Originally Posted by
Wilfred Laurier
i have experienced -45
i have ridden in -35
i cannot imagine riding in -51 but i guess i wouldnt mind walking
Trying to remember my exact gear 55 years ago:
Feet - felt high-top shoes, liner socks + 2 pair wool.
Legs - long johns, jeans, quilted dacron underwear on top.
Torso - long johns, wool shirt, Montgomery Wards nylon insulated parka with ruffed hood.
Head - wool watch cap manipulated in front to form a shelf over my eyes, wool scarf just to bottom of eyes. Lower lip extended to blow exhaled air up over my nose and eyes.
Hands - insulated mitts with heavy wool liners. Hands formed into fists except when fingers were needed.
My daily paper route (Fairbanks Daily News-Miner) was 2-1/4 hours long. I got a lot of practice. I once changed a flat at 65 below F (some said 71 below) in dress shoes, car coat, thin leather gloves, and ear muffs. The tubeless tire had frozen stiff, flat on the bottom, and moving the car broke the bead. The tire was perfect after thawing. That same day a truck lost some tires off its load. They broke. Now, that's cold. I don't think a bicycle would function very well.