, I'm commuting again, it takes me 40-45 mins each way on the bike whereas by train would be easily an hour & three quarters each way, not to mention at least three times the daily cost, so I'm angling at using the bike for as long as humanly possible!
Those of you who do:
What do you ride? Do you make any alterations to it for winter?
What do you wear?
What does it have to look like outside the window in the morning for you to finally concede and not bike in?
etc etc
Mate of mine has commuted all year round, almost entirely on sports bikes, for 20 years or more. He used to live in a house with a steep drive and his only concession to the weather was if the drive was too slippery to get the bike down/up. I know he uses heated kit in winter now.
Reason for the thread, well, I'm commuting again, it takes me 40-45 mins each way on the bike whereas by train would be easily an hour & three quarters each way, not to mention at least three times the daily cost, so I'm angling at using the bike for as long as humanly possible!
I did 18 months so my experiences are as follows.
What do you ride? CBR600fx, prior to this I rode some type of maxi scooter s
tbox that constantly broke.
Do you make any alterations to it for winter?
Stupidly no. I should have bought heated grips but I never did.
What do you wear?
I wore a vest, a tshirt, a jumper and then a either my RST textile jacket that started letting through water like a sieve or a Weise textile jacket. If we got down to minus 7 I would chuck on a fleece aswell.
Underneath it would be a pair of longjohns, jeans and then textile trousers.
What does it have to look like outside the window in the morning for you to finally concede and not bike in?
6 inches of snow. I tried, I got to the end of the road and fell off. I rode it back and got the train. That was the only time.
Buy a pinlock visor. I rode in some days where there was freezing fog and I would have a square patch of ice formed on my chest between my backpack.
What do you ride? CBR600fx, prior to this I rode some type of maxi scooter s
tbox that constantly broke. Do you make any alterations to it for winter?
Stupidly no. I should have bought heated grips but I never did.
What do you wear?
I wore a vest, a tshirt, a jumper and then a either my RST textile jacket that started letting through water like a sieve or a Weise textile jacket. If we got down to minus 7 I would chuck on a fleece aswell.
Underneath it would be a pair of longjohns, jeans and then textile trousers.
What does it have to look like outside the window in the morning for you to finally concede and not bike in?
6 inches of snow. I tried, I got to the end of the road and fell off. I rode it back and got the train. That was the only time.
Buy a pinlock visor. I rode in some days where there was freezing fog and I would have a square patch of ice formed on my chest between my backpack.
I intend to commute all year round but have only been doing it for 6 weeks. In anticipation of the winter I bought a bike with heated screen, heated grips, heated seat, TCS, ABS etc. I've already cried off a couple of times because I could be arsed riding to work in the pissing wet. Don't mind so much if rains coming home. The other issue is if there is plan for a few beers after work. Then I train it in. Its a BMW R1200RT and its sort of brilliant for commuting and sort of not that good. I'm not really sure yet. If it stalls on me too much more though, its going in a fking hedge.
king hedge. All year round commuter here.
First year on the RC390 this year though and need to get myself some better gear too.
Checklist (for me):
Warm outer layers (Hein Gericke if I win the lottery)
Winter gloves (not heated, just thick - I already faff around enough as it is without adding more wires into the equation)
Oxford grips
Pinlock as I don't currently use one
Can of ACF 50
Metzeler M5s (current tyres will be due a change by then anyway)
I only ever get the tube/bus if the bike is broken. I'd rather sit in a ststorm than have some prick coughing in my face/listening to ste music/on the phone to his friend who has a hearing problem.
First year on the RC390 this year though and need to get myself some better gear too.
Checklist (for me):
Warm outer layers (Hein Gericke if I win the lottery)
Winter gloves (not heated, just thick - I already faff around enough as it is without adding more wires into the equation)
Oxford grips
Pinlock as I don't currently use one
Can of ACF 50
Metzeler M5s (current tyres will be due a change by then anyway)
I only ever get the tube/bus if the bike is broken. I'd rather sit in a s
tstorm than have some prick coughing in my face/listening to ste music/on the phone to his friend who has a hearing problem.^^ Pretty much what lindrup said. The bike makes me drink less. I'd much rather have juice than suffer public transport.
To answer your question though it's very different commuting 45 mins to doing a short 15 min commute in the city.
City riding, I'm usually fine in kevlar jeans, textile jacket, high top trainers, neck warmer. Textile over trousers (with normal jeans) if it's raining.
When I had a 45 min ride it was always full textile suit zipped up. Full length boots and even (cheap) winter gloves were too chilly so I had to make the most of my single heated grip.
Don't do anything to the bike, although I probably should.
To answer your question though it's very different commuting 45 mins to doing a short 15 min commute in the city.
City riding, I'm usually fine in kevlar jeans, textile jacket, high top trainers, neck warmer. Textile over trousers (with normal jeans) if it's raining.
