When's TOO cold to cycle???

[jshell]

Forecast -8degC here tomorrow, got the studded tyres on, but at what point is it unhealthy to be dragging cold air into your lungs???

[BadgerBenji]

As long as you keep wrapped up warm, so your core temperature isn't too low or your extremities are falling off, don't see how it can be unhealthy.

[Viperzs]

It will never be too cold to cycle as long as you wear the correct gear.

[pattyg]

I personally tend to suffer the consequences due to asthma if breathing in too much very cold air

[Gizmoish]

I don't have asthma but anything under about 5degC makes my lungs ache.

[ewenm]

I've run in -20C. It's a case of the right kit for the job to stay suitably warm (but not too warm!).

[jshell]

Mmm, I've definitely been working on reducing layers to the bare minimum and that has really worked. However, if I stop for long I really start to freeze. I can change tubes real fast now...

My Scandinavian colleagues are reluctant to hard-drag air under -15degC in, but perhaps it's about modulating the volumes by reducing work load/cadence.

[Fartomatic5000]

Use a buff/snood around your neck and pull it over your mouth when you feel it's getting too cold.

[roadman]

never too cold

[MadDad]

I rode the Ridgeway with a friend last year when the car thermometer showed -7.5 (with windchill I reckon it felt more like -12). I was well layered up so stayed nice and warm, and covered my face with a buff, biggest issue was the water bottle freezing, and tube on camelback freezing - which actually resulted in dehydrating!

[aka_kerrly]

MadDad said:

I rode the Ridgeway with a friend last year when the car thermometer showed -7.5 (with windchill I reckon it felt more like -12). I was well layered up so stayed nice and warm, and covered my face with a buff, biggest issue was the water bottle freezing, and tube on camelback freezing - which actually resulted in dehydrating!

Pretty much my experience riding in sub zero conditions last year. My other let down was my gloves, on one ride my hands were so cold it was painful moving my finger tips and maintaining a good grip of the bars.

I resolved the issue by going to the pub and spending an hour defrosting (myself and my camelback) next to the fire:-)

[MadDad]

aka_kerrly said:

MadDad said:

I rode the Ridgeway with a friend last year when the car thermometer showed -7.5 (with windchill I reckon it felt more like -12). I was well layered up so stayed nice and warm, and covered my face with a buff, biggest issue was the water bottle freezing, and tube on camelback freezing - which actually resulted in dehydrating!

Pretty much my experience riding in sub zero conditions last year. My other let down was my gloves, on one ride my hands were so cold it was painful moving my finger tips and maintaining a good grip of the bars.

I resolved the issue by going to the pub and spending an hour defrosting (myself and my camelback) next to the fire:-)

I found a (clunky) cure for that, silk running gloves as a liner, rubber mechanics gloves over the top with a few holes in them, then thermal cycling gloves over the top of them - worked well but were a 'fat'!

[Darkslider]

What sort of gear do you guys wear in cold wet weather for say, commuting to work? Thinking about starting but don't have anything appropriate really, are shorts and waterproof/thermal lycra leggings the only way?

[jshell]

So, it wasn't -8deg today, it hit -14.5deg C on my 15km commute. Biggest panic was worrying about stopping for a puncure repair or to clear frozen ice out of the rear mech as the sweat that's ben built up means you freeze as soon as you stop pedaling. Anyway, today's gear:

Shimano MW81 winter boots
Rose under-socks
Thermal socks
Tracky bottoms
Endura Stealth Extreme bib 'longs'
Helly Hansen base layer
Lightweight fleece
Goretex jacket
Endura Stealth waterproof jacket
Goretex skull cap
Buff with fleece section
Sealskinz gloves
+ a set of Schwalbe WInter Marathon spiked tyres

Goodness only knows what that lot weighs on top of my 107kg!!


And my fecking feet were cold within 10 minutes, even with hard cycling!

The spikes are great in the ice, giving a fair bit of confidence, but loose snow still unsettles them. They are around 1kg each though. The side spikes actually let you climb up out of frozen wheel ruts and grip on black ice, stopping and accelerating well. Corners are approached 'gingerly', you don't want to be leaning too much or they will break away.

The buff is great - for a while. At first it traps exhaled heat and sort of heats the incoming air. Until it gets wet, then it becomes a barrier to air flow and you either have to try to turn it around on the move, or pull it down to let air in where it wants to freeze solid.

[roadman]

jshell said:

So, it wasn't -8deg today, it hit -14.5deg C on my 15km commute. Biggest panic was worrying about stopping for a puncure repair or to clear frozen ice out of the rear mech as the sweat that's ben built up means you freeze as soon as you stop pedaling. Anyway, today's gear:

Shimano MW81 winter boots
Rose under-socks
Thermal socks
Tracky bottoms
Endura Stealth Extreme bib 'longs'
Helly Hansen base layer
Lightweight fleece
Goretex jacket
Endura Stealth waterproof jacket
Goretex skull cap
Buff with fleece section
Sealskinz gloves
+ a set of Schwalbe WInter Marathon spiked tyres

Goodness only knows what that lot weighs on top of my 107kg!!


And my fecking feet were cold within 10 minutes, even with hard cycling!

The spikes are great in the ice, giving a fair bit of confidence, but loose snow still unsettles them. They are around 1kg each though. The side spikes actually let you climb up out of frozen wheel ruts and grip on black ice, stopping and accelerating well. Corners are approached 'gingerly', you don't want to be leaning too much or they will break away.

The buff is great - for a while. At first it traps exhaled heat and sort of heats the incoming air. Until it gets wet, then it becomes a barrier to air flow and you either have to try to turn it around on the move, or pull it down to let air in where it wants to freeze solid.

What bike do you ride? assuming its a MTB?

[jshell]

roadman said:

What bike do you ride? assuming its a MTB?

Whyte 901, all standard for the winter except the tyres and lit up like a Xmas tree!. I put Mavic Crossmax ST's (ebay cheap deals) on for summer and they just lighten it up wonderfully, also taking big hits offroad. Nice bike and I'm liking the simple SRAM groupset. Bars are a bit wide so will cut them down. The saddle is the comfiest I've ever used, and I've bought loads...

[DrMekon]

I've ridden when it's cold enough to chill my jaw such that I developed a temporary speech impediment.

Rule 5.

TBH, I prefer to run when it's really cold. Been running 10km each way to work through the fields rather than 30km each way on the lanes. Using a magicshine as a headtorch makes running offroad at night brilliant fun.

[Rolls]

Darkslider said:

What sort of gear do you guys wear in cold wet weather for say, commuting to work? Thinking about starting but don't have anything appropriate really, are shorts and waterproof/thermal lycra leggings the only way?

IMO for the commute a lot of people will go completely overboard... You'll only be on the bike for an hour or so at most I'd imagine?
For me it's:
HH base layer
3/4 thermal bibs
Long sleeved jersey
Baggy shorts
Woollie bullie socks
Shimano winter boots
Jacket
Skull cap (very important IMO,)
Decent gore gloves (both water and wind proof....)
Oh... And some yellow lenses in my jawbones - else my eyes properly hurt!

[jshell]

Rolls said:

Oh... And some yellow lenses in my jawbones - else my eyes properly hurt!

Yeah, glasses - vital!!!

[ewenm]

My current gear list:
Nike DriFit long sleeved running top
North Face smock fleece
Endura Hi-Viz shell jacket
Endura baggy shorts
Running socks and Cannondale MTB shoes
Sealskinz gloves
Yellow lenses in the glasses
Giro helmet

Things that are on my Christmas list:
Bib shorts and tights
Overshoes
Ear-warmer/headband