When I had a 45 min ride it was always full textile suit zipped up. Full length boots and even (cheap) winter gloves were too chilly so I had to make the most of my single heated grip.
Don't do anything to the bike, although I probably should.
I ride all year round on my GSXR or Bonneville. The only thing that stops me is rain, ice or snow. Ice or snow are obvious but I hate ridng in the rain, its just not fun.
I just have some winter gloves and those under layers for under my leathers. I don't bother with heated grips etc.
I just have some winter gloves and those under layers for under my leathers. I don't bother with heated grips etc.
I ride all year round on the Blackbird, I have Gore-Tex textiles, boots and gloves which keep me dry (although the gloves have started to leak a little), and heated grips. The only times I don't ride to work are when the roads outside the house are iced up. The main roads are probably fine but there's always that risk of a patch of black ice which stops me from taking the bike out. I guess I won't take it if it's snowing either!
Another AWB here. Weather dictates the gear and number of layers (over or under) but I do have heated grips and an adventure bike with ABS which makes it easier in crappy weather. I have 4 jackets for the year from a mesh one in summer, 2 leather jackets and a thick Gore tex for proper winter, draggin jeans for summer, leather trousers for everything else apart from proper winter with a set fo Furygan Duke trousers for arctic conditions. same helmet throughout though (tinted visor in summer).
No such thing as wrong conditions only wrong clothing. I do draw the line though when I can't open garage because of snow, but only when it's deep as I can commute on mostly main gritted roads if needed.
No such thing as wrong conditions only wrong clothing. I do draw the line though when I can't open garage because of snow, but only when it's deep as I can commute on mostly main gritted roads if needed.
I commute all year round - the only thing that would stop me, weather wise would be a decent bit of snow. I'm close to a main road too, for both work and home.
Heated grips have been fitted and muffs bought, when it's proper winter I'm in full textiles, balaclava/neck buff, muffs on and heated grips.
Living down here in Kent you only get a day or 2 at worst that you can't ride in, over last winter I commuted every day on my bike, apart from when it was off the road with some repairs.
ABS is a godsend for winter, when it's damp/cold, that's the only thing I'd change about my bike. I ride a Honda CB400, only 50bhp but plenty for the commute and it's dirt cheap to run.
Oh and the train is similar for me - 3 different trains and over an hour to get to work, £150 a month. By bike it's 35-40 minutes, £18 a week in petrol.
Heated grips have been fitted and muffs bought, when it's proper winter I'm in full textiles, balaclava/neck buff, muffs on and heated grips.
Living down here in Kent you only get a day or 2 at worst that you can't ride in, over last winter I commuted every day on my bike, apart from when it was off the road with some repairs.
ABS is a godsend for winter, when it's damp/cold, that's the only thing I'd change about my bike. I ride a Honda CB400, only 50bhp but plenty for the commute and it's dirt cheap to run.
Oh and the train is similar for me - 3 different trains and over an hour to get to work, £150 a month. By bike it's 35-40 minutes, £18 a week in petrol.
Edited by Tall_Paul on Wednesday 19th August 12:50
Edited by Tall_Paul on Wednesday 19th August 12:51
All year ride on Yamaha XT1200Z Super Tenere. 215mile each way twice a week, some country lanes, A roads and motorways. Heated grips and bar muffs for deepest winter. Full Ruka textitiles (got free with bike) Daytona boots (sick of wet feet 3 hours into journey with cheaper boots). Dainese textile gloves. Keis heated vest and insoles. One piece under suit, full thermals and then extra layers if needed as it gets colder. First two hours normally ok for less gear but cold starts to creep in at the three hour point
Reardy Mister said:
Its a BMW R1200RT and its sort of brilliant for commuting and sort of not that good.
I'm with you there - I'm on an ancient R1100RT at the moment, aka the Ark Royal, it has most of what you have except the heated bits. The elec screen is surprisingly useful, the non-folding mirrors are a surprising pita. I sat alongside a 12 at lights the other day and it definitely looks even wider than mine. I do OK on filtering though, plenty of people with smaller bikes who won't take gaps which I do.Tall_Paul said:
Oh and the train is similar for me - 3 different trains and over an hour to get to work, £150 a month. By bike it's 35-40 minutes, £18 a week in petrol.
I was about to say you must live and work near me, but the train for me is more like £450 a month!I ride year round, however I'm London based, so it rarely gets that bad. Nearly everywhere is gritted and snow barely lasts long if it settles at all. It's only the side street I live on and my office is on that doesn't get gritted.
Either way, I'm on a Fazer 600 with Metzeler Z8's.
I'll switch to my Rukka gear with thermal liners, some Lidl base layers and fleece underneath. Some Gerbing's heated gloves and a Pinlock visor are invaluable too.
Over the last 3 years I've only had to work from home one day, when it looked like this outside:-
Either way, I'm on a Fazer 600 with Metzeler Z8's.
I'll switch to my Rukka gear with thermal liners, some Lidl base layers and fleece underneath. Some Gerbing's heated gloves and a Pinlock visor are invaluable too.
Over the last 3 years I've only had to work from home one day, when it looked like this outside:-
I used to commute all year.
1st year was on a 600RR and it was fine all bar a few days of snow.
But changing to the naked bike the cold was awful!
I ended up using Forcefield cold killers, Gerbing heated gloves, and Alpinestars Goretex Textiles, TCX Boots.
And the bike was coated in ACF50.
Was fine after that but not so sure i'd want to do any longer than my commute. 35-40 mins.
Biggest pain was all the crap on the visor all the time too!
1st year was on a 600RR and it was fine all bar a few days of snow.
But changing to the naked bike the cold was awful!
I ended up using Forcefield cold killers, Gerbing heated gloves, and Alpinestars Goretex Textiles, TCX Boots.
And the bike was coated in ACF50.
Was fine after that but not so sure i'd want to do any longer than my commute. 35-40 mins.
Biggest pain was all the crap on the visor all the time too!
CAPP0 said:
What do you ride? Do you make any alterations to it for winter?
What do you wear?
What does it have to look like outside the window in the morning for you to finally concede and not bike in?
GSX1400.What do you wear?
What does it have to look like outside the window in the morning for you to finally concede and not bike in?
Heated grips, £15 ebay bark busters & Scotoiler.
Two piece textiles in winter & two piece leathers in the summer.
Snow on the floor or ice on the road outside means I steal my missus' van.
Edited by Hooli on Wednesday 19th August 15:27
I use textiles all year round, just take the thermal lining out for the summer (when we have one)
All my gear is Goretex and have only had a few minor leaks in monsoon conditions
Heated waistcoat is good as are heated grips, since getting a bike with heated grips I havent needed my bulky winter gloves
The only time I havent used the bike is when there is ice/snow on the gorund
All my gear is Goretex and have only had a few minor leaks in monsoon conditions
Heated waistcoat is good as are heated grips, since getting a bike with heated grips I havent needed my bulky winter gloves
The only time I havent used the bike is when there is ice/snow on the gorund
Did it for 3 years when stationed in Brussels. First on a CBF600, later on the VFR1200. I'll never again do it on a chain driven bike, too much hassle imho. The shaft drive was really welcome!
Other than that, good gear, a good pair of boots and gloves and heated grips helped tremendously when it was really cold out. As above, the only time I didn't use the bike was when it was snowing. Well, I did, on the CBF, once...
Other than that, good gear, a good pair of boots and gloves and heated grips helped tremendously when it was really cold out. As above, the only time I didn't use the bike was when it was snowing. Well, I did, on the CBF, once...
What do you ride? Do you make any alterations to it for winter?
Fazer600 '02 - I have fitted ex-KTM hand guards to stave off some rain, otherwise OEM spec. Run Mich PilotRoad3s (excellent all weather tyres)
What do you wear?
Halvarssons jacket, Wolf pants, Sidi Gore boots. Good textile kit basically.
What does it have to look like outside the window in the morning for you to finally concede and not bike in?
Ice/snow or seriously bad rain/wind.
Reason for the thread, well, I'm commuting again, it takes me 40-45 mins each way on the bike whereas by train would be easily an hour & three quarters each way, not to mention at least three times the daily cost, so I'm angling at using the bike for as long as humanly possible!
My commute is roughly 30mins each way and in sub zero conditions my kit only just lasts this distance, I would invest in heated grips/fairings if you want to go further IMO. Otherwise, there are surprisingly few days per year where its impassable on a bike (in the UK) so it is do-able.
Factor in the extra maintanance the bike will require when run through winter though and its not "cheap" per se. ACF50, regular washing, chain cleaning, brake cleaning, oil changes etc.
Fazer600 '02 - I have fitted ex-KTM hand guards to stave off some rain, otherwise OEM spec. Run Mich PilotRoad3s (excellent all weather tyres)
What do you wear?
Halvarssons jacket, Wolf pants, Sidi Gore boots. Good textile kit basically.
What does it have to look like outside the window in the morning for you to finally concede and not bike in?
Ice/snow or seriously bad rain/wind.
Reason for the thread, well, I'm commuting again, it takes me 40-45 mins each way on the bike whereas by train would be easily an hour & three quarters each way, not to mention at least three times the daily cost, so I'm angling at using the bike for as long as humanly possible!
My commute is roughly 30mins each way and in sub zero conditions my kit only just lasts this distance, I would invest in heated grips/fairings if you want to go further IMO. Otherwise, there are surprisingly few days per year where its impassable on a bike (in the UK) so it is do-able.
Factor in the extra maintanance the bike will require when run through winter though and its not "cheap" per se. ACF50, regular washing, chain cleaning, brake cleaning, oil changes etc.
Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff